Conflict in Literature: Character vs. Self Conflict in Writing

Character versus self conflict (also called man vs. self conflict) is a type of conflict that takes place inside a character’s mind. Man vs. self literary conflict usually involves the main character’s inner struggle with self-doubts, a moral dilemma, or their own nature. Although it can be layered with external conflict, such as man vs. nature, man vs. man, man vs. supernatural, or man vs. society, character vs. self conflict is at its crux an issue between a character and their own thoughts and actions.

Character versus self is one of the most compelling types of conflict because it reflects the reality of human experience, presenting complex characters who are not always at one with themselves. The best stories usually include man vs. self as one of several interlocking conflicts.

1. 1. In The Old Man and The Sea by Ernest Hemingway, the protagonist Santiago is an aging fisherman down on his luck. On the surface, this story embodies a man vs. nature conflict: For most of the novel’s action, Santiago is engaged in a physical struggle with a huge marlin (and later, sharks). In the days that Santiago spends alone at sea, he confronts his own morality, self-doubt, and his place within nature. In this example, the external conflicts help set up the more important internal conflict.
2. 2. Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 is a science fiction classic that also makes use of multiple layers of conflict. The protagonist, Guy Montag, becomes engaged in a man vs. society conflict when he decides to drop out of his book-burning world. This man vs. society conflict is characteristic of dystopian fiction, but the type of conflict that actually takes up most of the novel is man vs. self, as Guy struggles with his connection to his old life, and the mounting feeling that his career and lifestyle are immoral. The lines between society and self are especially blurry in any type of fiction that revolves around devotion to the state.
3. 3. In Jane Austen’s Emma, the titular character becomes her own antagonist when she realizes that her matchmaking may have done more harm than good. She struggles with herself to admit her feelings for her friend Mr. Knightley and undergoes painful self-realization, eventually making things right with her friends. While the novel features plenty of man vs. man and man vs. society conflict, it’s Emma’s internal struggle with her own presumptions that is the core conflict of the novel. When Emma accepts that she can be wrong, she is able to find “perfect happiness.”

Character vs. self conflict is a powerful tool for adding depth to your characters and meaningful struggle to your plot. To use character vs. self conflict in your own writing, try these tips.

1. 1. Layer different types of conflict: Just because your character is fighting a dragon doesn’t mean they can’t also be facing inner conflict. It’s rare that a well written story will only feature one type of conflict. Just as in real life, characters usually have to deal with multiple conflicts at once. You can use the external conflict as a metaphor for or foil to the internal conflict, but be wary of making things too tidy.
2. 2. Externalize what’s going on inside: With internal conflict, it can be really easy to get stuck inside your character’s head. Be sure to illustrate the internal conflict with action, rather than just telling your reader how your character feels.
3. 3. Add backstory: Revealing information about your character’s past is a classic way to develop their internal conflict. For example, in Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, flashbacks help deepen the protagonist, Offred’s, inner struggle. These memories of her family and training to become a handmaid illustrate why Offred oscillates between desire to rebel against her oppressive society, submit, or die.

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