Types of Conflict in Narrative

Active learning helps students grasp narrative conflict by moving from abstract definitions to concrete examples. When students physically sort, act out, or map conflicts, they anchor abstract concepts in memorable, social experiences that strengthen comprehension and retention.

• Year 7
• English
• 4 activities
• 35 min–50 min

Learning Objectives

1. Classify examples of narrative conflict into person vs. person, person vs. self, person vs. nature, and person vs. society.
2. Analyze how specific conflicts drive plot progression and character development in a given text.
3. Compare the impact of internal versus external conflicts on a character's motivations and decisions.
4. Explain how the resolution of a primary conflict contributes to the story's overall theme.
5. Predict how a change in the type or intensity of conflict would alter a narrative's outcome.

Case Study Analysis

⏱ 35 min·Small Groups

Card Sort: Conflict Excerpts

Prepare cards with short excerpts from familiar stories showing different conflicts. In small groups, students sort cards into four types, justify choices with evidence, then write one new excerpt per type. Share one example per group with the class.

Prepare & details

Differentiate between internal and external conflicts and their impact on a character's journey.

Facilitation Tip: During Card Sort: Conflict Excerpts, circulate and ask student pairs to explain why they placed each excerpt in a particular category before confirming their answers.

Setup: Groups at tables with case materials

Materials: Case study packet (3-5 pages), Analysis framework worksheet, Presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Self-Management

Case Study Analysis

⏱ 40 min·Pairs

Role-Play: Conflict Showdown

Pairs select a story scene and act out the main conflict, exaggerating elements to highlight the type. Switch roles to explore internal versus external shifts. Debrief with class votes on conflict identification.

Prepare & details

Analyze how the resolution of a conflict reveals a story's theme.

Facilitation Tip: For Role-Play: Conflict Showdown, assign roles with clear conflict types and set a 3-minute time limit for each showdown to keep energy high.

Setup: Groups at tables with case materials

Materials: Case study packet (3-5 pages), Analysis framework worksheet, Presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Self-Management

Case Study Analysis

⏱ 50 min·Small Groups

Story Arc Mapping: Conflict Paths

Small groups chart a novel's plot on large paper, marking conflict types, peaks, and resolutions with quotes. Predict changes if the primary conflict alters. Present maps and discuss theme impacts.

Prepare & details

Predict how a change in the primary conflict would alter the narrative's outcome.

Facilitation Tip: When Story Arc Mapping: Conflict Paths, provide colored pencils so students can visually layer different conflict types along the arc from exposition to resolution.

Setup: Groups at tables with case materials

Materials: Case study packet (3-5 pages), Analysis framework worksheet, Presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Self-Management

Formal Debate

⏱ 45 min·Whole Class

Formal Debate: Conflict Twists

Whole class divides into teams to debate outcomes if a story's conflict changes type, using evidence from the text. Vote on most convincing prediction and link to theme.

Prepare & details

Differentiate between internal and external conflicts and their impact on a character's journey.

Facilitation Tip: In Debate: Conflict Twists, assign a student to record key points on the board to help the class track evolving perspectives.

Setup: Two teams facing each other, audience seating for the rest

Materials: Debate proposition card, Research brief for each side, Judging rubric for audience, Timer

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

Teaching This Topic

Teach this topic by modeling how to identify conflict through think-alouds with short excerpts. Avoid over-simplifying to one conflict type per story, as layered conflicts deepen analysis. Research suggests that role-play and debate activities build empathy and critical thinking, while mapping activities help students visualize narrative structure and its impact on character change.

What to Expect

By the end of these activities, students will confidently distinguish between internal and external conflict types, trace how conflicts shape character development, and explain how resolution reveals theme. Successful learning is visible when students justify their choices with evidence from texts or role-plays.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During Card Sort: Conflict Excerpts, students may assume all conflicts involve physical fights between people.

What to Teach Instead

Use the Card Sort to redirect students by asking them to reread excerpts aloud and identify whether the tension is between characters, within a character, against nature, or against society, using the definitions on the board as a guide.

Common Misconception

During Role-Play: Conflict Showdown, students may think conflicts remain static throughout a story.

What to Teach Instead

After each role-play, pause to ask the audience how the conflict might evolve. Have students jot down one possible change on sticky notes and attach them to the role-play area.

Common Misconception

During Debate: Conflict Twists, students may believe resolving conflict always leads to a happy ending.

What to Teach Instead

Prompt students to analyze resolution outcomes by asking them to cite examples from role-plays where resolution was bittersweet or ambiguous, then connect these to theme during the debate.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

After Card Sort: Conflict Excerpts, provide a short scenario on an exit ticket and ask students to identify the primary conflict type and write one sentence explaining their choice using evidence from the card sort materials.

Quick Check

During Story Arc Mapping: Conflict Paths, display a brief video clip or read an excerpt aloud. Ask students to write the main conflict and whether it is internal or external, providing one piece of evidence from the text or clip to support their answer.

Discussion Prompt

After Role-Play: Conflict Showdown, pose the question, ‘How might the story’s theme change if the main character’s internal conflict was resolved differently?’ Facilitate a class discussion where students share predictions and reasoning, referencing specific moments from the role-plays.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge students who finish early to rewrite a scene with the conflict type reversed (e.g., change a person vs. nature conflict to person vs. self) and explain how the theme shifts.
• For students who struggle, provide a word bank of conflict type names and examples during the card sort to reduce cognitive load.
• Allow extra time for groups to create a short comic strip showing a conflict’s progression from introduction to resolution, labeling each type present.

Key Vocabulary

Person vs. Person Conflict	A struggle between two or more characters, often involving opposing goals or desires.
Person vs. Self Conflict	An internal struggle within a character, such as a moral dilemma, a difficult decision, or a battle with their own fears or weaknesses.
Person vs. Nature Conflict	A struggle where a character faces challenges posed by the natural environment, such as extreme weather, wild animals, or natural disasters.
Person vs. Society Conflict	A struggle where a character is in opposition to the rules, laws, traditions, or social norms of a group or society.
Internal Conflict	Conflict that takes place within a character's mind or heart, often involving a choice or a struggle with their own beliefs or feelings.
External Conflict	Conflict that occurs between a character and an outside force, such as another person, nature, or society.