characters weaknes & Internal conflict

Jamesfox · 07-28-2005, 04:14 PM

can a characters weakness be his love for a girl(who isnt suppose to love?

i know what internal conflict of a character is but i dont understand it, could someone explain it in deepth

Deus Ex Machine · 07-28-2005, 04:31 PM

Internal conflict is created when the external forces the character to do something, or not do something, that conflicts with his internal flaws.

Shakespeare has writer's block - Internal.
Shakespeare must write a play - External.

The external demands of the plot create the internal conflict and force Shakespeare to confront and overcome his internal flaws in order for him to be able to confront and overcome his external conflicts.

Sheriff Brody is afraid of water - Internal.
The Sheriff must stop the shark - External.

The external demands of the plot force Brody to go on and in the water to hunt the shark. This creates an internal conflict which he must face and overcome before he will be able to overcome the external conflict.

HTH

TwoBrad Bradley · 07-28-2005, 05:42 PM

Another way to look at it. (I don't know - maybe it's the same way.)

The reason Frank won't go out at night, even though he wants to, is:

A - He's afraid of the dark (internal conflict- he is his own antagonist in this case).
B - There is a monster with a really big dog, who wants to kill him, standing right outside his door (external conflict - the antagonist is another character).

whistlelock · 07-28-2005, 09:41 PM

A fellow tries to come to terms with what it is to be a Man in the modern world with no input from his father or society around him.

He forms a series of underground clubs, turns them into a guerilla army and destroys everyone's credit score.

edited to add I forgot. Externial conflict is best when it's an extention of the internial conflict of the protagonist. The previous examples from Dues and Jake are elegant examples. The conflicts can be "simple", the protag is afraid of water; to the abstract, a man tries to come to terms with manhood in the modern world. Whatever it is, the whole story moves around that conflict. The protag must resolve the issue, find a new equalibriam to live in, for the story to end.

Most Rom/Com's center around the conflicts of self-isolation and lonliness.

Biohazard · 07-31-2005, 03:14 PM

The external conflict is physical, the goal of the character.
The internal conflict is mental, what is preventing them from accomplishing this goal.

Totiwos · 07-31-2005, 03:37 PM

Why does he love a girl he isn't supposed to? That gets to the heart of the character's weakness.

07-28-2005, 04:14 PM	#1
Jamesfox User Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 98	characters weaknes & Internal conflict can a characters weakness be his love for a girl(who isnt suppose to love? i know what internal conflict of a character is but i dont understand it, could someone explain it in deepth

07-28-2005, 04:31 PM	#2
Deus Ex Machine Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 1,823	Re: characters weaknes & Internal conflict Internal conflict is created when the external forces the character to do something, or not do something, that conflicts with his internal flaws. Shakespeare has writer's block - Internal. Shakespeare must write a play - External. The external demands of the plot create the internal conflict and force Shakespeare to confront and overcome his internal flaws in order for him to be able to confront and overcome his external conflicts. Sheriff Brody is afraid of water - Internal. The Sheriff must stop the shark - External. The external demands of the plot force Brody to go on and in the water to hunt the shark. This creates an internal conflict which he must face and overcome before he will be able to overcome the external conflict. HTH __________________ Fortune favors the bold - Virgil

07-28-2005, 05:42 PM	#3
TwoBrad Bradley Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 1,913	Re: characters weaknes & Internal conflict Another way to look at it. (I don't know - maybe it's the same way.) The reason Frank won't go out at night, even though he wants to, is: A - He's afraid of the dark (internal conflict- he is his own antagonist in this case). B - There is a monster with a really big dog, who wants to kill him, standing right outside his door (external conflict - the antagonist is another character). __________________ "I am the story itself; its source, its voice, its music." - Clive Barker, Galilee

07-28-2005, 09:41 PM	#4
whistlelock Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: 26 miles south. Posts: 2,180	Re: characters weaknes & Internal conflict A fellow tries to come to terms with what it is to be a Man in the modern world with no input from his father or society around him. He forms a series of underground clubs, turns them into a guerilla army and destroys everyone's credit score. edited to add I forgot. Externial conflict is best when it's an extention of the internial conflict of the protagonist. The previous examples from Dues and Jake are elegant examples. The conflicts can be "simple", the protag is afraid of water; to the abstract, a man tries to come to terms with manhood in the modern world. Whatever it is, the whole story moves around that conflict. The protag must resolve the issue, find a new equalibriam to live in, for the story to end. Most Rom/Com's center around the conflicts of self-isolation and lonliness. __________________

07-31-2005, 03:14 PM	#5
Biohazard Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Far Over the Misty Mountains Cold Posts: 7,292	Re: characters weaknes & Internal conflict The external conflict is physical, the goal of the character. The internal conflict is mental, what is preventing them from accomplishing this goal.

07-31-2005, 03:37 PM	#6
Totiwos Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Oregon Posts: 578	Re: characters weaknes & Internal conflict Why does he love a girl he isn't supposed to? That gets to the heart of the character's weakness.

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