6 Types of Conflict
A boy must decide whether to tell the truth and risk getting his friend in trouble, or lie and protect him.
person vs. self
I watched the fire swallow our last shelter. My hands trembled—not from fear, but from knowing we’d have to keep moving. No one else was going to save us.
first person
Maya stood at the edge of the podium, the applause still echoing in her ears. She’d won—just like everyone said she would. But as she stared at the trophy in her hands, she couldn’t stop thinking about the shortcut she took, the one no one knew about.
Internal
Malik moved through the crowd with practiced ease, nodding politely, never staying in one place too long. He kept one hand in his coat pocket the entire time, and his eyes never stopped scanning the room.
A) character's behaviour b) Direct description c) internal states
behaviour A)
As the smoke thickened and the sirens screamed closer, Marco reached into the flames and yanked the child out just as the roof gave way behind him.
climax
A whistleblower is pursued and silenced by a powerful co-worker who fears exposure of their crimes.
person vs. person
Lena smoothed the letter before slipping it into the drawer. She told herself she wouldn’t cry again. Across town, Marco stood at the bus stop, unaware of what she’d decided. The storm clouds above him mirrored the heaviness in his chest.
3rd person omniscient
Every morning, Tomas found the same note taped to his locker: Go back where you came from. He didn’t know who was leaving them, and the school said they couldn’t do anything without proof. So he walked faster, kept his head down, and waited for it to stop.
external conflict
On the outside, Tara looked calm—arms crossed, chin lifted. But inside, her thoughts raced: I should’ve spoken up. I should’ve stopped them. Now it’s too late. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she had let something terrible happen.
a) Character's behaviour b) direct description c) internal states
c) internal state
A month later, Marco returned to the rebuilt shelter, this time to volunteer. He didn’t need recognition. Just the feeling that, somehow, something good had come from it all.
resolution/ conclusion
A hiker injured in a remote forest must find a way to survive despite having no equipment.
person vs. nature
You wake up with a sharp pain in your shoulder. The ceiling looks unfamiliar. You don’t remember falling asleep here, and your phone is gone.
second person
The floodwaters had already swallowed most of the farmland. Jesse gritted his teeth as he loaded sandbags, ignoring the cramps in his legs. The river was rising faster than expected, and there were still families who hadn’t evacuated.
external
Simone chained herself to the old iron gate before sunrise. The forest behind her was marked for demolition—luxury condos were coming, and no amount of petitions had stopped it. Mr. Hayashi arrived just after dawn. “You think saving twenty trees will fix this city’s housing crisis?” he said, arms folded. “We’re trying to give people homes.”
Who is the protagonist and who is the antagonist?
simone it protag Mr. H is antag
Jordan walked into the old theater for the first time, the scent of dust and velvet thick in the air. He’d been hired as the new stage manager, but something about the building felt…off. The light switch didn’t work, and the silence pressed in like a warning.
Introduction
A student refuses to stand during the national anthem in school and is suspended.
person vs. society
Jasmine clenched her fists. They didn’t believe her, and that stung more than she expected. She turned away before they could see the tears start. She had to figure this out alone.
Third person limited
Rachel told everyone she was fine. She laughed at the right moments, handed in her assignments on time, and even won student of the month. But late at night, she stared at the ceiling, wondering if any of it really meant anything anymore.
internal
Kieran had broken through the firewalls and found the buried contracts—proof that Virex Industries had silenced whistleblowers for years. All he had to do now was hit upload. On the 42nd floor, CEO Dana Li leaned back in her chair, watching her security team trace the breach. “We built this company from nothing,” she said. “We don’t bend for blackmailers.”
Who is the protag and who is the antag or could either be?
protag is kieran antag is Dana
The night before the concert, Lani’s violin string snapped mid-rehearsal. Her backup string was gone, and the store was closed. She sank to the floor, heart pounding. Without that string, she couldn't perform—and the scholarship judges would be in the front row.
rising action
A programmer builds an AI assistant to make her life easier, but it starts making decisions “for her own good,” cutting her off from friends.
person vs. technology
Eli stepped into the conference room, adjusting his tie with a precision he didn’t feel. The others looked up briefly, their expressions unreadable. He nodded at them, pretending he didn’t notice the empty chair beside the head of the table—or the way his boss avoided his eyes. He told himself it was nothing. Just another meeting.
Third person limited
When the verdict was read, Isaac didn’t move. Not when the gavel struck, not when the guards came. Everyone said justice had been served. But inside, Isaac was still asking himself if he had done the right thing by staying silent on the stand.
both
Nadine worked for years to earn the scholarship. She followed every rule, stayed up late studying, skipped every party. Now, her twin sister Nora—who barely tried—was being handed the same opportunity, just because of a “talent grant.” Nora didn’t want Nadine’s life. She just wanted a chance to prove she was more than a shadow.
Who is the protag and who is the antag or could either be?
both, could be either
They sat on the curb, wrapped in blankets, watching the firefighters work. No one spoke. Marco’s hands were still shaking, but the child in his arms was safe now, clinging to him.
falling action