What is conflict in works? Conflict and its psychological analysis using the example of a work of literature: subject, parties, interaction strategy, description of the conflict by stages and phases

Conflict

Conflict

CONFLICT (literally “clash”). - IN in a broad sense K. should be called that system of contradictions that organizes the edges piece of art into a certain unity, that struggle of images, social characters, ideas that unfold in every work - in epic and dramatic ones widely and completely, in lyrical ones - in primary forms. The concept of K. itself is quite diverse: we can talk about K. in the sense of the external opposition of characters: for example. Hamlet and his opponent, about a number of more particular K. - Hamlet and Laertes, etc. We can talk about the internal K. in Hamlet himself, about internal struggle his contradictory aspirations, etc. The same inconsistency and conflict can be seen in lyrical creativity, confronting different attitudes to reality, etc. K. in this sense is an integral moment in every plot (and often plotless, for example, lyrical) work, and a completely inevitable moment; social practice any social group seems to be a continuous dialectical movement from some that arise on its way social contradictions to others, from one social conflict to another. Resolving these contradictions, realizing them, “ public person, reproducing in artistic creativity your feelings and thoughts” (Plekhanov), thereby reproducing his contradictory relationships to contradictory objective reality and resolving them; So. arr. Every work of art appears, first of all, to be a dialectical unity - a unity of contradictions. Thus, it is always conflicting, at its core there is always a certain social K. Expressed in lyrics in the least tangible forms, K. appears extremely clearly in epic and drama, in various compositional contrasts of struggling characters, etc.

Literary encyclopedia. - At 11 t.; M.: Publishing House of the Communist Academy, Soviet encyclopedia, Fiction. Edited by V. M. Fritsche, A. V. Lunacharsky. 1929-1939 .

Conflict

(from lat. conflictus - collision), a clash between the characters of a work of art, between heroes and society, between different motives in inner world one character. Conflict is a contradiction that determines the movement of the plot. Traditionally, conflicts are usually divided into internal (within the self-awareness, the soul of one hero) and external. Among external conflicts, psychological (in particular, love), social, and ideological (including political, religious, moral, philosophical) stand out. This identification of species is very arbitrary and often does not take into account relationships or mergers different conflicts in one work.
In different literary eras various conflicts dominated. Ancient drama was dominated by plots depicting the futile confrontation between characters and fate. In the dramaturgy of classicism (in France - P. Corneille, J.B. Racine, Voltaire, in Russia - A.P. Sumarokov etc.) dominated by conflicts built on the confrontation between passion and duty in the souls of the heroes. (A.P. Sumarokov added to them the conflict between the ruler and his subjects.) In romantic literature There was a widespread conflict between an exceptional individual and a soulless society that rejected him. The options for this conflict were: expulsion or flight from society of a freedom-loving and proud hero (works by J.G. Byron, a number of works by A.S. Pushkin and M. Yu. Lermontov); tragic fate"savage" natural man“in the world of civilization, deprived of freedom (poem by M. Yu. Lermontov “Mtsyri”); the sad fate of an artist in a vulgar society that does not value beauty (in Germany - the works of E.T.A. Hoffman, in Russia - works by V.F. Odoevsky, N.A. Polevoy, M.P. Weather, story by N.V. Gogol"Portrait"); the image of the so-called extra person ”, unable to free himself from the painful boredom of existence, not finding a goal in life (Onegin in A.S. Pushkin, Pechorin in M.Yu. Lermontov, Beltov in A.I. Herzen, Rudin, Lavretsky, Litvinov and other characters from I.S. Turgenev).
A stable version of the conflict is characteristic of drama from antiquity to the present: this is the overcoming of obstacles by relatives (most often parents) by the young hero and heroine in love, who interfere with the marriage of the main characters.
Most of the conflicts in world literature can be reduced to a kind of pattern - several repeating types of conflict.
Some conflicts are not just a confrontation between characters, but a clash opposite principles existence, the symbols of which can be heroes or images of the work. Thus, in Pushkin’s poem “ Bronze Horseman"depicts a tragic contradiction between three forces - an ordinary person, an ordinary person (Eugene), Power (its symbol is the monument to Peter I) and Element (its embodiment is a flood, the rebellious Neva). Such conflicts are typical for works on subjects of a mythological nature, with characters of a symbolic-mythological nature. So, in the novel Russian. Symbolist writer Andrei White“Petersburg” is depicted not so much as a clash of certain individual characters(Senator Ableukhov, revolutionary-terrorist Dudkin, provocateur Lippanchenko, etc.), as much as a conflict between two outwardly opposite, but internally related principles fighting for the soul of Russia - the West and the East.

Literature and language. Modern illustrated encyclopedia. - M.: Rosman. Edited by prof. Gorkina A.P. 2006 .


Synonyms:

Antonyms:

See what “Conflict” is in other dictionaries:

    conflict- (from Lat. conflictus collision) a collision of multidirectional goals, interests, positions, opinions or views of the subjects of interaction, fixed by them in a rigid form. Any K. is based on a situation that includes either contradictory positions... ... Great psychological encyclopedia

    - (from Latin conflictus) in psychology, a collision of two or more strong motives that cannot be satisfied at the same time. Psychologically, the conflict is associated with the fact that the weakening of one motivating stimulus leads to the strengthening of another and... ... Philosophical Encyclopedia

    - (Latin conflictus - collision) - a way of interaction between people in which the tendency of confrontation, hostility, destruction of achieved unity, consent and cooperation prevails. Individuals may be in a state of conflict... Political science. Dictionary.

    - (lat. conflictus, from confligere to collide). Clashes, disputes, strife. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. CONFLICT lat. conflictus, from confligere, to collide. Clashes, disputes, strife... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

    Cm … Synonym dictionary

    CONFLICT, conflict, husband. (lat. conflictus) (book). A clash between disputing dissenting parties. Conflict between workers and management. || Complication in international relations. Polish-Lithuanian conflict. Dictionary Ushakova. D.N.... ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

    - (from lat. conflictus collision) clash of parties, opinions, forces... Big encyclopedic Dictionary

    - (from lat. conflictus clash) contradiction in views and relationships, clash of divergent ones, opposing interests, heated dispute. Raizberg B.A., Lozovsky L.Sh., Starodubtseva E.B.. Modern economic dictionary. 2nd ed., rev. M... Economic dictionary

    Disagreement between two or more parties (individuals or groups) in which each party tries to ensure that its own views or goals are accepted... Glossary of crisis management terms

    - (lat. conflictus collision) in a broad sense, a collision, confrontation of the parties. The philosophical tradition considers conflict as a special case of contradiction, its extreme aggravation. In sociology, social culture is a process or situation in which one ... The latest philosophical dictionary

Books

  • , Glazyrin T.S.. Conflict of interests as the basis of corruption offenses threatens the authority of the state (municipal) service, affecting the organizational, legal and moral foundations...

The most important function of the plot is to reveal life’s contradictions, that is, conflicts (in Hegel’s terminology, collisions).

Conflict- a confrontation of contradiction either between characters, or between characters and circumstances, or within character, underlying the action. If we are dealing with small epic form, then the action develops on the basis of one single conflict. In works of large volume, the number of conflicts increases.

Conflict- the core around which everything revolves. The plot least of all resembles a solid, unbroken line connecting the beginning and end of an event series.

Stages of conflict development- main plot elements:

Exposition – plot – development of action – climax – denouement

Exposition(Latin – presentation, explanation) – a description of the events preceding the plot.

Main functions: Introducing the reader to the action; Presentation of characters; Picture of the situation before the conflict.

The beginning– an event or group of events directly leading to a conflict situation. It can grow out of exposure.

Development of action- the entire system of sequential deployment of that part of the event plan from beginning to end that guides the conflict. It can be calm or unexpected turns (vicissitudes).

Climax- moment highest voltage conflict is crucial for its resolution. After which the development of the action turns to the denouement.

The number of climaxes can be large. It depends on the storylines.

Denouement– an event that resolves a conflict. Most often, the ending and denouement coincide. In the case of an open ending, the denouement may recede. The denouement, as a rule, is juxtaposed with the beginning, echoing it with a certain parallelism, completing a certain compositional circle.

Conflict classification:

Solvable (limited by the scope of the work)

Unsolvable (eternal, universal contradictions)

Types of conflicts:

A) human and nature;

b) person and society;

V) man and culture

Ways to implement conflict in various types of literary works:

Often the conflict is fully embodied and exhausted in the course of the events depicted. It arises against the backdrop of a conflict-free situation, escalates and resolves as if before the eyes of the readers. This is the case in many adventure and detective novels. This is the case in most of the literary works of the Renaissance: in the short stories of Boccaccio, comedies and some tragedies of Shakespeare. For example, the emotional drama of Othello is entirely focused on the period of time when Iago weaved his devilish intrigue. The evil intent of the envious person is the main and only reason for the suffering of the protagonist. The conflict of the tragedy "Othello", for all its depth and tension, is transitory and local.

But it also happens differently. In a number of epic and dramatic works, events unfold against a constant background of conflict. The contradictions to which the writer draws attention exist here both before the events depicted begin, and during their course, and after their completion. What happened in the lives of the heroes acts as a kind of addition to the already existing contradictions. These can be both resolvable and unresolvable conflicts (Dostoevsky's "The Idiot", Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard") Stable conflict situations are inherent in almost most of the plots of realistic literature of the 19th-20th centuries.

You already know that you need to start writing your story by creating characters. But even when you have already completely described the image of your hero and tell the reader part of his biography, he will still remain lifeless. Only action - that is, conflict - can revive it.

You can even try to bring the character to life for yourself without affecting the plot of the book. For example, imagine that each of your characters found a wallet with money. How will he deal with them? Will he look for the owner, or will he take it for himself? Maybe he'll demand a reward for his return? In general, a character's reaction in a given situation can say quite a lot about him. This is how you need to bring your characters to life for your readers.

The best plot in the world is meaningless if it lacks the tension and excitement that conflict brings.

1. Conflict is a clash between a character’s desires and opposition.

In order for conflict to arise in your story, you need to create not only a character, but also some kind of opposition that will interfere with the implementation of his plans. This could be supernatural forces, weather conditions, or the actions of other heroes. Only through the struggle that arises between the character and the opposition will the reader be able to find out who the hero really is.

Conflict in history is carried out according to the “action-reaction” scheme. That is, before you stumble upon any obstacles, your character must take some actions. For example, let's imagine that the hero wants to go to his parents for Christmas, but his girlfriend is against it, since she promised her family that they would come to her home together. Your character faces opposition and conflict arises. He can't go home so as not to offend the girl, but he also doesn't want to break his promise to his parents. Thanks to this situation, the reader will be able to learn more about both the character of the hero and the character of his girlfriend.

That is, To conflict develops when the heroes different goals and when each of them feels the need to achieve his goal. The more reasons each side has not to concede, the better for your work.

2. How to regulate counterforces

In every work, it is very important that the antagonist is no weaker than the protagonist. Agree, no one wants to watch a fight between a world champion and an amateur. Why? Because the outcome will be known to everyone.

Raymond Hull, in his work How to Write a Play, shared an interesting formula for countering: « Main character+ his Goal + Counteraction = Conflict” (GP+C+P=K).

Your hero must face difficulties and obstacles that he can overcome only with maximum effort. And the reader should always doubt whether the character will be able to emerge victorious from the next battle.

3. Coupling principle

The “crucible” plays the role of a pot or firebox where a work of art is boiled, baked or stewed. Moses Malevinsky “The Science of Drama”

The crucible is the most important element organic structure of a work of art. It's like a container in which the characters are kept as the situation heats up. The crucible will not allow the conflict to fade away, and will prevent the characters from escaping.

Characters remain in the crucible if the desire to engage in conflict is stronger than the desire to avoid it.

For example, you are writing a story about a boy who hates his school and has to find various reasons not to go there. The reader may think - why doesn’t he then simply move to another school? This is a logical question and you need to come up with an answer. Maybe his parents don’t want to deal with transferring to another school? Or perhaps he lives in a small town, and this is the only school, but there is no opportunity to study at home?

In general, the character must have a reason to stay and continue to participate in the conflict.

Without the crucible, the characters will scatter. There will be no characters - there will be no conflict, there will be no conflict - there will be no drama.

4. Internal conflict

In addition to the external conflict also great value has internal conflict. In life, people usually often encounter situations in which they do not know what to do correctly. They doubt, delay making a decision, etc. Your characters should do the same. Trust me, this will help you make them more realistic.

For example, your hero does not want to join the army, although he understands that he must do so. Why doesn't he want to go there? Perhaps he is afraid, or does not want to leave his girlfriend for such a long time. The reasons must be realistic and truly significant.

The hero, for a very serious reason, must or is forced to commit a certain act and at the same time, for an equally serious reason, cannot do it.

External and internal conflicts separately will not make your work high quality. However, if you use both of them, the result will definitely justify itself.

5. Types of conflict

The tragedy tells about the emotional experiences of the hero (internal conflict), waging a desperate struggle against the forces opposing him. Gustav Freytag "The Art of Tragedy".

The basis of tragedy is struggle. The pace of events is reaching highest point drama (climax) and then slows down sharply. This very struggle is conflict.

Exists three types of conflicts:

1. static. This conflict does not develop throughout history. The interests of the heroes collide, but the intensity remains at the same level. Characters do not develop or change during such a conflict. This type is suitable for describing a dispute or quarrel;

2. rapidly developing (spasmodic). During such a conflict, the characters' reactions are unpredictable. For example, the reader may expect the hero to simply smile, but he suddenly begins to laugh full force. Usually this type of conflict is used in cheap melodramas;

3. slowly developing conflict. In high-quality literary works, it is best to use this type of conflict. Not only will it help you make the story more interesting, but it will also bring out the character. During such a conflict, the hero’s state will change depending on the situation, he will have to make difficult decisions and choose how to react in a given situation.

A striking example Such a conflict can be considered the conclusion of the Count of Monte Cristo in the book of the same name. When the hero is put in a cell, at first he is shocked by what is happening and asks for the situation to be explained to him. Then he starts getting angry and making threats. Then he gives up and falls into apathy. Agree, if the hero gave up immediately, it would be completely uninteresting to read.

The character of your character should be developed not abruptly, but gradually, so that the reader is always interested in learning something new.

Today in literary criticism there are many works devoted to the theory of conflict (V.Ya. Propp, N.D. Tamarchenko, V.I. Tyupa, Vl.A. Lukov, etc.). In a broad sense, conflict can be understood as “that system of contradictions that organizes a work of art into a certain unity, that struggle of images, social characters, ideas that unfolds in every work - in epic and dramatic works widely and completely, in lyrical ones - in primary forms".

There are conflicts in which the opposition of characters unfolds on the external level. For example, Hamlet and his opponents; Hamlet and Laertes. The same should be said about the internal conflict that arises within the character, like the struggle of his internal contradictions, such a conflict is transferred to the sphere of feelings (Hamlet).

This understanding of conflict seems to be an integral part of every plot work (and often in plotless ones).

Any work is based on conflict, more or less to a lesser extent its manifestations. IN lyrical work the conflict is not as vividly presented as in an epic or dramatic work.

Vl.A. Lukov in his article proposes to understand conflict as “a contradiction that forms the plot, forms a system of images, the concept of the world, man and art, the features of the genre, expressed in composition, leaving an imprint on the speech and methods of describing the characters, which can determine the specific impact of the work on a person - catharsis".

Further in the same article, “Conflict (in a literary work),” the researcher talks about a conflict that is characterized not by a system of characters, but by a system of ideas, and subsequently it becomes philosophical, ideological and forms philosophical and ideological generalization.

The conflict unfolds through the plot. There are two types of plot conflict: Local transient plot, Stable conflict situation (state).

A local transitory plot is a plot in which the conflict has its beginning and its resolution within the framework of specific plot. The type of plot conflict is well described in literary criticism. The local transitory plot is the so-called traditional, archetypal plot (since it goes back to historically early literature).

The study of the local transient plot was started by V. Ya. Propp. The scientist in his work “Morphology of a (Magic) Fairy Tale” (1928) examined the structure of the plot fairy tale. According to Propp, a fairy tale consists of three parts. In the first part of the fairy tale, a “shortage” is discovered (the kidnapping of the princess, the hero’s desire to find something without which the hero cannot have a full-blooded life: the merchant’s daughter wants The Scarlet Flower). In the second part of the fairy tale, there is a confrontation between the hero and the enemy, the victory of the hero over the enemy (Ivan Tsarevich defeats Koshchei the Immortal). In the third part, the hero of the fairy tale receives what he is looking for (“liquidation of the shortage”). He marries, thereby inheriting the throne ("accession"; see also: Function).

French structuralist scientists, relying on the work of Propp, tried to build universal models of event series in folklore and literature.

A stable conflict situation (state) is a type of conflict that has no resolution within the framework of a specific plot. A stable conflict situation (state) has become widespread in late XIX century in "New Drama".

Conflict (in literary criticism), or artistic conflict-- one of the main categories characterizing the content of a literary work (primarily drama or works with clearly presented dramatic features).

As Vl.A Lukov wrote, “the origin of the term is connected with Latin word conflictus - collision, blow, struggle, fight (found in Cicero)."

Often in works several conflicts develop at once, forming a system of conflicts.

Exist different types conflicts, which are based on different principles.

They can be open and hidden, external and internal, acute and protracted, solvable and insoluble, etc.

According to the nature of pathos, conflicts are: tragic, comic, dramatic, lyrical, satirical, humorous, etc.

They also distinguish conflicts based on the development of plot action: military, interethnic, religious (interconfessional), intergenerational, family, which form the sphere of social conflicts (for example, Homer’s “Iliad”; novels by W. Scott, W. Hugo, “War and Peace” L. N. Tolstoy; social novel in the works of O. Balzac, C. Dickens, M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin; novels about generations: “Fathers and Sons” by I. S. Turgenev, “Teenager” by F. M. Dostoevsky; "family chronicles": "Buddenbrooks" by T. Mann, "The Forsyte Saga" by D. Galsworthy, "The Thibault Family" by R. Martin du Gard; genre of "industrial novel" in Soviet literature and etc.). As mentioned above, the conflict can be transferred to the sensory sphere and determine psychological genre generalization (“Suffering young Werther"I.V., Goethe). Conflicts that form philosophical, ideological genre generalizations ("What to do?" N.G. Chernyshevsky).

Some artistic directions are associated with the creation of a cross-cutting (main) conflict. A striking example confirming this idea is the conflict that became the most productive in classicism - the conflict between duty and feeling. In romanticism, such a conflict was the conflict between ideal and reality.

In its most vivid manifestation, the conflict is presented in drama. In W. Shakespeare, the conflict is open, and in A.P. Chekhov is hidden, which can be explained by the time during which both famous playwrights worked.

At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the emergence of new form conflict in drama - "discussion" ("A Doll's House" by G. Ibsen, dramas by D. B. Shaw, etc.), which is further developed and rethought in existentialist drama (J.-P. Sartre, A. Camus, J. Anuj) and in " epic theater"B. Brecht and challenged, brought to the point of absurdity in modernist anti-drama (E. Ionesco, S. Beckett, etc.). Often in literature one can find connections in the drama of Chekhov and Shakespearean conflicts (for example, in the dramaturgy of M. Gorky).

IN Lately there is a tendency to supplant conflict with such a category as dialogue (M. Bakhtin). "But here - according to Vl.A. Lukov - one can discern temporary fluctuations in relation to the fundamental categories of literary criticism, because behind the category of conflict in literature there is a dialectical development of reality, and not just artistic content". So, to summarize all of the above, it is necessary to emphasize that conflict is fundamental to almost every work.

Recently I read a response from one author that was stunning in its naivety. To reproach the reader, they say, the conflict in your story was not convincing, the author blue eye wrote: I didn’t have any conflict, my heroine is a very peaceful woman and doesn’t quarrel with anyone.
Well what can I say? Just sit down to write another article (smiley).
I apologize to the old-timers of K2, I’ll start with what is well known to you, you can run diagonally))) But at the end I promise something new - about the types of conflicts in a literary work.

In everyday life, we understand conflict as something like a quarrel - and a violent quarrel, at a minimum, with shouting, and even with the use of physical force.
A literary conflict is not a quarrel between characters.
Literary conflict is a contradiction that forms a plot.
No conflict - no work.

Thus, if in real life a person can be proud of the fact that he is “non-conflict”, but for the author this is rather a disadvantage. Good author must be able to create a conflict, develop it and end it intelligibly.
That's what we'll talk about.

First, about the TYPOLOGY of literary conflicts.

There are external and internal conflicts.

For example, Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe.
Typical external conflict- there is a hero who, by the will of fate, ended up on desert island, and there is an environment, as they say, in its pure form. Nature becomes man's enemy. There is no social background in the novel. The hero does not fight either social prejudices or opposition social ideas– the survival of the hero as a biological organism is at stake.
The hero is completely alone - he is confronted by a world to which moral laws do not apply. Storm, hurricane, scorching sun, hunger, wild flora and fauna exist on their own. To survive, the hero will have to accept the conditions of the game without being able to change them. Conflict = disagreement, contradiction, clash, intense struggle, embodied in the plot of a literary work? Undoubtedly.

The next type of conflict is also external, but with society = conflict as a contradiction between individuals/groups.
Chatsky against Famusov society, Malchish-Kibalchish against the bourgeoisie, Don Quixote against the world.

It is not necessary that the main figure in the confrontation should be a person.
An example is Chingiz Aitmatov’s novel “The Scaffold”. A conflict between a man and a pair of wolves who lost their cubs due to human fault. Wolves are opposed to humans, humanized, endowed with nobility and high moral strength, which people are deprived of.

The source of conflict is the discrepancy between the interests of society (globally) and the interests of a particular individual.

For example, Rasputin’s story “Farewell to Matera”. A dam is being built on the Angara, and the village of Matera, which has existed for three hundred years, will be flooded.
The main character, Grandma Daria, who has lived her entire life without fail and selflessly, suddenly raises her head and begins to actively resist - she directly enters the battle for the village, armed with a stick.

In addition to the interests of society = a group of people, the character can be opposed by the private interests of individuals.
The field mouse forces Thumbelina to marry her neighbor Mole, and the evil Stapleton wants to kill Sir Baskerville.

Of course, there are no purely external conflicts. Any external conflict is accompanied by the development in the hero’s soul of conflicting feelings, desires, goals, etc. That is, they talk about INTERNAL conflict, which makes the character more voluminous, and, accordingly, the entire narrative more interesting.

The author's skill lies precisely in creating a pool of conflicts = points of intersection of characters' interests and convincingly showing their development.
All world literature is a collection of conflicts. But despite all the diversity, there are basic points on which the plot is built.

First of all, this is the SUBJECT OF CONFLICT, that is, what the confrontation between the heroes arose about.
It could be material objects(inheritance, property, money, etc.) and intangible = abstract ideas (thirst for power, rivalry, revenge, etc.). In any case, the conflict in a work is always a conflict of the characters’ values.

Here we are faced with the second supporting point - PARTICIPANTS IN THE CONFLICT, that is, characters.

As we remember, characters are main and secondary. The gradation takes place precisely according to the degree of involvement of the actor in the conflict.
The main characters are those whose interests lie at the heart of the confrontation. For example, Petrusha Grinev and Shvabrin, Pechorin and Grushnitsky, Soames Forsyth and his wife Irene.
All the rest are secondary, can be part of the “support group” (=be closer to the main characters) or simply set off events (=serve as a “volumetric background”).
The more a character can influence an event, the higher his rank in the gradation of characters.
For real good work There are never “empty” characters. Each actor at a certain moment, throws firewood into the conflict, and the number of “throws” is directly proportional to the character’s rank.

Characters need MOTIVATION to engage in conflict.
That is, the author must clearly understand what goals this or that character wants to achieve.

The motive and subject of the conflict are two different things.
For example, in The Hound of the Baskervilles the subject of the conflict is material (it is money and an estate).
The motive of Sir Baskerville (the one who is the nephew) is to return to his homeland (as you remember, he sought happiness in Canada) and, having become a wealthy man, lead a life befitting an English gentleman.
Stapleton's motive is to eliminate his competitors (in the person of his uncle and real nephew) and also become rich.
Dr. Mortimer's motive is to carry out the wishes of his friend, Charles Baskerville (uncle), to uphold the laws of inheritance and take care of Henry Baskerville (nephew).
Sherlock Holmes' motive is to get to the bottom of the truth. And so on.
As you can see, the subject is the same, it is equally significant for all characters, but the motives differ.
This is the motive of power (Stapleton), the motive of achievement (Stapleton, Henry Baskerville), the motive of self-affirmation (Stapleton, Henry Baskerville, Sherlock Holmes), the motive of duty and responsibility (Dr. Mortimer), the procedural-substantive motive = the desire to complete a task only because the person likes it (Sherlock Holmes), etc.
Each of the characters is confident that he is right, even if he is objectively (? - from the reader’s point of view) wrong. The author can sympathize with any character. The author can express his sympathies using a focal point.
Let's try to look at the Hound of the Baskervilles conflict from a slightly different angle. Stapleton was also from the Baskerville family, and therefore had the same (or almost the same) rights to inheritance. However, Conan Doyle condemns the methods that Stapleton uses. Therefore, events are shown less through the eyes of Stapleton, and more through the eyes of his opponents. Due to this, greater empathy for Henry Baskerville is achieved.

Let's return to our topic - creating a literary conflict.

We have analyzed the PREPARATION STAGE - the subject of the conflict has been selected, the circle of participants has been determined, each of whom has been assigned a significant motive. What's next?

It all starts in emergence conflict situation, which occurs even before the plot begins to unfold. Information about the background of the conflict is given in the EXPOSITION of the work.
With the help of exposition, the author creates the atmosphere and mood of the work.

Once upon a time there lived a woman; She really wanted to have a baby, but where could she get one? And so she went to one old witch and told her:
- I really want to have a baby; can you tell me where I can get it?
- From what! said the witch. Here's a grain of barley for you; This is not a simple grain, not the kind that grows in peasants’ fields or is thrown to chickens; plant it in a flower pot and see what happens! (Andersen. Thumbelina)

Then something clicked and the flower completely blossomed. It was exactly like a tulip, but in the cup itself, on a green stool, sat a tiny girl, and because she was so tender, small, only an inch tall, she was nicknamed Thumbelina.

Based on the characteristics of the hero, we understand: there will be a confrontation between the individual and the environment.
Wednesday in this work presented individual characters having certain characteristics.
The author puts the GG in difficult situations = stages of plot development.
What plot nodes/incidents does the author show us?
The first clash of the parties is an episode with a toad and her son (who symbolize a hostile environment).

One night, when she was lying in her cradle, a huge toad, wet and ugly, crawled through the broken window glass! She jumped straight onto the table, where Thumbelina was sleeping under a pink petal.

There is a character characteristic (huge, wet, ugly). His motivation is indicated (“Here is my son’s wife!” said the toad, took the nutshell with the girl and jumped through the window into the garden”)

The first stage of the conflict is resolved in favor of the GG

...the girl was left alone on a green leaf and cried bitterly, bitterly, she did not at all want to live with the nasty toad and marry her nasty son. The little fish that swam under the water must have seen the toad and her son and heard what she was saying, because they all stuck their heads out of the water to look at the little bride. And when they saw her, they felt terribly sorry that such a cute girl had to go live with an old toad in the mud. This won't happen! The fish crowded together below, near the stem on which the leaf was held, and quickly gnawed it with their teeth; the leaf with the girl floated downstream, further, further... Now the toad would never catch up with the baby!

Did you notice? New forces have entered the conflict - fish, characters with the rank of “support group”. Their motive is pity.

In fact, from a psychological point of view, there was an ESCALATION of the conflict - an increase in tension and an increase in the number of participants.

The next plot point is the episode with the cockchafer. Differences from the previous one (with a toad) - the volume is larger, there are dialogues, a “support group” of the GG’s opponent appears (other cockchafers and caterpillars).

The plot tension increases.
Thumbelina is freezing alone in a bare autumn field.

A new round of conflict with the environment (= with its new representative - the field mouse). The episode with the mouse is longer than the episode with the beetle. More dialogues, descriptions, new characters appear - the mole and the swallow.

Please note that swallow is initially entered as neutral character. For the time being, her role in the plot is hidden - this is the intrigue of the work.

It is also worth noting the development of the GG image. At the beginning of the fairy tale, Thumbelina is very passive - she sleeps in her silk bed. But the conflict with the environment forces her to act. She runs away from the toad, after parting with the cockchafer, she fights for survival alone and finally comes to protest - despite the prohibitions of the mouse, she takes care of the swallow.
That is, the hero develops in accordance with the development of the conflict of the work; character is revealed through the conflict.
Every action of the hero brings to life the action of his opponent. And vice versa. These actions, resulting from one another, move the plot towards the final goal - proof of the premise of the work, chosen by the author.

Further on the composition.
The escalation progresses to the CLIMAX (the moment of highest tension), after which the conflict is resolved.
The climax is the most intense moment in the development of the plot, the decisive one. crucial moment in the relationships and clashes of heroes, from which the transition to the denouement begins.
From the point of view of content, the climax is a kind of life test that sharpens the problem of the work to the maximum and decisively reveals the character of the hero.

The wedding day has arrived. The mole came for the girl. Now she had to follow him into his hole, live there, deep, deep underground, and never go out into the sun, because the mole couldn’t stand him! And it was so hard for the poor baby to say goodbye to the red sun forever! At the field mouse, she could still admire him at least occasionally.
And Thumbelina went out to look at the sun in last time. The grain had already been harvested from the field, and again only bare, withered stalks stuck out of the ground. The girl moved away from the door and stretched out her hands to the sun:
- Goodbye, clear sun, goodbye!

And here the intrigue laid down by the author in advance kicks in. The swallow, the “peacemaker” character, comes to the fore. At a critical moment, when the death of the hero seems inevitable, she takes Thumbelina to beautiful country, where creatures similar to the GG live (remember that the conflict was initially built on the dissimilarity of the GG to its environment).

The ending of the work is based on a description of the post-conflict stage. The contradictions were resolved (in in this case in favor of GG).

And again about the typology of conflicts, but now from the point of view of the plot.

Conflicts are identified:
- static
- galloping
- gradual
- anticipatory

Let's remember the heroine of the play "The Seagull" Masha - the one who always wears black and says that she is in mourning for her life.
Masha is in love with Konstantin Treplev, but he does not notice her feelings (or notices, but is absolutely indifferent to them). Here is the core of the Masha-Treplev conflict.
Chekhov very skillfully defines it, returns to it several times, but does not develop it. Before us is a STATIC conflict. “Static” means “not moving”, devoid of active force.
Lack of hero development is a sign of a static conflict.

Masha's love lasts for years. She gets married, gives birth to a child, but continues to love Treplev. Her feelings are unchanged, development (as change) does not occur. Over the course of the play, she becomes neither more active nor passive in expressing her love.
The static nature of the conflict was deliberately given. Masha is a typical (for Chekhov's works) heroine. He lives by inertia, as they say, goes with the flow and makes no attempt to become the mistress of his own life. own life.

Of course, Masha cannot be called an idol/mannequin. Chekhov puts into her mouth many significant remarks that characterize other heroes and move the action forward. Masha’s life still moves, but so slowly that it seems motionless.
The purpose of introducing this character into the play is to set off the actions of other characters.
That is, a static conflict is not suitable for building an entire work on it (and only on it) - readers will die of boredom. However, a static conflict is quite suitable for a side plot line.

Now let’s remember the hero of “Taras Bulba” - Andriy.
Andriy, just like his brother Ostap, was at first very happy with life in the Zaporozhye Sich, showing himself to be a “glorious Cossack.” However, during the siege of Dubna, he suddenly goes over to the side of the Poles.
This is the so-called RUNNING CONFLICT.

The key word here is “suddenly,” but rest assured: the author has reserved surprise for the reader, and he himself had a perfect idea of ​​the path his hero had taken. No person can change instantly. All changes in character have preconditions in this very character and require some time to germinate.
Jumping conflict is a great temptation for an inexperienced author. With the help of such a conflict, you can achieve amazing dynamics of the work, but! The slightest inaccuracy in the depiction of the hidden emotional experiences of the characters, the sequestering of episodes will lead to the reader not understanding the character’s motivation = a logical hole will form in the plot.

Gogol, by the way, very carefully prepared the seemingly sudden transformation of his hero. Andriy met a beautiful Pole on the eve of his departure from Kyiv, had a date with her in the church, and on the way to Sich he thought about her. Here are the character’s hidden emotional experiences.

Thus, a galloping conflict is not a break in logic, but an acceleration of the mental process.

GRADUAL CONFLICT is a classic. It develops naturally and without visible effort on the part of the author. This conflict flows smoothly from the character of the hero.

Formally, the author shows the conflict through a chain of well-thought-out episodes. In each, the hero has some impact. The hero is forced to respond with certain actions. From episode to episode, the impact intensifies, and accordingly, the character changes. Small conflicts (so-called “transitions”) lead the hero from one state to another until he has to make a final decision.
An example is the same “Thumbelina”.

None literary work cannot exist without PRELIMINARY CONFLICT.

The foregoing conflict gives the story the tension it needs.
The work must begin with an action that sets up the main conflict.

Thus, in Macbeth, a military commander hears a prophecy that he will become king. The prophecy torments his soul until he kills the rightful king. The play begins when Macbeth awakens to the desire to become king.

SUMMARY

Conflict is the core of any literature, and every conflict is prepared or preceded by something.

Conflict can be found everywhere. Any aspiration of the hero can be the basis for conflict. Bring opposites face to face and conflict is inevitable.

Exist complex shapes conflicts, but everyone simple base: attack and counterattack, action and reaction.
Conflict grows out of character. The intensity of the conflict is determined by the hero's willpower.

Externally, the conflict consists of two opposing forces. In fact, each of these forces is the product of a mass of complex, evolving circumstances that create such a strong tension that it must be resolved with an explosion = climax.

The points of development of the conflict (commencement, climax, denouement) determined the corresponding elements of the plot (where they are characterized from the content side, between them are the development and decline of the action) and composition (where they are characterized from the form side).

A work without conflict falls apart. Without conflicts there can be no life on earth. So literary rules– this is only a repetition of the universal law that governs the Universe.

© Copyright: Copyright Competition -K2, 2013
Certificate of publication No. 213082801495
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