The Seven Types of Conflict
Man Verses Man
Your protagonist’s goals clash with your antagonistic character. This is the most common form of conflict and is where all of the memorable villains (Voldemort from Harry Potter, The Joker from Batman, and Darth Vader from Star Wars) are categorized. This conflict is the easiest to build as all you need is another character as the antagonist.
Man Versus Nature
This category is when your protagonist is struggling to survive due to a natural event, harsh climate, or isolated area. Think The Martian, Castaway, or Hatchet.
Man Versus Self
Almost every single story has the protagonist struggle with an internal conflict. It is the staple of a complex character.
Man Versus Supernatural
This category is rather broad. While you do have the physical demons, witches and vampires fall under this category, stories will often use a spooky antagonist as a way to make a critical flaw a tangible threat. The Shining’s Overlook Hotel, The Wizard of Oz’s Wicked Witch of the West, and Dracula from, well, Dracula are all great examples of how broad this category is.
Man Versus Technology
This category is filled with robots, AI, and other man-made beings that warn the reader about too advanced tech. Frankenstein from Frankenstein, The Terminator from The Terminator, and Hal 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey are all examples of this conflict. In this story, you must have:
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- An antagonist who is the invention or inventor of a device that is, in the end, detrimental to society.
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Or a device intended to help society that has gone rogue.
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Or a device intended to harm society.
Man Versus Fate
These stories typically have prophecies or cruel gods that your protagonist tries (and almost always fails) to overcome or avoid. Oedipus’ prophecy that he will kill his father and marry his mother from Oedipus Rex and the Weird Sisters’ prediction that Macbeth would be king from Macbeth are great examples.
Man Versus Society
From dystopian stories to the shortcomings of real societies, the man versus society conflict helps an author explore oppressive governments and interesting limitations that your protagonist must overcome or change. To build an antagonist around this conflict, your protagonist must either be:
1. Blind to the flaws within the world- In The Giver, our hero Jonah is unaware of the society’s history and evil actions. This means your antagonist must be the one enforcing/actively keeping your protagonist oppressed. Your antagonist can be a group or an individual.
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2. Part of the evil- Wilson Smith, the protagonist of 1984, is employed to literally rewrite history. This means your antagonist must be one of the people your protagonist works for. Your antagonist can be a group or an individual.
3. Completely powerless- Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games was aware of her awful situation but could do nothing to change the world. This means your antagonist must be the one enforcing/actively keeping your protagonist oppressed. Your antagonist can be a group or an individual.
​4. New to society- A man versus society story doesn’t always mean the society is wrong or evil. Sometimes, it happens when a character moves to a different place. This could be as drastic as moving to a new country or going to a new school. This means that your antagonist is someone (or a group of people) who is/are distrustful of outsiders or someone who cares about harmony within the society.