The opening of a story grabs the reader’s attention, but the fi rst point of confl ict creates the action. From this point onwards, the main character must carry out actions to solve the problem they face. A reader may decide at this point whether they think the problem is interesting enough to continue reading. The fi rst point of confl ict then leads to the development of the story.
Here are the main types of confl ict that feature in stories.
... versus PERSON This is usually
the antagonist – an opponent or enemy who doesn’t believe in the same things as the protagonist
... versus SELF The character is in confl ict with his/her inner self
... versus THE
SUPERNATURAL Confl ict with unexplained phenomena, for example ghosts
PERSON ...
... versus TECHNOLOGY A problem with the use of/ invention of technology
... versus SOCIETY Confl ict against
government/business/ organisations in the wider society
... versus
ENVIRONMENT Struggle against environmental disasters
You will read/listen to two short stories that create very dramatic and riveting problems in their fi rst point of confl ict: ‘The Sniper’ and ‘Click Clack the Rattle Bag’.
