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Function of Conflict
in Short Fiction

Discover how conflict drives narrative, reveals character, and shapes the meaning readers take from a story.

AP English Literature

What Is Conflict?

In literature, conflict is the central struggle between opposing forces that propels a narrative forward. Without it, a story has no tension, no stakes, and no reason for a reader to keep turning the page.

Why Conflict Matters

Reveals Character
Characters are defined not by what they say in calm moments, but by the choices they make under pressure.
Drives Plot
Every scene in a well-crafted story either raises the stakes of the conflict or moves toward its resolution.
Communicates Theme
The nature of the conflict and how it resolves (or doesn't) embodies the story's deeper meaning.

The Major Types of Conflict

CONFLICT External Conflict Internal Conflict Character vs. Character Character vs. Nature Character vs. Fate Character vs. Society Character vs. Self moral dilemmas, doubt, desire vs. duty

External vs. Internal Conflict

External Internal
Location Between the character and an outside force Within the character's own mind
Visibility Shown through action, dialogue, events Shown through thought, hesitation, symbol
Example A protagonist defies an unjust law A protagonist struggles with guilt
Resolution Often decisive: victory or defeat Often ambiguous: acceptance or change

The Core Principle

Conflict Character Choices Theme / Meaning creates pressure reveals

When you are asked to "explain the function of conflict," the AP exam wants you to connect the struggle to the story's larger meaning: not just what the conflict is, but what it does.

Five Functions of Conflict

1
Creates stakes. Conflict raises the question: what does the character stand to gain or lose?
2
Reveals character. Pressure forces characters to show who they truly are beneath the surface.
3
Advances plot. Each escalation of conflict propels the narrative toward its climax and resolution.
4
Develops theme. The nature of the conflict and its outcome encode the story's argument about the world.
5
Generates tension and pacing. Rising and falling intensity keeps the reader engaged through suspense and release.

Identifying vs. Explaining Conflict

Identifying (Insufficient)
"The conflict is that the narrator disagrees with her mother." This merely names the opposing forces without analysis.
Explaining Function (AP-Level)
"The conflict between the narrator and her mother reveals the cultural divide between immigrant parents and their American-born children, ultimately developing the theme that identity is shaped by unresolvable tensions."

How to Analyze Conflict on the AP Exam

1
Name the opposing forces. Identify what or who stands in opposition: character vs. character, self, society, nature, or fate.
2
Locate the stakes. Ask: what does the protagonist stand to lose? What do they desire?
3
Track escalation. How does the conflict intensify? What choices does the character make under increasing pressure?
4
Examine the resolution. Is it resolved, left ambiguous, or deliberately unresolved? What does this suggest?
5
Connect to theme. State how the conflict and its outcome communicate a larger idea about human experience.

Example: "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson

Tessie Hutchinson vs. Village Tradition FUNCTION: Exposes the violence of conformity

Example: "A&P" by John Updike

Sammy, a teenage grocery clerk, quits his job in protest when his manager humiliates three girls in bathing suits. The conflict operates on two levels simultaneously:

External
Sammy vs. Lengel (the manager) and the rigid social norms of the store. His defiant "I quit" is an act of rebellion against authority.
Internal
Sammy vs. his own impulsiveness. He acts on romantic idealism, but the girls don't notice, and he feels "how hard the world was going to be" afterward.

Example: "The Yellow Wallpaper"

Narrator (creativity) John (authority) vs. Internal: Self sanity vs. repression Society: Patriarchy medical authority THEME Suppression of women's agency destroys the mind

Conflict and the Narrative Arc

Tension Narrative Progression Exposition Rising Action Climax Falling Action Resolution Conflict intensifies

When Conflict Stays Unresolved

Not all conflicts end neatly. Many of the most powerful short stories leave their central conflict deliberately unresolved. This is itself a thematic choice.

Ambiguity as Meaning
An unresolved conflict suggests the struggle is ongoing: it cannot be fixed by a single event. The reader is left to sit with discomfort.
Reader Implication
By refusing resolution, the author shifts responsibility to the reader: you must decide what the story means. This is a common technique in literary fiction.

Common Mistakes on the AP Exam

✕ Plot Summary Instead of Analysis
Retelling what happens in the story without explaining why the conflict matters or what it reveals about character and theme.
✕ Labeling Without Explaining
Writing "this is a character vs. society conflict" but never connecting it to the story's meaning. The label alone earns minimal credit.
✕ Ignoring Internal Conflict
Focusing only on external, visible conflict and missing the psychological dimension that often carries the story's deepest themes.

Summary: Conflict Functions at a Glance

Function What to Look For AP Language
Creates Stakes What can be lost or gained? "The conflict raises the stakes by..."
Reveals Character Choices under pressure "Through this conflict, the protagonist reveals..."
Advances Plot Escalation, turning points "The conflict propels the narrative toward..."
Develops Theme Resolution or lack thereof "The unresolved conflict suggests that..."
Generates Tension Pacing, suspense, dread "The escalating conflict creates a sense of..."

Question 1 of 5

In a story, a character must choose between reporting her best friend's crime or protecting their relationship. The friend is eventually arrested regardless. Which function of conflict is most clearly demonstrated?

Question 2 of 5

The narrator's inaction during the fire most clearly functions to:

Question 3 of 5

A story ends with the protagonist walking away from a confrontation without speaking. The antagonist calls after them, but the protagonist does not turn around. This unresolved conflict most likely functions to:

Question 4 of 5

Which of the following best distinguishes between identifying conflict and explaining the function of conflict?

Question 5 of 5

The conflict between the grandmother and The Misfit functions primarily to: