Conflict & Plot Development: AP English Literature Study Guide
Introduction
Hello, aspiring literary wizards and bookworms! Ready to dive deep into the epic world of conflict and plot development? Imagine these as the dramatic rollercoasters and plot twists that make your favorite novels and plays unputdownable. 🚀📚
Setting the Scene
Before we get to the juicy parts of conflict and plot development, let's first talk about the setting. It's like the stage where all the drama unfolds. If you place Hamlet in a spaceship battling aliens, things get weird real fast, right? So let's break it down:
The setting isn't just about where and when—it provides the social, cultural, and historical backdrop that fuels the conflict.
Historical Setting: This asks the "when" question. What time period are we in? Are we watching knights joust in medieval England, or is it robots making coffee in a futuristic cafe? This can range from the distant past to the science fiction future, or in some really wild books, all three at once!
Cultural Setting: Here we talk about the "where" and the "who." Are we exploring the bustling streets of Tokyo or sheep-filled pastures in New Zealand? A story set in the South Pole will be vastly different from one set in the Sahara. The cultural setting even zooms in on regional quirks and customs.
Social Setting: Lastly, the social setting answers "who" is in the story and how they interact. Are we mingling with high-society individuals who sip tea and scheme, or are we hanging out with everyday folks dealing with everyday problems? A great example is "Downton Abbey," where the posh upstairs crowd and the hardworking downstairs staff coexist in the same household but worlds apart in social status.
Remember, the setting informs and influences the conflict. It sets the stage for what kind of trouble the characters can get into and how much it matters to them. 📜🌍
Defining Conflict
On to the main event—conflict! Conflict is the beating heart of any story. It’s like the spicy hot sauce that makes your literary tacos extra delicious. Conflict is essentially the tension between competing values, either within a character or between external forces.
Internal Conflict: Also known as psychological conflict, it’s the juicy stuff happening inside a character’s noggin. Think Hamlet, who spends half the play in an existential crisis, asking, "To be or not to be?"
External Conflict: This is the fun, action-packed stuff where characters face off against other people, society, or even the elements. External conflicts can be as epic as Harry Potter battling Voldemort or as quirky as Frodo vs. Mount Doom.
Here's a closer look at common conflicts in literature:
-
Person vs. Person: This is where two characters are at each other's throats, metaphorically (or literally) speaking. Think of Sherlock Holmes squaring off against Moriarty.
-
Person vs. Self: The character battles their own demons, doubts, or fears. It's like Gollum wrestling with his inner selves over the One Ring.
-
Person vs. Society: The character takes on the world and its injustices. Picture Katniss Everdeen challenging the oppressive regime in "The Hunger Games."
-
Person vs. Nature: Nature decides to rain on the character's parade—sometimes literally. Think Jack London’s stories of survival against the wilderness.
Sometimes, conflicts overlap and intersect. In Shakespeare’s "Hamlet," our brooding prince grapples with a mix of internal strife, external conflicts with other characters, and societal expectations. It's like a triple-decker conflict sandwich!
To identify conflict in a story, ask yourself, "What's stopping the main character from achieving their goals?" That’s usually a good starting point. 🔍📖
Plot Development
Plot development is the map of a story, charting the path from the mundane to the epic. According to the College Board, every narrative is a series of events connected to a conflict. Events include episodes, encounters, and scenes that gradually stitch the plot together.
Significant Events and Their Roles: Not every moment in a story is earth-shattering, but all scenes should contribute to the overall narrative. Think of them like puzzle pieces—some are the dramatic corner pieces, others are small bits of sky that fit somewhere in the middle.
For example, in "Cinderella," the Royal Ball is a crucial event because it's where Cinderella catches the prince’s eye (thanks, Fairy Godmother!). Compare this to minor scenes that might just show Cinderella’s daily life, which help build her character but aren’t the main spectacle.
Ask yourself: How vital is this scene to the narrative, conflict, and character development? While no scene should be "unnecessary," some are more crucial than others. In a tight, fast-paced detective story, for instance, each scene builds up to the big reveal. 🕵️♂️🏰
Key Terms to Remember
-
Conflict: The struggle between opposing forces that drives the plot.
-
Cultural Setting: The customs, values, and traditions of a particular society.
-
External Conflict: Battles between a character and external factors such as other characters, society, or nature.
-
Historical Setting: The specific time period and its context.
-
Internal Conflict: The mental or emotional struggles within a character.
-
Person vs. Nature Conflict: The struggle between characters and natural elements.
-
Person vs. Person Conflict: Two characters locked in opposition.
-
Person vs. Self Conflict: The inner battles within a character.
-
Person vs. Society Conflict: The clash against societal norms and values.
-
Plot Development: How events in a story unfold and build up the structure.
-
Psychological Conflict: Synonymous with internal conflict.
-
Setting: The time, place, and context of a story.
-
Social Setting: The relationships and interactions within a society in a story.
Conclusion
Voila! You’re now a conflict and plot development pro—or at least, you're on the way there. Remember, the setting informs the conflict, which in turn drives the plot. It's all deliciously interconnected, like the layers of a literary lasagna. So, go forth, dissect those novels, understand those plays, and may your essays be ever analytical and insightful! 📚✨
