Page 5 Setting and Conflict
Completion requirements
Setting and Conflict
Setting
Setting refers to the time and place of the story. Setting affects mood or atmosphere and character development.
The story “The Animal People Choose a Leader” (read in Lesson 1-2) takes place by a lake in a time known as the "Long Time Ago". This setting is essential to the story for two reasons:
The dense foliage and large rocks make the race more fair to a smaller creature.
The time period allows for animal characters.
The dense foliage and large rocks make the race more fair to a smaller creature.
The time period allows for animal characters.
Example/Evidence:
Place: "'The terrain is challenging: rocky, steep with thick woods around it.'"
Time: "In the Long Time Ago, when there was just the Animal People..."
Conflict
Conflict refers to the challenges or struggles that characters deal with inside the story.
External conflict: Much conflict involves the people or circumstances that challenge the character.
- Person versus person
A character struggles against another character.
In the story “The Animal People Choose a Leader”, the external conflict is between the animals in the race.
Examples/Evidence:
Many of the animals believe their personal traits will help them win the race
So great is the desire to beat their opponents that most of the animals end up exhausted or trapped.
In the story “The Animal People Choose a Leader”, the external conflict is between the animals in the race.
Examples/Evidence:
Many of the animals believe their personal traits will help them win the race
So great is the desire to beat their opponents that most of the animals end up exhausted or trapped.
- Person versus environment
In the story “The Animal People Choose a Leader”, this conflict is between the animals and the rough terrain.
A character struggles against nature in the form of plants or animals, the weather, or the terrain.
Examples/Evidence:
- Wolverine was snagged in a crevice.
- Horse was trapped in a thicket.
- Buffalo was stuck in a bog.
- Cougar is exhausted .
Internal conflict: Often, the most intense conflict occurs within the character when he or she must make decisions or actions in response to situations.
- Person versus himself or herself
The character struggles emotionally, mentally, or spiritually.
In the story “The Animal People Choose a Leader”, this conflict is between the animals and their personalities. Although not shown directly, we can infer that each animal struggles to try a different approach.
Example/Evidence:
Wolverine learns to let go, and Horse learns to take one struggle at a time. Buffalo learns to not take shortcuts, and Cougar learns that their energy is not limitless.
In the story “The Animal People Choose a Leader”, this conflict is between the animals and their personalities. Although not shown directly, we can infer that each animal struggles to try a different approach.
Example/Evidence:
Wolverine learns to let go, and Horse learns to take one struggle at a time. Buffalo learns to not take shortcuts, and Cougar learns that their energy is not limitless.
Resolution
Resolution is making some key decision that affects the character.
Because of all the problems a character faces, he or she must make a key decision. Perhaps the character runs away, faces the problem boldly, develops a clever solution to the problem, or waits for someone to rescue him or her.