The significance of plot without conflict

[Ophiucha]

An article by @stilleatingoranges, The significance of plot without conflict.

I really liked this article, as a writer heavily influenced by non-Western and 'literary' fiction. The comic example was a wonderful way to illustrate the point, I thought. And I certainly agree with the point, as I tend to enjoy stories with little to no conflict (at least as much as I do stories with conflict, anyway). What do you guys think?

[Steerpike]

I like the article and the illustrations of the author's point. I'd like to find an example of a longer work of fiction with no conflict just to see whether it works for me.

[Jabrosky]

It's an interesting cultural perspective, though I agree with Steerpike that specific examples of plots without conflicts would have strengthened his argument. However, I've always gravitated towards more action-packed stories, so in my case some kind of conflict or tension is necessary.

[Steerpike]

It's an interesting cultural perspective, though I agree with Steerpike that specific examples of plots without conflicts would have strengthened his argument. However, I've always gravitated towards more action-packed stories, so in my case some kind of conflict or tension is necessary.

I like conflict as well. But I am curious as to how a plot with no conflict would work in a longer piece, if anyone has an example. I have read a few "eastern" works of fiction, but they all had conflict.

[Ophiucha]

While not following the above structure, a popular book series called The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency has, for all intents and purposes, no real conflict. A good half of the books are her drinking tea and contemplating a case or some instance in the world, but she faces no trials herself - all of her cases are solved by being introduced to them, collecting evidence, and then solving the case. There is never any obstacle in that middle stage. She simply goes to the library, looks something up, and returns with her findings. But they are well-liked.

Arguably, about 99% of the slice of life genre could qualify. In the article, she brings up the manga format of yonkoma, the four panel comics. But these are often part of a series, and many of them are adapted into anime, which run for 20+ episodes with nary a conflict in sight (and the few conflicts that exist are so minor -- "should I have tea or coffee?" -- or are fixed so easily that it barely should qualify as a conflict so much as the next step in a process).

I've seen a couple of kabuki plays which follow the 4-point-structure, as well.

[Jabrosky]

While not following the above structure, a popular book series called The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency has, for all intents and purposes, no real conflict. A good half of the books are her drinking tea and contemplating a case or some instance in the world, but she faces no trials herself - all of her cases are solved by being introduced to them, collecting evidence, and then solving the case. There is never any obstacle in that middle stage. She simply goes to the library, looks something up, and returns with her findings. But they are well-liked.

Exactly why are those books popular? Are they particularly informative?

[Ophiucha]

I'd imagine they like the characters and the writing. I've only seen the TV show, which makes a few changes, but I really enjoyed all of the characters on the show. If they're much like their literary counterparts, I'd certainly read them.

[Steerpike]

I'm going to look for one of them.

[Devor]

There's a lot of stories, outside of fantasy, in which the conflict is personalized in nature, and the plot is just a platform over which the emotional journey develops.

I think a plot without conflict would feel weird in Fantasy, as a plot-driven conflict is a major strength of the genre. But it can be extremely useful for a chapter here and there, or for subplotting.

I would love to see a more relevant example of the kishōtenketsu format than a soda machine.

[Ophiucha]

There's a manga I quite like, Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou, which is science fiction/slice of life. Most chapters are about the main girl, Alpha (an android), running her cafe and talking with her friends, or riding around on her motorbike. It takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, too, but there is no continuous conflict or even mini conflicts in the individual chapters. It's just the rather long life of a robot girl as time passes. It's quite sweet, and oddly optimistic given the setting.

I don't think it being fantasy means it has to be plot-driven, or have a conflict at all. Some worlds are so interesting that I would like to see an average person on an average day. There have been some fascinating settings in fantasy fiction, with no sun or two moons, with dragons living among men, and while the stories of their heroes and their ends are gripping, I don't think the stories of their school life or bakeries would be less interesting. I read many stories more for the setting than anything else.