Charles T. Forests
Minstrel
Does anyone know of good examples or ways to show conflict while showing working together for a common goal?
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Contractions
- Thread starter Charles T. Forests
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pmmg
Myth Weaver
You see this a lot in buddy cop movies and romances.
They just kind of bicker and do rotten things to each other, but over the course, respect or love grows, until they are working great together.
They just kind of bicker and do rotten things to each other, but over the course, respect or love grows, until they are working great together.
Can you give an example of what you want for an example? To put it another way, I can think of so many examples, I doubt a listing would be all that helpful. Maybe you're looking for something specific. Maybe you have a plot or characters?
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Charles T. Forests
Minstrel
I wasn't meaning to be relevant to my story at this point just general context for growth with my own learn journey. Any examples that show a conflict that isn't just toxic or enemies?
Prince of Spires
Istar
It can show up any time a team works together. Especially if everyone has their own personal agenda.
Just look at a project at your dayjob (if those happen to you). Everyone is (probably) working towards completing the project in the best possible manner. However, everyone has slightly different personal objectives. Maybe Sally wants that promotion, therefor she makes sure to show to upper management that she does what they ask and claims credit for everything that's done. And maybe Jim only has 5 years left to retirement and just wants to do as little as possible. Richard just had a kid and is mentally absent because he's tired all the time, and so on. And that's before adding in a Project Manager and external stakeholders and what have you. There is lots of little conflict there that you can magnify.
The main thing is that you need to know what each character wants individually. Frodo wanted to get to Mordor and destroy the ring, while also protecting everyone else in the fellowship. Boromir wanted to bring the ring to Gondor to save his city. And Aragorn was torn between claiming his birthright and his duty to the ringbearer and the weight of his legacy. Common goal, but amazing conflict.
Just look at a project at your dayjob (if those happen to you). Everyone is (probably) working towards completing the project in the best possible manner. However, everyone has slightly different personal objectives. Maybe Sally wants that promotion, therefor she makes sure to show to upper management that she does what they ask and claims credit for everything that's done. And maybe Jim only has 5 years left to retirement and just wants to do as little as possible. Richard just had a kid and is mentally absent because he's tired all the time, and so on. And that's before adding in a Project Manager and external stakeholders and what have you. There is lots of little conflict there that you can magnify.
The main thing is that you need to know what each character wants individually. Frodo wanted to get to Mordor and destroy the ring, while also protecting everyone else in the fellowship. Boromir wanted to bring the ring to Gondor to save his city. And Aragorn was torn between claiming his birthright and his duty to the ringbearer and the weight of his legacy. Common goal, but amazing conflict.
Rexenm
Maester
You could look for a coincidence. That should set you on the right path. Or show context.
There are so many, many examples. Right now I'm reading Foreigner by C.J. Cherryh. In it, the MC is beset by events he only partially understands. There is some force working against him, but that's off-stage. The real conflict comes from people who are supposed to be his allies and protectors. They keep doing things that can be interpreted as friendly or as deceptively hostile.
Diverging goals can always create conflict. Just look at Boromir within the Fellowship. Tons of examples along those lines. I think you need only look at books you already know and you'll spot it.
Diverging goals can always create conflict. Just look at Boromir within the Fellowship. Tons of examples along those lines. I think you need only look at books you already know and you'll spot it.
Fidel
Troubadour
Think of heist movies like *Ocean’s Eleven*, conflict arises from clashing personalities, differing strategies, or hidden agendas, but they all work toward the same goal. In *The Lord of the Rings*, Frodo and Sam clash with Gollum but still aim to destroy the Ring. Conflict can come from internal struggles, moral dilemmas, or competing ideas, but the shared goal keeps them united. Balance tension with teamwork.
dollyt8
Sage
Without more context, the best I think I can do is suggest what not to do. You don't ever want your conflict to feel forced and out of character. It should come from existing, realistic flaws that your characters have which can be overcome throughout the story, not just miscommunication (unless miscommunicating is the consistent character flaw) or random arguments over what to cook for dinner.
For example, part of the conflict in a lot of books is centered around trust. "How do I know I can trust this person enough to have my back?" or maybe "I feel like this person is keeping a secret from me; how can I get them to trust me enough to tell me?" These conflicts are best served when the book shows a reason for the lack of trust. Maybe the distrustful person experienced betrayal once before, or hasn't really been around people much and doesn't know how to relate to them well. I think that's when conflict feels natural, as opposed to being thrown in just for the sake of conflict.
Another good place conflict can come in is in conflicting motivations that lead to the same goal. Let's say two people want to take down a tyrant, but one is motivated by revenge but the other is motivated by justice. Hence, conflict, which can lead to growing divergence in the methods they use to reach the goal.
I hope that's somehow helpful!
For example, part of the conflict in a lot of books is centered around trust. "How do I know I can trust this person enough to have my back?" or maybe "I feel like this person is keeping a secret from me; how can I get them to trust me enough to tell me?" These conflicts are best served when the book shows a reason for the lack of trust. Maybe the distrustful person experienced betrayal once before, or hasn't really been around people much and doesn't know how to relate to them well. I think that's when conflict feels natural, as opposed to being thrown in just for the sake of conflict.
Another good place conflict can come in is in conflicting motivations that lead to the same goal. Let's say two people want to take down a tyrant, but one is motivated by revenge but the other is motivated by justice. Hence, conflict, which can lead to growing divergence in the methods they use to reach the goal.
I hope that's somehow helpful!