Collision and conflict are the staples of fiction writing

When Worlds Collide by Julie Anderson

Perhaps it's the clash between different world views, or a physical conflict, like a war or a revolution; sometimes it might be between the past and the present, the old and the new, but collision and conflict are the staples of fiction writing.  This might be domestic and every day, an ongoing dispute between a mother and son, for example - Sons and Lovers, or between family members, which escalates into something else e.g. Antigone. On the other hand characters could be caught up in great national and international conflicts - War and Peace, A Tale of Two Cities and even Gone With The Wind have civil war or revolution as their backdrop. 

Sometimes it is reality and fiction which collide.

I am currently writing the third book in a series of thriller mysteries centred on the character of Cassandra Fortune, Whitehall investigator extraordinaire, the second of which, Oracle, is published on 5th May. The first Plague (Claret Press, 2020) was set in the world of Westminster, of high politics and low sleaze, about a series of murders in strange circumstances. It depicted corruption and cronyism - 'You're ensuring the contracts go to the right companies so you can reward your friends and allies' says my heroine to the villain.  I wrote about it and other political fiction for Happy London Press on 18th September.

Since then real life seems to be mirroring events in the book. So we now have opposition politicians and the press pointing the finger at the cronyism of the current Johnson government in the awarding of public contracts worth millions of pounds to friends and allies without due process. One fellow writer wrote of Plague 'an authoritative insider view of modern power politics that is all too frighteningly prescient' (V.B.Grey).

Reality and fiction seem to be colliding in Oracle too.  As Plague explored power politics and corruption, Oracle explores different types of justice - blood vengeance s well as punishment under the law, the twisting of the legal system by politics, the politicisation of the police. It was as I was writing it in Autumn 2020 that the Athens Appeal Court ruled that Golden Dawn, the former right-wing neo-fascist political party with seats in the Greek parliament was, in fact, a criminal organisation. An earlier investigation by the UN found that, in some areas, up to 40% of police were members of Golden Dawn.  Just think how that might distort the justice system.

Look no further for another real life example of the political distorting justice than the United States and the facts now emerging about the failure to send National Guard units to support the police at the U.S. Capitol which was then under attack from a group of violent insurrectionist Trump supporters.  Senate hearings are discovering that senior political appointees refused to allow the Guard to intervene ( to the incredulity of even Republican Senators ).  Contrast this with the federally funded private security 'police' deployed at Trump's instigation in cities where there were Black Lives Matter demonstrations. If the police and policing are politicised and give preferential treatment to some, justice suffers for all, something my heroine says in Oracle.  

Yet in Oracle there is another collision, between the past and the present. The novel is set at Delphi, Greece, high on Mount Parnassus near the ancient Temple of Apollo, a place where people have dwelt for over five thousand years, worshipping first the Great Mother Gaia, then Apollo.  The investigation begins when a murdered body is found in the temple precinct, placed like an offering to the gods. A day later a recent, broken corpse is found at the foot of the cliffs from where blasphemers were once tossed to their deaths. One character goes to the Temple to summon the Erinyes, the ancient Furies, to hunt down a murderer. 

A storm closes in and strange lights are seen on the mountain, then power at the conference centre is cut off and all are isolated. Is a killer stalking the corridors or are primal forces reaching out from the past? Like the cryptic Oracle of Delphi, my heroine must tread carefully through the net of politics, activism, myth and crime to supply the answer before the conference is over.

  

Meet this week’s author Julie Anderson

After retiring from a successful career in the civil service, Julie Anderson turned her attention to writing. She is the author of two children’s novels, Reconquista (long listed for the Mslexia Children’s Novel 2016) and The Silver Rings, as well as a collection of short stories The Village: A Year in Twelve Tales.

Julie is also Chair of Trustees for Clapham Writers, and is one of the creators and organisers of Clapham Book Festival.
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Julie's new book, Oracle, will be available from 5th May 2021
Publisher is Claret Press and the book costs £9.99.

Do stories in fiction require conflict? 

Other ideas about the subject from writers

Elaine Calloway 

Author says Yes. Because without conflict, everything is sunny sunshine and there is no interest, no engagement into the characters and what they need to overcome, no caring, basically.

Even those of us who don’t like conflict in the real world need to put it into stories because otherwise the stories won’t have a satisfactory ending. That doesn’t mean you need to put your characters up against dinosaur monsters or some other “bigger than life” evil force.

An antagonist, who opposed your main character/protagonist, is simply someone who wants something different and wants to stop your character from getting what he/she wants. That “goal” or “something” could be winning a sports game (think of all the sports movies where the underdogs win the final game), a romance, a job, etc.

But without any conflict, the story lacks any interest.

Susan Cohen Author ; Conflict creates tension and tension is an essential life attribute; sexual tension creates attraction, tension in Nature prospers growth, even the calmness borne of meditation arises from resolving the tension in our minds. Without tension there is banality, boredom, predictability. Why turn the page if there's nothing to look forward to? Also, struggling in life is the human condition and it's comforting to know that we are not alone in the challenges we experience. Stories that illustrate a "hero's journey" offer hope to the rest of us.

David Costello 

While there is some disagreement about how many types of conflict are evident in literature, the most commonly accepted number is six different types. These include: Man vs. Self, Man vs. Man, Man vs. Society, Man vs. Nature, Man vs. Technology, and Man vs. Fate (or the Supernatural.) Keep in mind that in these literary terms, "Man" insinuates "Human," so it isn't limited to the male gender.

Below are the six conflicts in brief. If you’d like more information about each of these types of conflict, as well as examples from famous works of literature, this post is a great resource.

Man Vs. Self

is most often seen when a character faces mixed emotions over his or her actions, or a decision that has to be made/has been made. You can also see this conflict evident when a character is facing mental illness or is unable to forgive himself or herself over past actions.

Man Vs. Man

This conflict will most often play out between a protagonist and his or her antagonist, although it can also appear between friends or acquaintances, as well.

Man Vs. Society

This type of conflict is often seen in Science Fiction and is an external conflict that involves a protagonist at odds with a ruling body (which could be one's family), or social or cultural norms. For example, if the protagonist is fighting his or her government, or is accused of a crime he or she didn't commit, these would be examples of Man vs. Society as conflict. If a protagonist is going against the grain of what his or her society and people expect, this is also an example of Man vs. Society conflict.

Man vs. Nature

Natural disasters like tornadoes, animal attacks, or a character who is lost at sea and trying to find land are examples of this conflict. In these stories, the concept of human survival despite the forces of nature is highlighted and in many cases, you'll also find the internal conflict of Man vs. Self playing out simultaneously. A large reason for this is that nature can be significantly more powerful than humanity, so there is much self-doubt and struggle as the protagonist comes to terms with this fact.

Man vs. Technology

Another popular conflict seen in Science Fiction is Man vs. Technology, which is when a protagonist is facing machines or technology (such as mechanical failure or robots) and must prevail against it. In many cases, you'll see elements of Man vs. Society conflict happening within these same stories, as the technology is often used to enforce or maintain social and cultural norms.

Man vs. Fate or the Supernatural

You'll find Man vs. Fate conflict often throughout ancient literature, particularly Greek myth and Arthurian lore. You'll even see it a lot in Shakespearean plays. Man vs. Fate or Man vs. the Supernatural is a conflict that occurs when the protagonist finds himself or herself pitted against a vengeful god or powerful supernatural force. As with other types of conflict, particularly Man vs. Nature, you'll often see this one combined with the Man vs. Self struggle. This is because the protagonist must come to terms with his or her own humanity and limitations when involved in a Man vs. Fate conflict.