The Element of Conflict in Literature

The Element of Conflict in Literature

"The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin, Emily Dickinson's "Tell all the Truth but tell it Slant" and "A Dream Deferred" by Langston Hughes are literary works that illustrate a wide variety of themes (DiYanni, 2007, pp. 38,938, & 994). While written by different authors at various times in history, their literature consists of two common threads. The theme that stands out in these selections is internal struggle; the prominent element is conflict.

Our text states that, "conflict is the struggle between opposing forces that is usually resolved by the end of the story" (DiYanni, 2007, p. 49). Internal conflict is the struggle within one's self; a person must make some decision, overcome pain, resist an urge etc. Furthermore, there are four kinds of conflict:

1) Man vs. Man (physical)-leading character struggles against others physically

2) Man vs. Circumstances (classical)-leading character struggles against fate, or circumstances of life facing him/her.

3) Man vs. Society (social)-leading character struggles against ideas, or customs of other people.

4) Man vs. Himself/Herself (psychological)-leading character struggles with himself; with his own soul, ideas of right or wrong, physical limitations etc (Hull, 2005).

In Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour", the author uses several different conflicts to tell the story. The first conflict Louise Mallard struggles with is her circumstances. Referring to Emily Dickinson's "Tell all the Truth but tell it slant", she says to "tell all the truth but tell it slant" (DiYanni, 2007, p. 938). Louise has a heart condition that requires her sister Josephine to break the news to her about her husband's death in a delicate way. The author implies she is a wife who has lived in repression yet loved her husband. Louise struggles with her heart condition and the fact that she lives with a man who controls her, this begs the question, is her heart condition a result of the life her husband forces her to lead? In Chopin's story, the author suggests that in certain circumstances the death of a loved one may be a blessing.

The next line in Dickinson's poem, "Success in Circuit lies, Too bright for our infirm Delight" (DiYanni, 2007, p. 938). This line also relates to Louise hearing the news about her husband tenderly and gradually leading to the truth. "Too bright for our infirm delight" portrays what the truth is like when hearing it all at once, similar to being in a dark room and suddenly stepping out into bright sunlight (DiYanni, 2007, p. 938). Hearing the truth all at once can be shocking, which is what Josephine feared for Louise.

However,