Eng125 Introduction To Literature: Theme, Plot, And Conflict ✓ Solved

Eng125 Introduction To Literaturetheme Plot And Conflictpurpose Us

Use this resource to learn about how theme, plot, and conflict are different from one another but yet work together in literature. When reading literature, the reader needs to make a distinction between three key elements: theme, plot, and conflict.

Theme: The theme is a common idea that is incorporated and repeated throughout a literary work. Often called “the moral of the story,” the author uses characters, plot, and literary devices to build and enhance the theme. It weaves through the entire story and is highlighted by symbols, setting, and character actions. Common themes include revenge, unrequited love, the journey, coming-of-age, pride and downfall, racism, the fight between good and evil, war, and survival. Themes can be complex, intertwining two ideas, such as how the subject of a story like To Kill a Mockingbird also embodies a theme of coming of age intertwined with racism.

It is important not to confuse theme with the subject. The subject is the foundation upon which the theme is built. For example, A Christmas Carol has Christmas as its subject, but the theme is about generosity and charity. Similarly, The Things They Carried centers on war as its subject, but explores how individual soldiers experience war—its theme.

Plot

The plot consists of events that create the story narrative. These events are organized sequentially or following a specific narrative pattern, such as exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. The structure of a story depends on this organization of events, which focus on characters and their development. Events in the plot motivate character actions, leading to either positive or negative outcomes. Popular narratives often start with a main character facing a problem, trying to solve it, encountering obstacles, and either resolving the problem or failing, which can lead to insight, growth, or tragedy.

For example, in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the plot unfolds with Macbeth and Banquo meeting witches who prophesize Macbeth’s rise to kingship. Driven by ambition and manipulated by Lady Macbeth, he plots and commits regicide, leading to further chaos and his eventual downfall. The sequence of events demonstrates how character actions and external forces shape the story’s direction, ultimately reflecting themes like ambition and downfall.

Conflict

Conflict is a struggle between opposing forces, forming a core element that drives the plot. These conflicts can be internal or external:

• Internal conflict involves psychological, emotional, or ethical struggles within a character, such as Hamlet’s indecision regarding avenging his father’s murder.
• External conflict involves outside forces, including conflicts between characters, against nature, society, technology, or fate, like Macbeth’s conflict with Macduff or Hamlet’s struggle against external manipulations.

Conflict can be characterized as:

• Individual versus individual
• Individual versus nature
• Individual versus society
• Individual versus self
• Individual versus technology

This struggle often influences the story’s themes, as characters’ conflicts reveal underlying ideas or morals. For instance, in Hamlet, the internal conflict over revenge interweaves with the external conflict of political intrigue and betrayal, exemplifying how conflict fuels the narrative and thematic development.

The Interplay of Theme, Plot, and Conflict

Theme, plot, and conflict are interconnected elements that work cohesively to produce compelling stories. Concepts like revenge in Hamlet encompass external conflict (uncle’s betrayal) and internal conflict (Hamlet’s hesitation), all contributing to the overarching themes of justice and morality.

The plot acts as the vessel in which conflicts unfold, ultimately shaping the theme. For example, the sequence of Macbeth’s rise and fall emphasizes themes of unchecked ambition and moral corruption. In storytelling, internal and external conflicts stimulate character development and reveal themes, enriching the narrative.

Conclusion

Understanding the distinctions and relationships among theme, plot, and conflict deepens a reader’s appreciation for literature. Recognizing how these elements interact enhances interpretation, enabling readers to grasp the underlying messages and artistic techniques employed by authors. Whether analyzing a novel, play, or film, identifying these elements provides insight into the work’s meaning and craft.

References

• Arp, T. R., & Johnson, G. (2015). What Is Literature? Pearson.
• Bradbury, C. (2002). Literary Elements and Techniques. Oxford University Press.
• Habib, M. A. R. (2011). A History of Literary Criticism and Theory. Wiley-Blackwell.
• Holland, N. (2018). Understanding Literary Elements. Routledge.
• Leitch, V. B. (2010). The Norton Introduction to Literature. W. W. Norton & Company.
• Meyer, M. (2010). Literary Terms and Definitions. Princeton University Press.
• Zevin, L. (2014). The Art of Interpretation. Palgrave Macmillan.
• Winters, R. (2017). Storytelling and Its Techniques. HarperCollins.
• Guerin, P. A., et al. (2020). A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature. Oxford University Press.
• Spurgeon, C. (2001). The Elements of Literature. Bedford/St. Martin’s.