There are many instances of conflict within A Christmas Carol. Some are internal, where the character has conflicting feelings within himself (Man vs. Self). Others are external, where a character has an argument or fight with another character (Man vs. Man). There might also be other types: Man vs. Society, or Man vs. Nature. Show an example of both internal and external conflict from the story.
Scrooge visits his nephew's Christmas celebration with the Ghost of Christmas Present, and he experiences the push and pull between his greed and his old memories of joyous family time with his sister.
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Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows at least three forms of literary conflict in A Christmas Carol.
Introduce the idea of literary conflicts to start. Describe conflicts as difficulties that characters encounter, either internally or in their dealings with others and the outside world. These difficulties give the personality of the character and advance the plot.
Encourage the students to consider Scrooge's inner struggles. Encourage them to focus on his innermost feelings and ideas. Talk about how Scrooge's internal conflicts result from his beliefs about Christmas, his lack of charity, and his remorse about the things he did in the past. Ask the students to point out crucial times when these internal struggles emerge.
Focus on Scrooge's interactions with other people before and after his transformation. Find the instances when he clashes with characters like Bob Cratchit or his nephew. Think about the causes of these conflicts and how they affect Scrooge's interactions with others around him.
Investigate where these disputes are coming from. Look at the things that make Scrooge respond negatively, such as his dislike of Christmas or his unwillingness to lend a helping hand. His own convictions and prior experiences serve as frequent triggers, offering insight into his nature.
Connect these conflicts to the main ideas of the narrative. Think about how they relate to concepts like personal development, atonement, and the consequences of one's decisions. Think about the bigger ideas that the story's conflicts are trying to get over.
Conflicts are essential to "A Christmas Carol" because they influence character growth and move the plot forward. They draw attention to Scrooge's internal troubles and his interpersonal issues. These conflicts help readers empathize with Scrooge and look up to his transformation.
The battle Scrooge has with his beliefs about giving and kindness is an illustration of internal conflict. He struggles with his own attitudes toward Christmas and his previous deeds.
Scrooge's disagreements with individuals like Bob Cratchit, his nephew Fred, and even the charity collectors are examples of external conflicts. His fragile connections and aversion to change are shown through these disputes. Scrooge’s initial disagreement with the ghosts is also an example of external conflict.