What is Internal Conflict in a Story? Guide

In literature, character development is a process enhanced by tension, and internal conflict is a fundamental element that fuels this dynamic. Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, offered a framework to understand the human psyche, suggesting that internal battles often stem from conflicting desires within the id, ego, and superego. Similarly, the Society of Authors emphasizes the importance of incorporating internal conflict to create realistic and relatable characters. The creation of compelling narratives often depends on successfully portraying these struggles, and tools like plot generators are helpful in mapping out the character's emotional and moral dilemmas. Therefore, understanding what is internal conflict in a story is essential for writers aiming to create deep, emotionally resonant, and believable characters that capture the essence of human experience.

Unveiling the Power of Internal Conflict in Storytelling

Internal conflict is the silent engine that drives the most compelling and resonant narratives. It's the invisible battle waged within a character's mind and heart, shaping their decisions, actions, and ultimately, their destiny.

Understanding and skillfully employing internal conflict is not merely a stylistic choice, it’s an essential ingredient for creating stories that linger in the minds of readers long after they've turned the final page.

Defining Internal Conflict and its Significance

At its core, internal conflict represents the psychological struggle within a character. This can manifest as a clash between competing desires, values, or beliefs.

It could also be a battle against self-doubt, fear, or the lingering echoes of past trauma.

Unlike external conflicts, which involve a character against an outside force, internal conflict is an intimate and personal struggle. It’s this internal struggle that truly defines a character and makes them relatable.

Its significance lies in its ability to humanize characters, making them more than just puppets in a plot, but individuals wrestling with the complexities of the human condition.

The Multifaceted Benefits of Internal Conflict

Incorporating internal conflict into your narratives unlocks a wealth of benefits, enriching both the story and the reader's experience.

Increased Depth: Internal conflict adds layers of complexity to characters, making them feel more real and multifaceted. This allows readers to connect with them on a deeper emotional level.

Heightened Realism: Life is rarely straightforward. Internal struggles mirror the real-life experiences of your audience. Stories that acknowledge and explore these internal battles resonate with readers.

Elevated Reader Engagement: When readers witness a character grappling with a difficult internal conflict, they become emotionally invested in the outcome. This creates a stronger connection to the narrative.

The audience will be compelled to keep reading to discover how the character resolves their internal struggles.

Setting the Stage: Exploring the Inner World

This exploration will delve into various types of internal conflict. It will arm you with actionable techniques for bringing these internal struggles to life on the page.

We will examine the subtle nuances of inner turmoil, the crippling effects of self-doubt, and the agonizing weight of guilt and regret.

You will discover how moral dilemmas and cognitive dissonance can be used to challenge characters and force them to confront their deepest values.

By understanding these different facets of internal conflict, and knowing how to portray them effectively, you can unlock the true potential of your storytelling. You will create narratives that are not only captivating but also profoundly meaningful.

Understanding the Foundations: Conflict as the Engine of Narrative

Before diving into the nuances of internal conflict, it's crucial to understand its foundational role within the broader narrative landscape. Conflict, in its many forms, is the lifeblood of storytelling. Without it, stories stagnate, characters remain static, and readers lose interest.

This section will dissect the fundamental relationship between conflict and narrative, differentiating between internal and external manifestations, and highlighting their synergistic interplay in creating truly compelling stories.

The Primacy of Conflict in Storytelling

At its heart, a story is about change. And change, more often than not, is born from conflict. Conflict introduces obstacles, raises stakes, and forces characters to make choices.

These choices, in turn, drive the plot forward and reveal the character's true nature.

Without conflict, there's no tension, no suspense, and ultimately, no compelling reason for the reader to keep turning the pages. It's the engine that propels the narrative forward, creating a sense of urgency and anticipation.

Conflict creates narrative tension. This tension keeps the reader engaged and emotionally invested in the outcome. The tension arises from the uncertainty surrounding the character’s ability to overcome the challenges they face.

By introducing obstacles and raising the stakes, conflict compels the reader to ask questions. Will the protagonist succeed? What sacrifices will they have to make? The answers to these questions are what drive the reader through the story.

External vs. Internal Conflict: A Delicate Balance

While internal conflict is our primary focus, understanding its relationship to external conflict is essential. External conflict involves a character struggling against an outside force: another person, society, nature, or even fate.

It’s the visible battle, the tangible obstacle, and the immediate threat.

However, external conflicts are often most meaningful when they mirror or amplify a character's internal struggles. A physical battle, for example, might symbolize a deeper battle against self-doubt or fear.

The most resonant narratives weave together external and internal conflict. Each informs and intensifies the other, creating a richer and more complex tapestry.

External conflict provides the visible challenges, while internal conflict provides the emotional depth and psychological complexity.

Conflict and Narrative Structure

Think of a plot as a carefully constructed series of escalating conflicts. Each conflict builds upon the previous one, raising the stakes and pushing the character closer to their breaking point.

This progression creates a sense of momentum, drawing the reader deeper into the story. The narrative structure typically follows a pattern of rising action, climax, and falling action, with each stage marked by increasingly intense conflicts.

The rising action introduces the initial conflict and gradually increases the tension. The climax represents the peak of the conflict, where the character faces their greatest challenge. The falling action resolves the conflict and leads to the story's conclusion.

Resolution and Inner Peace

Ultimately, the resolution of the plot is often inextricably linked to the resolution of the character's internal conflict. The external battles may be won or lost, but the true victory (or defeat) lies in the character's ability to confront and overcome their inner demons.

The external plot provides the arena for this internal struggle to play out. The character's journey is one of self-discovery and transformation. The resolution of the external conflict reflects the resolution of the internal conflict.

A satisfying conclusion often involves the character achieving a sense of inner peace or understanding, even if the external circumstances remain challenging. It’s this resolution of internal conflict that leaves a lasting impact on the reader, providing a sense of closure and meaning.

Diving Deep: Exploring the Spectrum of Inner Turmoil

Now that we've established the bedrock of conflict in storytelling, it's time to delve into the fascinating and often turbulent realm of internal conflict. This is where characters truly come alive, their struggles resonating with readers on a profoundly human level. Let's explore the multifaceted nature of inner turmoil and provide practical guidance for portraying it with authenticity and impact.

Inner Turmoil: A Battle Within

Inner turmoil manifests as a state of emotional or mental agitation. It’s a tempest raging within a character's mind, often invisible to the outside world but deeply affecting their thoughts, feelings, and actions. Recognizing the signs of inner turmoil is the first step in effectively portraying it.

Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms

A character experiencing inner turmoil might exhibit a range of symptoms. These can be subtle or overt. Look for changes in behavior, such as increased irritability, withdrawal from social interaction, or difficulty concentrating.

Physical manifestations can also be telling: insomnia, loss of appetite, or nervous habits like fidgeting or nail-biting.

Pay attention to their dialogue: are they expressing self-doubt, anxiety, or conflicting emotions? The key is to observe and document these details to build a compelling portrait of their inner state.

Diverse Causes of Inner Turmoil

The causes of inner turmoil are as varied as human experience itself. Grief, the profound sorrow following a loss, can trigger intense inner turmoil. Fear, whether rational or irrational, can paralyze a character with anxiety and uncertainty.

Moral dilemmas, situations where a character must choose between two undesirable options, can also create significant inner conflict.

Exploring the root causes of your character's turmoil will add depth and complexity to their struggles.

"Show, Don't Tell": Depicting Inner Distress

The adage "show, don't tell" is particularly relevant when depicting inner turmoil. Instead of simply stating that a character is feeling anxious, show their anxiety through their actions and reactions.

For example, describe their racing heart, sweaty palms, or the way their voice trembles when they speak. Use vivid imagery and sensory details to convey their inner state to the reader.
Example: Instead of saying "She was scared," try "Her breath hitched in her throat, each inhale a shallow, desperate grasp for air. The shadows in the alley seemed to lengthen, twisting into monstrous shapes that mirrored the fear coiling in her stomach."

Self-Doubt: The Crippling Voice Within

Self-doubt is a pervasive and often crippling form of internal conflict. It's the inner voice that whispers doubts and insecurities, undermining a character's confidence and hindering their progress.

Self-Doubt as a Hindrance and Opportunity

Self-doubt can manifest as a major obstacle for characters, preventing them from pursuing their goals or reaching their full potential. It can lead to procrastination, indecision, and a fear of failure.

However, self-doubt can also be a catalyst for growth. By confronting their insecurities, characters can develop resilience, self-awareness, and a stronger sense of self.

The key is to explore how self-doubt both hinders and motivates your character.

The Roots of Self-Doubt

Self-doubt often stems from past experiences, particularly those involving criticism, failure, or trauma. A character who experienced constant belittlement in childhood may struggle with self-doubt as an adult. A past failure can create a fear of repeating the same mistake.

Understanding the roots of your character's self-doubt will provide valuable insights into their behavior and motivations.

Self-Doubt as a Catalyst

While self-doubt can be debilitating, it can also serve as a powerful catalyst for change and self-discovery. By acknowledging their insecurities, characters can begin to challenge their negative beliefs and develop a more positive self-image.

This process often involves taking risks, stepping outside of their comfort zone, and embracing vulnerability. The journey from self-doubt to self-acceptance can be a transformative and inspiring one for both the character and the reader.

Guilt and Regret: Shadows of the Past

Guilt and regret are powerful emotions rooted in past actions. They can weigh heavily on a character's present state, shaping their decisions and influencing their relationships.

The Impact of Past Actions

Past actions, whether intentional or unintentional, can have a profound impact on a character's present state. A single mistake can haunt them for years, creating a sense of shame and remorse.

These emotions can manifest as anxiety, depression, or a desire to make amends.

The Psychological Weight of Guilt

Guilt is a complex emotion that arises from the belief that one has violated a moral or ethical code. The psychological weight of guilt can be immense, leading to feelings of worthlessness, self-loathing, and a desire for punishment.

Characters struggling with guilt may engage in self-destructive behaviors or attempt to atone for their past actions. The consequences of guilt can be far-reaching, affecting their physical and mental health, as well as their relationships with others.

Grappling with Regret: Redemption and Acceptance

Regret is the sorrow or disappointment over something that has happened or been done, particularly a lost opportunity or a mistake. Characters grappling with regret may seek redemption by trying to undo the damage they have caused or by dedicating themselves to a cause that is meaningful to them.

Alternatively, they may learn to accept their past and find peace in the present. The process of confronting regret can be painful, but it can also lead to growth, forgiveness, and a renewed sense of purpose.

Moral Dilemma: The Crossroads of Choice

A moral dilemma is a situation in which a character is forced to choose between two or more conflicting moral principles or values. These dilemmas often involve difficult choices with no easy answers, forcing the character to confront their own beliefs and priorities.

Defining the Difficult Choice

Moral dilemmas often pit one deeply held value against another. For example, a character might have to choose between loyalty to a friend and upholding the law. Or, they might have to sacrifice their own safety to protect others.

These are not simply matters of preference. They are agonizing choices that test the very core of a character's being.

Showcasing True Values

The choices a character makes in the face of a moral dilemma reveal their true values. Do they prioritize justice, compassion, or personal gain? Their decision will shape their character arc and determine the course of the story.

By exploring moral dilemmas, you can create characters that are both complex and relatable.

Cognitive Dissonance: The Clash of Beliefs

Cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort experienced when holding conflicting beliefs, values, or attitudes. This internal conflict can create a sense of unease and a desire to resolve the inconsistency.

Mental Stress from Conflicting Beliefs

When a character holds two contradictory beliefs, they experience a state of psychological tension. This tension can manifest as anxiety, guilt, or confusion. For example, a character who believes in honesty but tells a lie to protect someone may experience cognitive dissonance.

The more important the conflicting beliefs are to the character, the greater the dissonance they will experience.

Reconciling Contradictory Ideas

Characters experiencing cognitive dissonance will often try to reduce the discomfort by changing their beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors. They might rationalize their actions, seek out information that supports their beliefs, or minimize the importance of the conflicting belief.

The process of reconciling contradictory ideas can lead to significant personal growth and self-discovery.

Impact on Decision-Making

Cognitive dissonance can have a significant impact on decision-making. Characters may make choices that are inconsistent with their values in order to reduce the psychological tension they are experiencing.

Understanding cognitive dissonance can help you create more realistic and complex characters, as well as explore the nuances of human behavior.

The Subconscious: Unseen Motivations

The subconscious mind holds a wealth of hidden desires, fears, and memories that can significantly influence a character's behavior. Exploring the subconscious can add layers of depth and complexity to your storytelling.

Driving Behavior

A character's subconscious desires and fears can drive their actions in ways they may not even be aware of. These hidden motivations can create internal conflict and lead to unexpected choices.

For example, a character who subconsciously fears intimacy may sabotage their relationships without realizing why.

Unearthing Buried Secrets

Unearthing the secrets buried within a character's subconscious mind can be a challenging but rewarding process. It requires careful observation, introspection, and a willingness to explore uncomfortable truths.

Techniques such as free association, dream analysis, and exploring a character's past can help to reveal these hidden motivations.

Dreams, Slips, and Subconscious Desires

Dreams, slips of the tongue (also known as "Freudian slips"), and other unintentional behaviors can provide valuable insights into a character's subconscious desires and fears.

Dreams, in particular, can be rich in symbolism and can reveal hidden anxieties or longings. A slip of the tongue can betray a character's true feelings, even when they are trying to conceal them. By paying attention to these subtle cues, you can create a more nuanced and believable portrayal of your character's inner world.

Id, Ego, and Superego: The Freudian Framework

Sigmund Freud's concepts of the Id, Ego, and Superego provide a useful framework for understanding internal conflict. These three components of the psyche represent different aspects of the human personality and often engage in a constant struggle for dominance.

Understanding the Concepts

The Id represents our primal instincts and desires. It operates on the pleasure principle, seeking immediate gratification without regard for consequences. The Ego is the rational part of the psyche. It mediates between the Id and the external world, trying to satisfy the Id's desires in a realistic and socially acceptable way. The Superego represents our moral conscience. It internalizes societal rules and expectations, guiding us to behave in a morally acceptable manner.

The Battle Within

The Id, Ego, and Superego are often in conflict with one another. The Id wants instant gratification, the Superego demands moral perfection, and the Ego tries to find a balance between these competing forces.

This internal struggle can create significant internal conflict for characters, shaping their behavior and influencing their decisions.

Applying Freudian Principles

By applying Freudian principles, you can create complex and psychologically realistic characters. Give your characters a strong Id, a well-developed Superego, and an Ego that struggles to maintain control. This will create internal tension and make your characters more compelling and relatable.

Psychological Realism: Authenticity of the Mind

Psychological realism is a literary approach that focuses on accurately representing the inner workings of a character's mind. It seeks to portray the complexities of human thought, emotion, and motivation with authenticity and depth.

Representing the Character’s Mind

Psychological realism goes beyond simply describing a character's actions and dialogue. It delves into their thoughts, feelings, memories, and subconscious desires. It aims to capture the subjective experience of being that character, providing readers with a window into their inner world.

Revealing Internal Workings

The internal workings of a character's mind can be revealed through various narrative techniques, such as stream of consciousness, interior monologue, and flashbacks. These techniques allow readers to access the character's thoughts and feelings directly, creating a sense of intimacy and empathy.

Authenticity in Complex Thoughts

To achieve psychological realism, it's essential to portray a character's thoughts and emotions with authenticity. Avoid simplistic or stereotypical representations of mental states. Instead, strive to capture the nuances and contradictions of human experience.

Explore the character's doubts, fears, and insecurities, as well as their hopes, dreams, and aspirations. By creating characters with complex and believable inner lives, you can create stories that resonate deeply with readers.

The Ripple Effect: Impact on Character and Story

Internal conflict isn't just a plot device; it's the lifeblood of compelling storytelling. It directly influences character development, shaping their journeys and dictating their choices. The effective portrayal of these internal struggles enriches the narrative, creating a resonant experience for the reader that lingers long after the final page.

Character Development: Forging Strength Through Fire

Internal conflict is the crucible in which characters are forged. It forces them to confront their flaws, question their beliefs, and ultimately, either grow or crumble. A character's journey is defined not by the absence of conflict, but by how they navigate it.

Consider the character who battles self-doubt. Overcoming this internal obstacle can lead to newfound confidence and resilience. Conversely, succumbing to it can result in tragic downfall.

To craft a believable and compelling character arc, writers must meticulously portray these internal struggles. Show the character's internal dialogue, their hesitations, their moments of vulnerability. Make their internal battles visible to the reader, allowing them to connect with the character on a deeper level.

Character Arc: The Transformative Power of Challenge

A character arc is essentially the roadmap of a character's transformation. Internal conflict serves as the engine driving that evolution. Challenges arising from this conflict force characters to adapt, learn, and ultimately, change.

Each challenge presents an opportunity for growth, a chance for the character to confront their inner demons and emerge stronger. For example, a character grappling with guilt might embark on a journey of redemption, seeking to atone for their past mistakes.

These moments of conflict are pivotal. They are the turning points that define the character's journey and determine their ultimate fate. It's in these crucible moments that a character sheds their old skin and transforms into someone new.

Motivation: Unveiling the "Why"

Internal desires, needs, and fears are the bedrock of character motivation. They fuel a character's actions, driving them towards their goals and shaping their decisions. Understanding these internal motivators is crucial for creating believable characters that resonate with readers.

For instance, a character driven by a deep-seated fear of abandonment may act in ways that seem irrational to others. However, when viewed through the lens of their internal fear, their actions become understandable, even sympathetic.

To create believable motivations, delve into your character's psyche. Explore their past experiences, their deepest desires, and their most profound fears. Uncover the "why" behind their actions, and you'll create a character that feels real and relatable.

Theme: Exploring the Depths of Human Experience

Internal conflict is a powerful tool for exploring complex topics and ideas. By placing characters in situations that force them to confront difficult moral or ethical dilemmas, writers can delve into the depths of human experience and explore the nuances of the human condition.

These internal struggles can serve as a microcosm of larger societal issues, allowing readers to examine complex themes such as justice, compassion, and the nature of good and evil.

To showcase the significance of your theme, make sure it is intricately woven into the character's internal conflict. Let their struggles illuminate the broader themes you wish to explore, creating a story that is both thought-provoking and emotionally resonant.

Point of View (POV): Accessing the Inner World

The choice of point of view (POV) significantly impacts how internal conflict is portrayed. First-person POV offers the most direct access to a character's thoughts and emotions. This perspective allows the reader to inhabit the character's mind, experiencing their internal struggles firsthand.

Third-person limited POV, while offering a degree of separation, still allows the reader to focus on one character's internal experience. The narrative is filtered through their perceptions, allowing for a nuanced exploration of their internal struggles.

Choosing the right POV is crucial for effectively conveying the nuances of a character's internal conflict. Consider which perspective will best serve your story and allow you to delve into the depths of your character's inner world.

Catharsis: Emotional Release and Resolution

Catharsis is the emotional release experienced by the reader as a result of the resolution of a character's internal conflict. It is a sense of completion, of emotional closure, that leaves the reader feeling satisfied and fulfilled.

To achieve catharsis, the character's internal struggles must be resolved in a meaningful and believable way. The reader must witness the character confront their inner demons, overcome their obstacles, and ultimately, find peace.

This resolution doesn't necessarily have to be happy. It can be bittersweet, even tragic. But it must be genuine, reflecting the character's journey and providing the audience with a sense of emotional closure. When executed effectively, catharsis creates a lasting impression, leaving the reader deeply moved by the character's story.

Lessons from the Masters: Inspiration for Portraying Inner Worlds

The study of literature offers a profound opportunity to dissect the anatomy of internal conflict. By examining the techniques employed by master storytellers, we can gain invaluable insights into crafting believable and resonant portrayals of inner turmoil. Let's explore the works of literary giants like Shakespeare, Dostoevsky, Hemingway, Austen, and Freud, each offering unique approaches to depicting the complexities of the human psyche.

William Shakespeare: The Bard of Inner Turmoil

Shakespeare's plays are rife with characters wrestling with profound internal conflicts.

Consider Hamlet, whose famous soliloquies lay bare his agonizing indecision and moral quandaries.

Or Macbeth, driven by ambition to commit regicide, haunted by guilt and paranoia.

By analyzing these characters, we can learn to effectively portray the psychological toll of ambition, revenge, and moral decay.

Pay close attention to Shakespeare's use of soliloquies and asides, offering direct access to a character's innermost thoughts.

Sigmund Freud: Unlocking the Subconscious

Freud's groundbreaking work on the subconscious revolutionized our understanding of the human mind.

His theories offer invaluable tools for writers seeking to explore the hidden depths of their characters.

By understanding the influence of repressed desires, defense mechanisms, and the power of the unconscious, we can create characters who are both complex and psychologically realistic.

Consider incorporating Freudian concepts such as the Oedipus complex or the id, ego, and superego, to add layers of depth to your character's internal struggles.

Fyodor Dostoevsky: Plumbing the Depths of the Soul

Dostoevsky's novels are characterized by their intense exploration of moral and existential themes.

Crime and Punishment offers a chilling portrayal of Rodion Raskolnikov's psychological disintegration after committing murder.

Through Raskolnikov's internal struggles, Dostoevsky explores the complexities of guilt, redemption, and the nature of good and evil.

Examine Dostoevsky's use of interior monologue and psychological realism to effectively convey the character's spiraling mental state.

Ernest Hemingway: The Art of Subtext

Hemingway's "iceberg theory" suggests that a writer should only show a small portion of the story above the surface, while the majority remains hidden beneath.

This approach is particularly effective for portraying internal conflict.

By using implication, subtext, and carefully chosen details, writers can suggest a character's inner turmoil without explicitly stating it.

Pay attention to Hemingway's use of dialogue and action to reveal underlying emotions and motivations.

Jane Austen: Navigating Societal Constraints

Austen's novels often explore the internal struggles of women navigating a restrictive society.

Her characters grapple with the clash between societal expectations and individual aspirations, often forced to make difficult choices between love, duty, and personal fulfillment.

By analyzing Austen's portrayal of these internal conflicts, we can gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by women in a patriarchal society.

Consider how Austen uses wit, irony, and social commentary to expose the underlying tensions and contradictions of her characters' lives.

Toolbox for Writers: Crafting Believable Internal Conflict

The ability to portray authentic internal conflict hinges on the writer's capacity to understand and articulate the intricacies of the human psyche. Fortunately, a number of practical tools exist to assist in this endeavor. By strategically employing resources like character development worksheets and the power of language, writers can unlock the potential to craft narratives that resonate with profound psychological depth.

Leveraging Character Development Worksheets

Character development worksheets offer a structured approach to unearthing the layers of a character's inner world. They prompt writers to delve beyond superficial traits, encouraging exploration of background, motivations, fears, and core values. This process is instrumental in identifying potential sources of internal conflict and shaping a character's unique journey.

Unveiling the Foundation: Background, Motivations, and Fears

A comprehensive character development worksheet should prompt exploration of a character's formative experiences, relationships, and significant life events. Understanding their past provides insight into their present struggles and informs their future choices.

Moreover, the worksheet should encourage writers to pinpoint a character's deepest desires, needs, and aspirations. What drives them? What are they willing to sacrifice to achieve their goals?

Conversely, exploring a character's fears and insecurities is equally crucial. What are they most afraid of losing? What vulnerabilities do they try to conceal?

These elements, when carefully considered, form the bedrock of a compelling character and the foundation for believable internal conflict.

Identifying Key Moments of Internal Conflict

The worksheet should include prompts that encourage writers to identify pivotal moments in a character's life where they faced significant internal struggles. These moments serve as flashpoints, revealing the character's true nature and testing the strength of their convictions.

Perhaps they were forced to make a difficult moral choice, confront a personal failing, or grapple with a loss that shattered their sense of self. These moments can be analyzed to understand a character's typical response to stress and internal pressure.

By mapping these key moments, writers can gain a deeper understanding of the character's internal landscape and effectively portray the ongoing impact of these experiences on their present state. Consider these as origin stories for the internal struggles they face in the main narrative.

Harnessing the Power of Language: The Writer's Thesaurus

While character development worksheets provide a structural framework for understanding internal conflict, language serves as the brushstroke that brings it to life. The writer's thesaurus is an invaluable tool for selecting vivid and evocative language that accurately conveys the nuances of human emotion.

Choosing Vivid and Evocative Language

Describing internal conflict requires a vocabulary that goes beyond simple adjectives like "sad" or "angry". The thesaurus allows writers to explore a wider range of synonyms and related terms, each carrying subtle yet significant connotations.

For instance, instead of describing a character as "worried," a writer might choose "anxious," "apprehensive," or "perturbed," depending on the specific intensity and flavor of the emotion.

This nuanced approach to language enhances the realism and emotional impact of the writing, allowing readers to connect with the character on a deeper level.

Enhancing Descriptions of Emotions

Beyond choosing the right adjective, a thesaurus can also inspire writers to use more descriptive verbs, adverbs, and figurative language to portray internal conflict. Consider not just what the character feels, but how they experience the emotion.

Does the guilt gnaw at their conscience, or does it weigh heavily on their soul? Do they suppress their anger, or does it simmer beneath the surface like a volcano ready to erupt?

By paying close attention to the language used to describe internal experiences, writers can create a richer and more immersive reading experience for their audience.

Remember, the goal is not merely to tell the reader what the character is feeling, but to show them the internal reality of their struggle through evocative language and sensory details.

So, that's internal conflict in a story! Hopefully, you've now got a good handle on what it is and how to use it. Remember, the best stories often hinge on those tough inner battles, so don't be afraid to really put your characters through the wringer. Happy writing!