What is Internal Conflict? (With Examples)

There are two different kinds of conflict in storytelling: internal and external. Now, we go into lots of detail in our definitive guide to conflict, but today, I want to focus on internal conflict only.

So, let’s go over the definition, look at some examples, and find out how it can be used in your writing.

Let’s dive in.

---

Internal Conflict Definition 

Internal conflict is the struggle going on within their characters. That means the demons they’re battling in their brain or inside their emotional state.

A few classic examples could be depression, alcoholism, fear of commitment, or even a personality disorder.

They are the deep parts of characterization that can torture us and that we need to overcome.

The Kinds of Internal Conflict

When you study the idea of conflict, you’ll learn there are many different kinds you can put into your work. But when it comes to conflict that relies solely on internal struggles, there’s really only one general term for it…

• Man versus self: This conflict develops from a protagonist’s inner struggles, like the one mentioned above in Split. Another popular one would be in Frozen when Elsa is dealing with a power that alienates her.

Why Writers Use Internal Conflict 

When you set out to develop a character, you want to really dig into who they are as a person. In most movies, people are going through both internal and external things.

But while the rock is rolling after someone or the bullies are holding them down and hitting them, there’s also something going on inside them.

I think internal conflict makes characters more relatable. We understand they are going to have bullets flying at them or other external factors. Those may not be things we will ever experience.

But inside them, we can understand feeling underestimated. Feeling frustrated. Dealing with depression. Or even a fear of commitment.

This is how you can bridge the gap between someone feeling real and feeling fantastical.

Internal Conflict Examples 

It’s hard to build a movie around only internal conflict ideas, but people try to do it all the time, and with the right ideas… it works perfectly!

Sometimes it’s an internal struggle like Indiana Jones coming to terms with his relationship with his father. Or other times the conflict is more central, like Frodo fighting against the ring’s power in Lord of the Rings.

Here are a few more examples:

• The Godfather (1972): Michael Corleone’s character arc is a masterclass in internal conflict. He battles between his desire for a legitimate life and the inescapable pull of his family’s criminal empire. This is a moral conflict that consumes him.
• Black Swan (2010): Nina Sayers’s pursuit of dancing perfection leads to her grappling with her insecurities, the pressure of the role, and the blurring lines between reality and delusion.
• Inception (2010): Dom Cobb’s internal conflict centers on his grief and guilt over his wife’s death caused by their dream journeys. These emotions infiltrate his dream worlds, jeopardizing his missions and revealing the power of his inner turmoil.
• The Shawshank Redemption (1994): Andy Dufresne’s struggle to maintain hope and dignity in the face of brutal imprisonment is a powerful example of internal resilience.
• Fight Club (1999): The Narrator’s deep-seated discontent with his life, and his feeling of being unfulfilled, leads to a very destructive internal conflict. This conflict manifests as an external conflict in his alter ego, Tyler Durden.

Summing Up Internal Conflict 

Now that you understand internal conflict, it’s time to put it into your writing. Use it to make your characters deeper. Use it to find parts of yourself you want to share with the audience.

And if you have questions, feel free to reach out.

Let me know what you think in the comments.