Conflict and Irony

Conflict

It is the struggle between two entities. In story writing the main character, also known as the protagonist,
encounters a conflict with the antagonist, which is an adversary.

Types of Conflict

1. Man against man (man vs man) - an external conflict where a character is against another
character.
2. Man against society (man vs society) - the character stands against a man-made institution which
may include prevailing social system such as slavery, discrimination, or even bullying.
3. Man against nature (man vs nature) - the character struggles against forces of nature such as an
animal, a storm, tornado, or snow.
4. Man against self (man vs self) - an internal conflict where the character has to come to terms with
his/her own nature. It may include making a choice between two or more paths good and evil; logic
and emotion.

Irony

Irony occurs when a moment of dialogue or plot contradicts what the audience expects from a character or
story. There are three kinds of irony that may be used in writing fiction:

Verbal Irony

This occurs when the character's statement carries a sharply different meaning from what is ostensibly
expressed. It usually involves an explicit expression of an attitude with indications that the speaker
intentionally meant the exact opposite.

For example:
Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mr. Darcy, the love interest of the main character Elizabeth
Bennet, initially assessed Elizabeth this way: "She is tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt me." In
this example, the readers relish the ironic flavor of Mr. Darcy's statement as the woman whom he finds
unsuitable to dance with will slowly have a place in his heart in the latter parts of the story.

Situational Irony

When the result of an action becomes contrary to the desired or expected effect, a situational irony occurs.
By so doing, the story provides a comic relief for the readers.

For example:
O. Henry's story, "The Gift of the Magi" (1905), a young couple are too poor to buy Christmas gifts for each
other. The wife cuts off her treasured hair to sell it to a wig-maker for money to buy her husband a chain for
his heirloom pocket watch. She is shocked when she learns he has pawned his watch to buy her a set of
combs for her long, beautiful, prized hair. The double irony lies in the particular way their expectations were
foiled.

Dramatic Irony

Dramatic irony occurs when the reader knows a piece of important information in the story while a
character who is involved is unaware of it.

For example:
Edgar Allan Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado" (1846) the unsuspecting Fortunato is being led to his death by
his former acquaintance, Montresor. While the latter lures him into the catacombs, he questions Fortunato
about his well-being. Montresor notices Fortunato has a cough, which is growing more severe the farther
they go down the catacombs. He asks if Fortunato would like to turn back. Fortunato replies, "I shall not die
of a cough." Montresor knowingly replies, "True - true." In this case, the reader knows that Montresor is
planning on murdering Fortunato, while Fortunato believes they are friends.