Next up is MAN vs. HIS ENVIRONMENT.
In this conflict someone is battling against harsh environmental elements. When Electra climbs the frozen cliff to attain the monastery where she will learn the martial arts, she is battling the elements. (She is also battling HERSELF, but we’ll get to that later!)
The obvious application of this is when a character is up against the elements: earthquake, flood, drought, hurricane, monsoon, etc. A great example is Hemmingway’s The Old Man and the Sea, where an aging fisherman tries to get a large marlin back to shore, but is plagued by sharks, which devour the fish.
But, any time the environment is an impediment or challenge to someone in the story, it is a MAN vs. HIS ENVIRONMENT situation. A guy who is stuck in a traffic jam is battling his environment. A misunderstood teenaged comics fan who gets ridiculed by the whole school is in opposition to his environment. An old lady who mistakenly wanders into a blaring rock concert is at odds with her surroundings.
This is a very useful type of conflict, and although this certainly can be the PRIMARY CONFLICT in the right story, it usually takes up a supporting role as a secondary conflict.
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