Identifying Opposing Forces

1. Defining Conflict: The Obstacle to the Goal

At its core, a scene's conflict is the series of obstacles the POV character must overcome to achieve their goal.

This opposition is so fundamental that you can think of it as a simple equation: Story = Intention + Obstacle. An opposing force is what turns a character's plan into a narrative.

To analyze these opposing forces systematically, we can sort them into three distinct categories.

2. A Taxonomy of Opposing Forces

Opposing forces are not random. They can be classified based on their origin. A clear understanding of these categories allows you to consciously design and layer conflict for greater impact.

Let's break down these three categories of opposing forces with our own precise definitions.

A. Opposing Force: Another Character (Personal Conflict)

This is the most common and often the most dynamic source of opposition. The obstacle is another character with their own goals that are irreconcilable with the protagonist's.

• Antagonist: The classic villain whose primary goal is to stop the protagonist. (e.g., Darth Vader wants to crush the rebellion, which opposes Luke's goal to save it).
• Ally/Friend: A friend might oppose the protagonist's goal out of concern for their safety or a disagreement on method. (e.g., Samwise Gamgee opposes Frodo's attempts to trust Gollum).
• Romantic Interest: Two potential lovers often have conflicting desires or values that keep them apart.
• Bureaucrat/Gatekeeper: A character who isn't necessarily evil but whose function is to obstruct. (e.g., A security guard whose job is to prevent the hero from entering a building).

The key is that the opposition stems from the agency of another human (or human-like) being.

B. Opposing Force: The Environment (Extrapersonal Conflict)

Here, the obstacle is a non-sentient or collective force that is external to the protagonist.

• Nature: A storm, a desert, a wild animal, a disease. The protagonist's goal is survival or passage, and the environment itself is the antagonist. (e.g., A mountain climber's goal is to reach the summit; the opposing force is the blizzard).
• Society: Societal laws, norms, prejudices, or institutions that stand in the character's way. (e.g., In a historical novel, a woman's goal to become a doctor is opposed by a society that forbids it).
• Technology: A malfunctioning spaceship, a security system, an AI gone rogue. The protagonist must overcome the inanimate system. (e.g., The crew of Apollo 13's goal is to get home; the opposing force is their damaged spacecraft).

These forces are often immovable and indifferent, forcing the character to adapt or find a clever way around them rather than defeating them head-on.

C. Opposing Force: Internal Struggle (Inner Conflict)

In this case, the obstacle is the character themself. The conflict arises from a clash between the character's goal and their own fears, flaws, morals, or past trauma.

• Fear/Cowardice: A soldier's goal is to charge the enemy line, but his opposing force is his own crippling fear.
• Moral Code: A detective's goal is to get a confession, but her own moral code prevents her from using illegal or brutal methods, even if they would work.
• Misbelief/Flaw: A character's goal is to find a loving relationship, but his internal misbelief that "I am unlovable" causes him to sabotage any potential connection.
• Conflicting Duties: A character's goal is to save their company, but doing so requires firing their best friend, creating a conflict between professional duty and personal loyalty.

Internal conflict is what creates complex, three-dimensional characters. Often, the most powerful stories layer internal conflict on top of external ones.

3. Opposing Forces in Action: The Scene Level

How do these abstract forces manifest within the beat-by-beat structure of a scene? They appear as Motivations in the Motivation-Reaction Unit (MRU) cycle.

Recall that an MRU consists of:

• Motivation: An external, objective event the character sees, hears, or feels.
• Reaction: The character's internal and then external response.

The opposing force is what generates the negative Motivations that complicate the character's path to their goal.

Let's analyze a practical example.

As the example demonstrates, the opposing force isn't a single event. It is a continuous source of pressure that creates a chain of cause and effect (Motivation -> Reaction -> new Motivation) that is the conflict of the scene.

To see how all three types of opposing forces can be woven together to create a complex and compelling narrative, let's examine one final case study.

Conclusion

Today we dissected the 'Conflict' component of our scene-writing algorithm. We have moved from a vague notion of struggle to a precise, classifiable system of opposing forces.

Key Takeaways:

• Conflict is Obstruction: It is any force that stands between the POV character and their scene goal.
• A Taxonomy of Forces: Opposing forces can be systematically categorized as Personal (other characters), Extrapersonal (environment/society), or Internal (the character's own psychology).
• Layering for Depth: The most compelling scenes often layer multiple types of conflict, where an external obstacle forces the character to confront an internal one.
• Manifestation as Motivation: In the micro-structure of a scene, the opposing force generates the Motivations that the character must react to, driving the action forward beat by beat.

Preview of the Next Lesson

We have now defined the Goal and the Conflict. A character wants something, and a force stands in their way. But what is the outcome of this struggle? In fiction, victory is rarely simple. In our next lesson, we will analyze the final part of our formula: the Disaster. We will explore how a scene's conclusion, far from resolving the problem, should make things worse and propel the character into the next sequence of events.