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External Conflict In Papillon's 'Man Against Man'

Decent Essays

Man against man is an external conflict. The conflict may be direct opposition, like a gunfight or a robbery, or it may be a more subtle conflict between the desires of two or more characters, like in a romance. In Papillon, he fights with the guards by hitting them on the head with a club. Another example of man against man is when Papillon meets a man who sells him a leaky boat. Man against himself the struggle is internal. This is a conflict that is usually associated with an external conflict. A character must overcome his own nature or make a choice between two or more paths, good and evil; logic and emotion. One major man against himself example in the book is when Papillon first decides that he is going to escape. He has to find enough courage and strength to do whatever he can. Lastly, man against nature plays a major role in Papillon’s story. Man against nature conflict is an external struggle positioning the hero against an animal or a force of nature, such as a storm or tornado or snow. Papillon is faced with many storms while on his small boat. He explains how wave comes and almost kills …show more content…

On page 273 and 274 Papillon says “I heard the quiet thud of something falling into the cell. What could it be? I could just make out something long and thin. Then as I was on the point of picking it up, the thing started to move toward the wall. I got down on my knees to see it as best I could and made it an enormous centipede over eight inces long and wider than two fat fingers.” Then when he meets the Indians on page 152 and 153 he says “He took two steps forward, his eyes looking directly into mine. The examination lasted two minutes. His motionless face with the hooded eyes was like a bronze bust. Then he smiled and touched my shoulder.” When he uses words like motionless and examination, it shows just how intense his experience

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