The conflict of Man vs. Society and HOW
Our literary focus for this week: “Conflict is a very powerful literary device. In fact, many scholars state that it is the conflict of any story that drives all of the
other devices. This is most likely true. Think of a story of a man struggling in the wilderness to survive. His setting, plot, symbolism, point of view, theme, and
characterization are all focused around the conflictual question of survival.”
Discussion Board:
In one to two paragraphs, argue which of the Unit 5 authors best portrays the conflict of Man vs. Society and HOW (you might like to do some more research
on The Handmaid’s Tale to write about Atwood). This is a great practice for your upcoming Position Paper.
Share a modern-day piece of literature (new story, article, video, movie, novel, etc.) that supports your response and is a direct connection to the story you
choose. Be sure to post the link to your modern piece of literature and explain how it connects to your chosen author/story.
Finish your post by asking a question of your peers that promotes critical thinking on this subject.
Be sure to use text examples and in text citations. Use your best academic persuading techniques including a thesis statement and cited support. Add a
reference listing for the story.
I am choosing for you to write about- Margaret Atwood authored The Handmaid’s Tale in 1985
Here is a youtube link to watch a quick summary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36TR0ESbhTE
Also, here is more research for the assignment
https://the-handmaids-tale.fandom.com/wiki/The_Handmaid%27s_Tale_(Novel)
Sample Solution
Great stories often challenge our thoughts about society and the world. Some stories provide warnings about where society is headed while others offer social criticism about our current world. These stories usually feature man vs. society conflicts, where the main character is in direct conflict with society. The man versus society conflict is when a protagonist has a strong belief against the majority of the community or surroundings and decides to act on it. Since this type of conflict is between a character and an outside group, it is classified as an external conflict. A common type of story that often features a person vs. society conflict is dystopian literature. In dystopian stories, the protagonist acts against society in some way. They might rebel or even start a rebellion. In the Unit 5 authors, Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale best portrays the conflict of Man vs Society. In The Handmaid’s Tale, Atwood describes a dystopian future in which women are forced into servitude as reproductive slaves for wealthy couples and stripped of their autonomy.
