It is human nature to disagree with the people that you encounter. Conflicts are common at home, among families, at the workplace, between societies, and between countries. It is, therefore, crucial to have the know-how on how to write a conflict essay.
What is a conflict? What causes conflicts? Which parties conflict? How can individuals avoid conflicts? How can we solve conflicts? How can conflicting parties coexist? These are some of the queries that you should ask yourself as you write your article.
Important steps to follow when writing an essay about conflict:
You should first understand what conflict is. Various dictionary meanings explain what conflict is. You should understand the meaning to enable you to write an elaborate essay on the subject.
After that, conduct extensive research to gain information on the conflict. The areas of research include:
The types of conflict
Reasons for conflict
Consequences of conflict: the advantages and disadvantages
How to avoid conflict
How to solve conflict
Numerous sources contain this information. Be sure only to use the sources that are allowed by your instructor. The sources may include scholarly sources, peer-reviewed journals, specific newspapers, course books, or specific internet sources. Also, ensure that you note down the information that you obtain, the source, and the page number for proper citing in the essay. Noting down saves time and makes it easier to refer to the sources.
Plan your essay. The plan should involve the format of your essay and the key points to include in the various paragraphs.
Write your essay. Start the essay with a detailed introduction that informs the readers of the contents of your essay. The introduction should have a definition that explains what an essay is. The paragraph should then include the points that your essay will address. Finish the introduction with a thesis statement that conveys your message on the subject matter.
The body should address all the issues that you want your reader to know about conflict. Each paragraph should handle a specific issue. The introductory sentence of each paragraph should inform the reader of the contents of the paragraph. Remember to be elaborate and concise. Assume that your audience lacks previous knowledge about conflict and that your essay is meant to educate the reader about it. Handle all issues in depth while avoiding ambiguous information. The body should include conflict types, the reasons, consequences, how to avoid, and how to solve a conflict. Explain these points fully. Your essay should also include your viewpoint concerning conflict. Ensure that the reader will get your stand on conflict as they read your essay.
You can provide your reader with recommendations pertaining conflict. The recommendations may include living with conflict in cases where the conflicting parties were unable to solve or avoid the conflict. The recommendation can also include insight on how to benefit from a conflicting situation.
The last paragraph is the conclusion. The conclusion summarizes the major points of your essay. Include a summary of the definition. Highlight the types, reasons, consequences, solutions for conflict, and recommendations. Also, highlight your thesis statement to show your reader that the essay has achieved the expected objective.
Types of Conflicts
Before writing your piece, it is necessary to differentiate the seven main types of conflict. External conflict occurs outside the character’s mind or heart and pits them against some force or worldview. Internal conflicts are all about the character’s emotions. They aim to heighten the drama throughout the storyline and deepen emotional intensity. Take a peek at the different types of conflict, and feel free to incorporate them in your next essay.
Person vs. Person
It is one of the most widespread types of conflict, in which the action takes place between two characters, often driven by differing objectives, motivations, or beliefs. Such type of conflict writing often describes the storyline between good and evil. Typically, the main character opposes or even fights with the antagonist for a certain idea or goal. Your essay may be even more emotionally saturated when there is no obvious right or wrong between the characters’ disagreements or when each of them believes they hold the truth.
Example: When you write about educational settings, you can describe the disputes between a strict teacher and the student’s view of fairness.
Person vs. Nature
Among the different types of conflict, this one is no less popular. Students often outline the character’s struggle against nature, disaster, or weather conditions in their environmental essays. It is a great option when it is necessary to use epithets, descriptive phrases, or adjectives in your piece.
Example: Whether you write about agricultural impact, natural disasters like earthquakes or wildfires or consequences of deforestation or pollution, you can incorporate a Person vs Nature conflict to highlight the human effect on the environment.
Person vs. Society
Person vs Society is the best option among all types of conflict for those who need to write an argumentative essay. In this case, the character has a different opinion regarding particular societal norms, traditions, or tendencies. You can start your conflict essay by outlining the problem and giving your viewpoint based on relevant facts and statistics. It is advisable to finish your piece by finding a consensus between a person and a societal construct.
Example: In your conflict essay, you can raise the question of unequal rights, call for law changes, or discuss the usefulness or uselessness of certain communities.
Person vs. Technology
Technological advancement created one of the most controversial types of conflict – Person vs Technology. It provides a rich ground for exploration, allowing for discussing the topic from different perspectives and providing arguments for either sympathy or tension. The character often experiences challenges due to cutting-edge innovations and the consequences of such digital progress.
Example: Social media and gaming addiction, privacy issues, pros and cons of using artificial intelligence – this is just a glimpse of topics to point out in your conflict essay.
Person vs. Supernatural
While there are different types of conflict, Person vs. Supernatural rarely appears in academic essays unless devoted to a particular story or novel. Such conflict usually implies placing characters directly opposed to forces beyond the natural world. In this case, it is possible to explore all the boundaries of human fear, belief, and reaction when faced with a supernatural world.
Example: Let’s say you need to describe a conflict in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. How did the three witches manage to change his internal world? What would happen to the main character if he didn’t face the supernatural force? These are just a few questions to frame in your essay.
Person vs. Self
A Person vs. Self conflict involves a character facing inner demons, an internal moral struggle, or a person looking for the right way to self-improve. This is one of the types of conflict that can be viewed from both positive and negative sides. Typically, such essays illustrate the complexity of human nature and the outcome of a particular self-discovery.
Example: If you want to describe a Person vs. Self conflict in your writing, you can illustrate such topics as an inner battle between people’s aspirations and responsibilities, regret over past actions, and self-acceptance and body image issues.
Person vs. Destiny (Fate/Luck/God)
The waters surrounding this conflict are a tad murky. The aspects of this conflict can be seen as parts of other categories. Even though it might seem confusing, understanding the concept and the main idea of your essay is more important than understanding the categories.
Example: If you are writing about acceptance of challenging luck, it is possible to illustrate it as a personal struggle, which refers to the Person vs. Self conflict. Even if your essay is devoted to religion, you may include some aspects of Person vs. Society conflict.
Crucial points to note
Follow all the requirements provided by the instructor on writing the essay. The requirements include the word limit, paper format (also includes font type, margins), the proper referencing style e.g. MLA, APA, HARVARD, etc.
Ensure that your essay lacks plagiarism. You avoid plagiarism by citing information that you borrow from other people. Plagiarism is also avoided by reading and understanding the sources and writing your essay using your understanding. Remember to always cite outside sources in the text and in the reference page in alphabetical order.
Provide high-quality work. Quality involves originality, proper articulation of ideas, proper flow of ideas, and a good command of the language used.
Avoid spelling mistakes and grammar errors. You should proofread your work upon completion.
Use the ‘third person’ unless instructed otherwise.
In conclusion, writing a conflict essay requires careful thought and structure. Understanding the different types of conflicts and how they affect individuals, societies, and even technology is key to developing a well-rounded piece. By researching thoroughly, organizing your thoughts, and presenting clear arguments, you can craft an essay that not only informs but also engages the reader. Remember, conflict is a part of life, and learning how to address it constructively is an essential skill. Good luck, and may your essay provide valuable insights on this important topic!