1. Read this excerpt from “The Medicine Bag.”
“Then a terrible thing happened to Iron Shell. He and several other young men were taken from their homes by the soldiers and sent far away to a white man’s boarding school. He was angry and lonesome for his parents and the young girl he had wed before he was taken away.”
What type of conflict do the details in this excerpt most reveal?
character vs. society
character vs. nature
character vs. character
character vs. self
2.Read the passage.
During the spelling test, Adrian sees his friend Malcolm cheating. Adrian knows this is wrong. His first thought is to say something to the teacher, but Malcolm is one of Adrian’s few friends. If he tells the teacher, it could end their friendship. He decides to think about the situation before saying anything.
What type of conflict do the details in this passage most reveal?
character vs. self
character vs. society
character vs. nature
character vs. character
To identify the type of conflict in each of the given excerpts, we can analyze the elements present in the text that contribute to the conflict. Here's an explanation of how to arrive at the answers:
1. In the first excerpt from "The Medicine Bag," the conflict is best characterized as character vs. society. This is evident from the details that indicate the struggle between Iron Shell, a young Native American man, and the white man's boarding school, which forcibly separates him from his family and cultural heritage. The conflict arises due to the clash between Iron Shell's Native American background and the imposition of the white man's education system.
2. In the second passage, the conflict is character vs. self. This is apparent as Adrian faces an internal struggle within himself about whether to report his friend Malcolm for cheating during the spelling test. Adrian understands that cheating is wrong, but he also values his friendship with Malcolm. This internal conflict arises from Adrian's moral dilemma and the need to make a decision that aligns with his values.
By closely examining the details and the relationships portrayed in the given passages, we can determine the type of conflict that is prevalent.