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Man vs. Society: The Most Understandable Conflict in Stories
Michael Adams
Do you remember the iconic dialogue of Harper Lee from To Kill a Mockingbird – “ The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience.” Or the rebellion Katniss Everdeen made in The Hunger Games against the oppressive system, saying, “I’m more than just a piece in their game.”
What do you think these characters signify? Don’t they remind you of the thoughts you might have had once, like “Why is the world trying to control me?” or “No one understands my side of the story?” – so what is this situation called in literature?
It’s classic man vs society conflicts where societal norms, rules, and expectations press down or pressurize individuals, treating them as mere pawns. It’s when an individual’s conscience clashes with societal expectations, forcing them to question authority, tradition, and conformity.
Let’s explore this literary conflict further through various books and films. As a writer, take the opportunity to use our tips and man vs. society examples to improve your understanding and weave this conflict into your own work smartly.
Key Takeaways
- What is the Man vs Society Conflict?: The “man vs. society” conflict explores the struggle between individual and societal norms, values, or expectations.
- Society as the Antagonist: Rather than having a typical villain, the main source of conflict comes from society. This creates challenges that test the protagonist’s values and determination.
- Fictional narratives allow authors to explore “Man vs. Society” conflicts in imaginative ways, creating allegories for real-life struggles.
- Character Examples: in this blog, to gain a better understanding of this conflict, we have discussed some of the iconic books and movies that showcase man vs society conflict.
- Themes: If man vs society is new for you, don’t worry! Because we have discussed some common themes that writers can use in their novels.
- Elements: We have explored the key elements of conflict, including individual beliefs, societal expectations, and the meaningful clashes between the protagonist and societal norms.
- Writing Tips: Aspiring writers can effectively depict man vs. society conflicts by using our themes and writing tips.
What Do You Understand by Man Vs. Society Conflict?
Let’s begin with the basics! What does man vs society mean?
As the name itself suggests, it is a conflict where a man (mainly the protagonist) wages a war or fight against a group of people or community. Writers use this conflict to challenge readers’ thoughts about society and the world. Some writers cleverly use this narrative to drop hints and make readers ponder about where our society is headed. In such stories, the antagonist is not a ruthless murderer or a beast or a wizard – instead, the society, as a whole, becomes a villain.
What Does the Word Society Exactly Mean?
When reading stories revolving around this conflict, initially, people get the idea that the writer has pitted the hero against “all individuals of society.” To be fair, many people find this quite dramatic. But this is not the case in real.
It’s important to recognize what the word “society” actually means. This word is basically used as a concept that extends beyond individual actions and instead focuses on the struggle against institutions, communities, or cultures. In other words, it’s about the oppressive rules and norms that society imposes, which create obstacles for the protagonist and stop them from getting what they want.
Through this narrative, writers highlight real systemic challenges and moral dilemmas and show how the hero battles them to emerge victorious.
Quick Question: Have You Ever Wondered Why Writers Choose Fiction for Man vs Society
The “Man vs. Society” conflict is a theme that you will find in both classic literature and modern fiction. Many people wonder why, while this conflict often reflects real-world social constructs and issues, many writers choose to explore it through fictional worlds.
The answer is simple.
Fiction allows authors to write and build imaginative societies that highlight these conflicts in a unique way. Thus, they create powerful and resonating allegories for real-life struggles that make readers question the complex reality of their own societies.
Main Themes in Man vs Society Conflict
The main themes of character vs. society stories revolve around external conflicts, which include various:
- Oppression Of Women
- Racism
- Class Differences or Class Mobility
- Othering For Deviance
- Abuse Of Power
- Finding Acceptance
- Social Change and Evolution
- Power Of Knowledge or Education
- Environmentalism
- Traditionalism Vs. Modernism
Examples Of Man Vs Society
From novels to movies and web series, this conflict is loved everywhere. Let’s take a look at some popular works that have brilliantly executed this theme.
Fahrenheit 451
This dystopian novel is written by Ray Bradbury, and it shows the conflict between the character and society through the journey of Guy Montag. He is a fireman who is assigned the task of burning down all the books in society. This act basically shows the suppression of knowledge, individuality, and freedom of thinking of people. The story picks up a pace when Montag begins questioning this oppressive regime and normal that forces people to live in conformity.
This novel is considered to be an allegory for the dangers of censorship and the suppression of intellectual freedom. It makes readers question how far our society goes to control information and restrict what we see. It’s an excellent book that tells us that by promoting superficial entertainment instead, how society restricts information and critical thinking.
A Handmaid’s Tale
This is a brilliant fictional novel written by Margaret Atwood that talks about a country, the Republic of Gilead, that is facing a problem of declining births. In this world, women are no longer allowed to read, and those who can bear children are appointed as “handmaids” in upper-class families. Here, they are considered reproductive slaves. One such handmaid is Offred, our protagonist.
This story, man vs society, conflicts when Offred begins her resistance against these oppressive structures of Gilead. Even though the punishment of getting caught would mean death, it’s shown that in the desperation to resist and to maintain her identity, her acts of defiance and non-conformity become essential for her survival.
Footloose
Many people remember the movie Footloose because of the dashing Kevin Bacon and the hit songs like “Let’s Hear It for the Boys” or the title track “Footloose.” Others remember it because it showed the age-old conflict between traditional and modern in a musical and attractive way. The story of Footloose revolves around a guy named Ren who is city-raised but is moved to a new small town. Music and dancing are banned in this town as people who live here believe that they are sins.
He started a movement to remove this ban. He begins by introducing music to his friends and Making them understand that they have been living under conservative authorities. By arranging high-school dance and rallying his peers, making them stand for their rights – he ultimately makes people of this town accept that music is a way of self-expression.
The Scarlet Letter
This book is considered a literary classic that is written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The story revolves around a woman, Hester, who commits adultery and comes to be with a child. She is forced to wear a red A, which lets everyone know that she has committed a sin and broken the law. And became an outcast. She finds it hard to live a life society expects her to. This book explores the ideas of social control, sex as sin, and guilt that get attached to women.
It also shows how society uses shame and stigmatization to make people feel guilty. One such case in real life that resembles this theme is the case of Monica Lewinsky and President Bill Clinton’s affair. Not only was this case considered the biggest political scandal, but it also highlighted how women like Monica often face humiliation and stigma, even though both she and Clinton were involved in the affair. However, due to the dynamics of power, Clinton’s actions were judged by a different set of standards.
The Matrix
The Matrix is a movie that was ahead of its time. Whenever someone discusses The Matrix, the conversation doesn’t end without mentioning the iconic Bullet Dodging Scene. Apart from this, it was the very first movie that made people question “what if.” It made us think twice about the elements we can “real.” This movie is a classic example of man vs society.
Just like we mentioned in the beginning, society can be anything; in this case, it’s a huge computer. This computer trapped humanity and used humans as batteries to power their fake world, The Matrix. This is a false reality where people believe they are living normal lives. This control prevents them from questioning their existence or even knowing the true nature of their reality.
When the main character, Neo, discovers the truth, he decides to join a group of rebels to overthrow this harsh system. This movie shows how society forces people to give up their freedom and forces ignorance on them.
Elements of Writing Man Vs. Society Conflict
Now that you have understood the entire concept of this conflict let’s take a look at how, as an author, you can incorporate this literary conflict into your writing. But before that, you need to understand and learn about three major elements of this conflict. It is always important to remember that conflict is used to drive stories forward and make them engaging and relatable.
For writing man vs. society, where you are purely focusing on society as an institution or the system, you must include:
Individual Beliefs
You must start your character vs society conflict by explaining what the protagonist’s individual beliefs are. These beliefs should be unique and must go against the well-established norms of the society. Choose such beliefs that cause the hero to question, challenge, and think about their society.
Remember, the key is to create a powerful conflict that not only makes a story engaging but also makes readers question their systems and society. Mastering this will help you create a story that will resonate well with readers.
Societal Expectations
These expectations exist in real life. For example. How people struggling with mental issues are pressured to appear normal or hide their depression, or women are mocked if they do not conform to the beauty types and ideals set by society. Every individual, once in their life, must have faced this clash.
As a writer, you need to use this element to build tension and heighten the stakes in the story. Once the readers can feel “why are we bound by the norms of society,” that’s when you’ll get readers to invest in the story emotionally and question social constructs. Make sure to use these expectations to add depth and a message to your story.
Clash
When writing a man vs. society conflict, you cannot waste the element of clash. By ‘waste,’ we mean using it ineffectively in dialogues or creating a strong buildup only for the clash to be resolved too quickly. The clash must show the difference between personal beliefs and prevailing beliefs of society that create moral dilemmas and make the protagonist make tough decisions that test their morals. Also, you can use Clash to show the character’s growth. The transformation hero went through and what new perspective of themselves and society they have gained.
Keep these elements in mind, and let’s move on to discussing how you can write and develop your characters in man vs society conflicts.
Tips for Writing Man vs Society
Establish the Norms
When writing a book that features man vs. society conflicts, the approach differs depending on whether it’s set in our real world or in a completely new fictional world. If your story is based on real-world scenarios, you may not need to establish rules as thoroughly.
However, when creating a new world with fictional elements, such as unique social orders, it is crucial to clearly define the norms and rules of that society. This will help readers understand the challenges the protagonist faces and what they are up against.
A good example of this is “The Mortal Instruments,” which has a world that runs on its own laws, social hierarchies, and conflicts. The Shadowhunter world in these books operates under the system of Codex, Clave’s authority, and the Accords. One major man vs society conflict in the story is the discrimination against Downworlders. Without clearly understanding the rules and customs of this world, it would be hard to see why Downworlders are treated so poorly or why there are many prejudices about them (such as they are considered impure). These established norms and customs helped us grasp the social interactions, and when Clary stood up for better treatment of Downworlders, her actions carried more meaning and context.
Give Your Hero a Reason to Rebel
When writing about the man vs. society conflict, you must give your hero a reason to rebel. The movement that the hero starts should challenge the system in a meaningful way. There should be personal stakes involved. A writer must show their rebellion and new beliefs (which they are fighting for) through their backstories, experiences, and circumstances.
To clarify, you must explain why the protagonist is willing to put their life on the line in this way.
Layer Another Type of Conflict
When writing about the man vs. society conflict, do not just stick to it. Remember, it is an external conflict, so to add more depth to the story, you can pair it with man vs self conflict. In simpler words, when your character is fighting and rebelling against society, they must be going through some internal turmoil as well.
Challenging societal norms is not an easy path, as it involves significant personal sacrifice and deep negotiations. Being a non-conformist means that you have to deal with complex emotions and make difficult choices. It’s important to recognize that going against the established system is not a straightforward decision.
Moral Ambiguity
Society is not a definitive black or white. It has many grey areas. Like Yin-Yang, that signifies “within every aspect of life, there exists a balance between opposing forces, meaning that where there is “good,” there is also “bad” present.”
Use this concept in your book. When showing flaws of societal norms, do show their good side. Similarly, when writing about the protagonists – don’t show them larger-than-life figures who followed all values, are virtuous, and are unequivocally good. People these days fail to connect with such heroes. Readers need protagonists who have flaws so they can relate to them.
Real-World Parallels
When writing about the man vs. society conflict, try to research and come up with issues that people are currently facing in the real world. This way, you can write a story that draws similarity to current issues. This is a great way to make people think and question the society they are living in. Such stories will be more resonant with audiences.
Use Settings to Characterize Society
The setting—essentially the environment—serves as more than just a backdrop in storytelling. As a writer, it’s important to leverage the setting to illustrate the norms society imposes and their consequences. For example, in the DC Universe, when Darkseid gains power, we witness evil prevailing, resulting in destruction and despair brought on by his tyrannical rule. Cities become ruins, and buildings are engulfed in fire and smoke. This portrays a world in chaos.
This is when heroes like Superman must confront not just Darkseid’s physical power but also the devastating impact on society.
Endnote
Man vs. society is a strong conflict that goes beyond just stories; it’s something we see in the real world today. People often struggle against social rules, expectations, and unfair treatment. This conflict shows the real-life battles people face when they stand up against oppressive systems and question authority.
By including “man vs. society” conflicts in your writing, you can create impactful stories that connect with readers emotionally and intellectually. Use our tips and elements to help your story stand out and resonate with your audience.
FAQs
Can “Man vs. Society” be written in different genres?
Yes, themes of man vs. society can appear in different types of stories. For example, in dystopian fiction, they might criticize harsh governments, while in contemporary romance, they can look at society’s views on relationships.
Can a man vs. society conflict include multiple societal challenges?
Ofc, as a writer you have the liberty and freedom to explore and include multiple societal issues. For instance, a protagonist fighting for social justice might also encounter challenges related to personal relationships or systemic barriers.
Are all societal conflicts resolved by the end of the story?
Not necessarily. You can leave societal conflicts at the end of the story. It will mirror real life because most of the conflicts in our society are also unresolved. This will maintain a sense of realism.
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About Author
Hi My name is Micheal Adams, When I am not watching horror movies and helping my kids with homework or reading my favorite fantasy/supernatural novels – I’m writing to guide aspiring authors. I focus on exploring and simplifying both the technical aspects and the often-overlooked details of book writing and publishing so I can empower new writers to climb the Amazon bestseller list and connect with more readers.
