Storyboarding is an excellent way to focus on types of literary conflict. Have your students choose an example of each literary conflict and depict them using the storyboard creator.
In the storyboard, an example of each conflict should be visually represented, along with an explanation of the scene, and how it fits the particular category of conflict.
Charlie and Alice quarrel with one another when she finally becomes angry with Charlie’s attitude. She tells him that he has changed and he’s lost the qualities that used to make him likable. Charlie responds in anger because he feels like everyone expects him to stay the same, so they can continue to treat him with cruelty.
Charlie feels like he is being watched by “Charlie”, a disassociated version of himself. He says that you can’t put up a new building without destroying the old one, and the older version of Charlie interrupts his thoughts and comes between the relationships and experiences he’s trying to understand.
The workers at the bakery treat Charlie differently before and after the surgery. Before the surgery, employees Jo, Frank and Gimpy tease Charlie viciously and see him as a target for their pranks and jokes. Once Charlie’s intelligence increases, however, they begin to fear him because they don’t understand the change. They stop talking to him and become openly hostile towards him.
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows at least three forms of literary conflict in Flowers for Algernon.
Encourage students to think deeply about the story's conflicts by leading a guided discussion. Class conversations help students share perspectives, clarify misunderstandings, and build analytical skills.
Draft questions that prompt thoughtful responses, such as "Why do you think Charlie struggles with his identity after the surgery?" or "How does society view Charlie before and after his transformation?" Open-ended questions stimulate critical thinking and meaningful dialogue.
Explain the importance of listening respectfully, taking turns, and supporting opinions with evidence from the text. Clear norms foster a safe and productive discussion environment.
Invite students to relate the story's conflicts to situations in their lives or the world. Personal connections deepen understanding and make literature more relevant.
Review what students learned about literary conflict and how it shapes Flowers for Algernon. Summarizing helps solidify new insights and reinforces learning objectives.
The main types of literary conflict in Flowers for Algernon include Character vs. Self (Charlie's internal struggle with identity), Character vs. Character (Charlie and Alice's disagreements), and Character vs. Society (Charlie's changing relationships with coworkers and society after his surgery).
You can teach literary conflict in Flowers for Algernon by having students identify and categorize examples from the text, then create storyboards to visually represent and explain each type of conflict, such as man vs. self, man vs. man, and man vs. society.
An example of man vs. self conflict in Flowers for Algernon is when Charlie struggles with his changing identity and feels watched by his former self, causing deep internal conflict as he tries to understand his new experiences.
Storyboarding is effective because it helps students visually organize and analyze different types of conflict, making abstract concepts concrete and improving comprehension and engagement with the text.
Easy activities include having students identify conflicts in the story, categorize them (e.g., character vs. self, character vs. society), and create illustrated storyboards with short descriptions to demonstrate understanding.