Storyboarding is an excellent way to focus on types of literary conflicts.
Having students create storyboards that show the cause and effect of different types of conflicts strengthens analytical thinking about literary concepts. 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.
Madame Defarge doesn’t just seek revenge on Charles and his uncle and father; she also wishes to make sure that his wife and daughter are eliminated. She takes a gun and goes to their lodging in Paris, but Miss Pross is the only one there. Miss Pross keeps Mme. Defarge from opening a door in the house, so Mme. Defarge attacks her. When she reaches into her dress and pulls out a gun, Miss Pross grabs her wrist and the gun goes off, killing Mme. Defarge.
Sydney Carton is a lonely, unhappy man who seems to be in a deep depression about his life and what could have been different. He bears a strong resemblance to Charles Darnay, and often wistfully compares himself to Charles’ successes. He believes that Lucie could make him whole, but she does not love him the way that he loves her. He swears he will do anything for her or for those dear to her, a promise which he fulfills when he sacrifices his life for Charles.
Charles Darnay was taken away from his father by his mother many years before because of the atrocities his father and uncle committed. He maintains as he gets older that his family name is a source of shame, and he renounces it and his inheritance to his uncle later on. However, he is still a member of the aristocracy in the French peasants’ eyes, and there is no place for him to return when he comes back to try to save Gabelle. While he is accepted in England, his family’s crimes cannot be forgiven in France.
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Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows at least three forms of literary conflict in A Tale of Two Cities.
Organizing a debate allows students to actively discuss and defend their interpretations of literary conflict, deepening their understanding through collaborative learning and critical thinking.
Divide your class into small groups, each representing a different type of conflict from the novel. This encourages focused research and gives every student a role in the discussion.
Direct each team to locate quotes or passages that best illustrate their assigned conflict. Using specific examples helps students support their arguments with textual proof.
Facilitate a respectful, timed debate where teams present their evidence and respond to questions. This structure keeps the activity organized and equitable for all voices.
Lead a brief discussion after the debate, encouraging students to share what they learned about literary conflict and how their perspectives changed. Reflection deepens understanding and connects debate skills to literary analysis.
A Tale of Two Cities features several types of literary conflict, including man vs. man (e.g., Madame Defarge vs. Miss Pross), man vs. self (Sydney Carton's internal struggles), and man vs. society (Charles Darnay vs. the French Revolution). These conflicts drive the plot and develop the themes of the novel.
Have students select examples of different types of conflict from the novel and visually represent them using a storyboard creator. Each cell should illustrate the conflict, identify the type (e.g., character vs. character), and include a brief explanation. This helps students analyze cause and effect and deepens understanding.
Sydney Carton represents man vs. self conflict as he battles feelings of worthlessness and regret. His internal struggle culminates in his decision to sacrifice himself for Charles Darnay, fulfilling his promise to Lucie Manette.
Identifying conflict helps students understand character motivations, plot development, and themes. In A Tale of Two Cities, conflicts reveal the complexities of revolution, personal sacrifice, and justice, deepening literary analysis skills.
Ask students to create storyboards showing scenes of conflict, categorize each as character vs. character, self, or society, and write brief descriptions. This visual approach reinforces comprehension and analytical thinking.