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.
Amanda is constantly nitpicking at Tom: he eats too fast, he smokes too much, he doesn’t care about his appearance enough. After Amanda throws out some of Tom’s books that she finds questionable, Tom finally flips out on his mother. She claims that she thinks his “going to the movies” excuses are lies; Tom knows he does plenty for the family and he feels stuck, so he calls Amanda an “ugly witch” and storms out.
Tom feels trapped with his sister and his mother. He is 21, but he is the sole income for their family, and his sister does not seem able to get out of her own mind enough to make a life for herself. He wants to become a merchant sailor, to travel and see the world, but he knows that if he leaves, he will be abandoning them like their father did.
Amanda has many ideas about where a young woman should be at a certain stage in her life. By this point, Laura should be married and starting a family; however, Laura is very shy and quiet. She enjoys her glass animal collection and playing the phonograph. She has no real interest in following a career path because she is too scared. She is not living up to her mother’s or society’s expectations for a woman her age.
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Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows at least three forms of literary conflict in The Glass Menagerie.
Engage students in creating a shared chart of conflicts from the play. Each student or group adds conflicts they notice as you read together. This visual tool helps everyone see the range of literary conflicts and sparks discussion about character motivations and choices.
Encourage students to label each example on the chart with its conflict type (e.g., Character vs. Self). Discuss as a class why each example fits its category, reinforcing key literary terms and deepening understanding.
Assign small groups to act out a short scene that demonstrates a specific conflict from The Glass Menagerie. Let students use simple props or scripts. Performing helps students internalize and remember the different conflict types.
Invite students to reflect on a time they faced a similar conflict in their own life. Ask them to share (verbally or in writing) how they resolved it or what made it challenging. This builds empathy and helps relate literature to real life.
Finish the lesson by polling students on which type of conflict they found most interesting or relatable in the play. Summarize the discussion, highlighting key insights and reinforcing the importance of recognizing literary conflict.
The Glass Menagerie features several types of literary conflict, including Character vs. Character (Amanda vs. Tom), Character vs. Self (Tom's inner struggle), and Character vs. Society (Laura's challenges with societal expectations). Each conflict reveals deeper character motivations and themes.
Use a storyboard activity by having students illustrate key scenes that represent different conflicts. Ask them to choose examples, visually depict them, and write brief explanations. This approach helps students analyze cause and effect and deepen their understanding of literary elements.
An example of character vs. society is Laura's struggle to meet her mother’s and society’s expectations for women. While Amanda wants Laura to marry and settle down, Laura’s shyness and preference for her glass collection sets her apart from societal norms.
Identifying conflict helps students understand character motivations, plot development, and underlying themes. Recognizing different types of conflict encourages critical thinking and allows students to connect literature to real-life challenges.
Quick tips: 1) Have students list conflicts as they read, 2) Use graphic organizers or storyboards, 3) Discuss how each conflict affects the story, and 4) Encourage students to connect conflicts to larger themes or personal experiences.