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.
Morrie has been diagnosed with one of the most terrible diseases a person can suffer through. While his body steadily withers, his mind remains sharp. This creates a tension between the two: Morrie knows he only has so much time, according to his body, but his mind still has so much to share with others.
Mitch is conflicted by the life he has been leading over the past 16 years. Before, he was a young man driven by principles; however, since he graduated from college and his dreams of becoming a piano player fell through, he’s found himself focusing so much on his journalism career that he’s neglected the things in life that are more important, like family.
Morrie doesn’t buy into the idea that the sole direction of a man in society should be to make more money and buy more things. He rejects the idea totally, which sets him apart from many others who pursue advertising and a culture which tells them more is better. This also put him into a distinct mindset about death and dying, which sets him apart from others and makes him want to share his knowledge.
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Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows at least three forms of literary conflict in Tuesdays with Morrie.
Adapt your storyboard activity to meet the needs of all students by offering multiple ways to demonstrate understanding. Provide sentence starters, visual supports, or allow verbal explanations for students who need them. Differentiation ensures every learner can access and engage with literary conflict concepts.
Choose specific moments in Tuesdays with Morrie that clearly show different types of conflict. Focus on scenes that are easy for students to identify and discuss, making it simpler for them to connect the concept with the story.
Help students label each conflict as Character vs. Character, Self, Society, or Nature. Use examples from the book to clarify each category, reinforcing students’ understanding with concrete evidence.
Demonstrate how to visually represent conflicts using the storyboard tool. Show how to select characters, settings, and actions that capture the essence of each conflict, so students can confidently create their own scenes.
Ask students to write or share a brief description under each storyboard cell explaining why it fits a certain conflict type. This builds critical thinking and helps them justify their interpretations using text evidence.
Tuesdays with Morrie features several types of literary conflict, including Man vs. Nature (Morrie's struggle with his disease), Man vs. Self (Mitch's internal struggles about life choices), and Man vs. Society (Morrie rejecting societal values). These conflicts drive character development and key themes in the story.
To teach literary conflict with storyboards, have students identify scenes that represent different conflicts in Tuesdays with Morrie, illustrate them visually, and write brief explanations. This method helps students analyze cause and effect in the story and categorize conflicts clearly.
An example of Man vs. Nature in the story is Morrie's battle with ALS. While his body weakens, his mind stays alert, creating tension between his physical limitations and his desire to share wisdom.
Teaching conflict helps students understand character motivations, plot development, and themes. It encourages critical thinking and deeper literary analysis, essential skills for high school students.
Storyboard ideas include illustrating Morrie's fight against his illness, Mitch's internal struggle with his life priorities, and Morrie's stance against societal norms. Each cell should show the conflict visually and provide a short description.