TeenageTells- An Essay

Here is an essay I wrote on the key driving forces of a narrative, which was chosen as one of the best in the competition, and I think you might find insightful.

There are two general methods a writer can choose to lead a narrative, with most novels, plays and short stories following both. Firstly, you have external conflict, where a reader is introduced to a setting and/or sequence of events that will occur to a character, whether it is a bank heist, or overthrowing of a leader (for example, Animal Farm, George Orwell, 1945, which is highly plot-driver), These are the physical events of a narrative, where the reader gains a grasp of the story's world, and their initial interest is sparked.

When researchers MG Prezioso and Paul Harris lead a study (originally published in July 2023), looking at what happens when children aged 9-11 were reading, Prezioso claimed "Every single kid that [she] interviewed mentioned fast-paced plots in fiction or in nonfiction," showing that, at any age and in all genres, action is essential.

The second way a narrative is led is through internal conflict, which allows for a writer not only to explore how a character develops the narrative, but also how the narrative develops a character. A reader is able to find why the plot points matter within the story and the wider world, where the narrative is made to change a reader's worldview or empathy in a certain way; it's an opportunity to connect more deeply. These are not surface-level connections, such as jobs, or one's favourite sports team, but problems and experiences every person can relate to.

My favourite example of internal conflict within a narrative is one of my recent reads, Oxford Blood (Rachael Davis-Featherstone, 2025), about a girl named Eva who wants to go to Oxford University to study English. During interview week, her best friend George is found dead. The external conflict is simple: find the killer, prove herself innocent, and get into Oxford. However, there are higher stakes presented through her need for justice, and her personal relationship with George. Meanwhile, their friendship is the reason she's looking for the killer in the first place.

Though external conflict may be necessary to hook a reader, I would argue that internal conflict is most often the reason that a plot starts, and in a lot of cases is more important than the external factors. One can easily imagine emotional hurt, but placing oneself into an unknown situation is much more difficult.

The nature of internal conflict as the "driving force" is debatable; it is an essential factor, which propels the story, but society focuses on external conflict, especially as time has progressed. This is not necessarily an issue, because without external conflict you would only have an idea. Some of the best works were character-based, like Shakespearean plays, specifically his tragedies, like when Macbeth was driven by his ambition, alongside his wife's manipulation. On the other hand, modern narratives focus on special effects and what's 'cool', meaning we mainly have external conflict, because that's what audiences now want.

I strongly believe that a good narrative combines internal and external conflict masterfully. The best formula, in my opinion, is external conflict as the main body and narrative, almost like a car, which is being driven by the internal conflict; internal conflict may not be seen, but it helps the external move forward. Without the fuel, there is no reason to move.

Thank you for reading! I hope you have a productive week of writing, or whatever you're doing, and see you next week!