Literature

Literature and Conflict

ENG 125

Elizabeth Hoyle

November 2, 2009

Literature and Conflict

There is an old saying, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Literature is the very essence of these words. Literature is extremely subjective and can be intensely personal. Different people can read the same work and have very different emotions stirred in them. Each individual’s experiences, perceptions, and background will contribute to how the literary work is interpreted. As such, there is generally no “correct” way to interpret a literary work outside of a biography or factual account. Just as a reader brings his or her own influence when reading a poem, play, or story, so does the author. Whether accidental or intentional, an underlying theme can usually be found in a literary work. Many nonfiction works have a conflict, which is a “struggle between opposing forces” (DiYanni, p.49). DiYanni states that conflict is seen in fictional plots, but it can also be seen in other works. Although not always explicitly stated, the conflict of a literary work can become apparent upon reading, or knowing some of the author’s background. The conflict does not always have to be between characters in the story; the conflict can be internal to the author, and only emerge through the work. This paper will examine internal conflict in two poems and a short story.

Sherman Alexie’s “Indian Education” is a short story where the author’s internal conflict is shown through the work. Alexie was raised on a reservation in Washington and is a Spokane-Coeur d’Alene Indian (DiYanni, p.320). “Indian Education” highlights the narrator’s experiences in school from first grade through graduation. Each segment of the story focuses on a different grade, and while there are actual conflicts in each segment, the overall conflict is an internal one to the narrator as the narrator learns about life based on being an Indian and how he is treated. Some of the conflicts are literal and obvious,...