McMurphy in On Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest is a great example of a conflict with self. Throughout the book, there remains a battle going on in his head about whether or not he should stick up for the men. Should he be selfish or should he be selfless? He knows the possible outcomes of both choices, but in the end he decides to help the men of the ward. He literally sacrifices himself for them because it is what is right.
Huck Finn extends this because through his story he is faced with an internal conflict of his own. He is stuck in a life that he does not want, and decides his best idea is to run away. One huge internal conflict for him is whether or not he wants to help Jim. He knows the possible consequences but eventually decides he'll go to hell. Jim's friendship means more to him than a bunch of rules and social standards. Gatsby qualifies this because he is struggling to find his place. As mentioned, he is an outsider. His conflict with himself is how he can become an insider. However, the only real person he has is Nick. Gatsby's internal conflict is the thesis itself, because he doesn't know what he's supposed to do, and is seeking someone, who turns out to be Nick, to guide him. |