Question

When you are narrowing your topic, what element of your short story are you identifying when you ask, “What does my character want, and what is preventing him from getting it?”

conflict

setting

character

resolution

Answer 1

When you are narrowing your topic, what element of your short story are you identifying when you ask, “What does my character want, and what is preventing him from getting it?” conflict

Answer 2

Answer: Conflict

The conflict of the story is the main problem or obstacle that your character faces. Usually, the conflict is resolved towards the end (the conclusion). A good way to figure out what your conflict is, is to ask yourself what it is that your character wants. After you have identified this, try to find the thing that is in the character's way. This is likely to be the conflict, and the story will most likely explain how the character deals with it.