In short stories, the 'man vs self' conflict often shows a character's internal struggle. For example, in 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde', Dr. Jekyll battles with his own dark side represented by Mr. Hyde. This internal fight can be about moral choices, self - identity, or overcoming personal fears. It makes the character more complex and the story more engaging as readers get to peek into the character's mind and see the battle within.
One common theme is self - improvement. In man vs self stories, the character often tries to better themselves, like learning a new skill or changing a bad habit. For example, someone might be trying to learn a musical instrument but they keep getting frustrated with their slow progress and have to battle their own impatience.
In many ways, it is. The pearl presents the character's internal battle with their own desires, fears, and moral choices, which makes it a man vs self story.
Guilt is a common theme. In many man vs self stories, like 'The Tell - Tale Heart', the character is haunted by their guilty conscience. Another theme is self - discovery. Characters often have to confront parts of themselves they didn't know or accept before. For example, in 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde', Dr. Jekyll discovers the dark side of his nature.
One example is in 'The Yellow Wallpaper'. The narrator is fighting her own mental state. She is restricted by society's view of women's mental health and her own lack of agency, but mainly she is in a battle with her own deteriorating mind. Another example could be a short story where a man has to choose between following his heart's passion or taking a more secure but unfulfilling career path, and he struggles internally with this decision.
One man vs self story could be about a person trying to overcome their fear of public speaking. They constantly battle their own insecurities and self - doubt. Every time they are about to speak in public, their mind fills with negative thoughts like 'I'm going to mess up' or 'People will laugh at me'. But eventually, through self - motivation and practice, they manage to stand on the stage and deliver a great speech.
One classic'man vs self' novel is 'The Catcher in the Rye' by J.D. Salinger. The protagonist, Holden Caulfield, struggles with his own identity, his disillusionment with the adult world, and his feelings of alienation. Another is 'Crime and Punishment' by Fyodor Dostoevsky. The main character, Raskolnikov, battles with his conscience after committing a crime, which is a great internal struggle.
One great man vs self short story is 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' by Robert Louis Stevenson. It shows the internal struggle between Dr. Jekyll's good self and the evil Mr. Hyde within him. Another is 'A Rose for Emily' by William Faulkner, where Emily has an inner conflict related to her past and her relationship with the town. Also, 'The Yellow Wallpaper' by Charlotte Perkins Gilman depicts a woman's battle with her own mental state.
Guilt is another common theme. Like in 'The Scarlet Letter', Hester Prynne battles with her own sense of guilt for her sin while also trying to find a way to live with herself and in society. And in 'Macbeth', Macbeth is haunted by his guilty conscience after his heinous deeds, which is a form of man vs self struggle.
Well, the 'man vs self' in the 'Sniper' story is quite evident. The sniper is alone on the rooftop, and while he is focused on the external battle against the enemy sniper, his internal conflict brews. He has to fight his own fear, his moral doubts. When he finally shoots the other sniper and goes to see who it is, he is faced with the reality that he may have killed someone close, which is a huge internal battle of guilt and self - reflection.