The Essence of Conflict
At its core, a story is about a character trying to achieve a goal and the obstacles that prevent them from doing so easily. Obstacles are the fundamental building blocks of conflict and plot. They are the series of challenges, both large and small, that the protagonist must confront and overcome. A story with no obstacles is not a story; it’s an anecdote. The size, nature, and difficulty of the obstacles are what define the journey, test the character’s resolve, and create narrative tension.
Obstacles serve to make the protagonist’s journey difficult and, therefore, interesting. Each obstacle should force the character to make a choice, take an action, and reveal something new about their personality, skills, or flaws. The progression of obstacles throughout a screenplay should generally escalate in difficulty. The challenges in the third act should be significantly harder to overcome than the ones in the first act, demanding that the character use all the skills and personal growth they have acquired along the way. This escalation ensures that the story’s climax feels like the ultimate test.
A Typology of Narrative Obstacles
Obstacles in film are rarely one-dimensional. They can come in many forms, often working in concert to create a complex and challenging web for the protagonist to navigate. Understanding the different types of obstacles helps in analyzing how a film’s conflict is constructed.
-
Antagonistic Forces: The most common type of obstacle is another character—the antagonist—who is actively working to thwart the protagonist. This could be a classic villain like Hans Gruber in Die Hard (1988), who directly opposes the hero John McClane, or a rival in a competition.
-
Physical Barriers: These are literal, physical hurdles that block the character’s path. This can range from a locked door or a ticking clock to a vast desert that must be crossed or a mountain that must be climbed. In 127 Hours (2010), the primary obstacle is a boulder pinning the protagonist’s arm.
-
Social and Systemic Obstacles: These are barriers created by society, culture, or institutions. The protagonist might be fighting against a corrupt legal system, ingrained prejudice, or bureaucratic red tape. In Hidden Figures (2016), the protagonists face the dual obstacles of racism and sexism within NASA.
-
Internal Flaws: Often, the greatest obstacle a character faces is themselves. A character’s own fear, pride, doubt, or past trauma can be a more formidable barrier than any external enemy. This internal obstacle must be overcome for the character to succeed in their external quest. In The King’s Speech (2010), King George VI’s main obstacle is his own debilitating stammer and the self-doubt it has created.
-
Information Gaps: Sometimes the obstacle is a lack of knowledge. The character needs to solve a mystery, find a hidden clue, or uncover a secret to proceed. This is the primary form of obstacle in mystery and thriller genres. The characters in Zodiac (2007) are constantly blocked by a lack of evidence and the killer’s elusiveness.
The Function of Obstacles in Storytelling
Beyond simply creating conflict, obstacles serve several vital narrative functions. They force the protagonist to be clever, resourceful, and active. A character who easily achieves their goal is passive and uninteresting. Obstacles reveal character by showing how a person behaves under pressure. Does she give up? Does he cheat? Do they sacrifice for others? Finally, overcoming a series of difficult obstacles makes the protagonist’s eventual success (or failure) feel earned and satisfying for the audience. The struggle is what makes the victory sweet.