Physical vs psychological conflict
A distinction between external, bodily conflict (violence, action, physical struggle) and internal, mental conflict (moral dilemma, psychological struggle, internal contradiction).
Real World
Soldiers returning from the Falklands or Iraq often survived the physical conflict but faced lasting PTSD — illustrating how psychological conflict can outlast and overwhelm physical resolution.
Exam Focus
When a text shifts from physical to psychological conflict, analyse the structural choice — writers use this shift deliberately to deepen dramatic tension.
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