During Reading As you read, ask yourself what conflicts are important in this story. Usually a story is more than just a listing of events. Instead, the reader's interest in the story is kept because of a problem or conflict that arises. For example, if you are caught in a storm, you have an external conflict. If you have an argument with your best friend, you have an external conflict.
External conflicts move the story from beginning to end.
The internal conflict is a bit more complicated. It is put into motion by the external conflict. On a piece of paper, write the headings External Conflicts and Internal Conflicts. If there is something in the story which makes you react emotionally, summarize it briefly on your paper. This could be anything from loving the way the author uses words, to having a strong feeling during one section of the story.