The two conflicts in the provided excerpts from Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close share a similarity in that they both stem from the narrator's perception of the world around them. In both cases, the narrator navigates complex feelings and reactions to their environment, influenced by personal experiences and broader societal issues.
However, the conflicts differ in their nature:
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Internal vs. External Conflict: The first passage depicts an internal conflict, as it reflects the character's emotional state and coping mechanisms in the absence of a family member. It illustrates how the narrator perceives their mother moving on without their father and the implications of that loss.
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Internal and External Conflict: The second passage addresses both internal and external conflicts. The internal conflict arises from the narrator's anxieties and fears (e.g., fear of germs, airplanes, and specific groups of people) that reflect deeper emotional struggles, possibly connected to trauma or anxiety following traumatic events like 9/11. The external conflict can be understood through the implications these fears have in real-world interactions and situations.
In summary:
- Similarity: Both conflicts arise from the narrator's perception.
- Difference: The first passage focuses on an internal conflict related to personal loss, while the second includes both internal (anxieties) and external conflicts (reactions to broader societal fears).