Conflict and Resilience in Literature, Poetry, and Art

Introduction: Human Responses to Conflict

Conflict and adversity are inevitable parts of all of our lives, yet many people react to the conflicts they face in very different ways. For a lucky few, conflict can serve as a point of resistance where the individual rises above adversity and embraces a strong sense of inner pride and strength, as seen in Maya Angelou's poem "Still I Rise". However, there are other cases where the conflict is simply too great and can break the individual entirely — causing them to act irrationally, as in Mordecai Richler's The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, or casting them into a deep state of depression, as seen in Alex Colville's wartime painting Infantry, Near Nijmegen Holland.

In some instances, resistance to conflict can lead to increased inner strength, and this is most clearly illustrated in Maya Angelou's poem "Still I Rise." The narrator is obviously reacting to some form of conflict that was meant to disenfranchise or chastise her. Knowing something of Angelou's own background, it is likely that this conflict stems from her being both African American and a woman during a time when both were subjugated by the white male majority. Angelou's narrative undoubtedly carries some of her own sentiments — the experience of constantly being disenfranchised because of her race and gender.

Rising Above Adversity: Maya Angelou's 'Still I Rise'

Her narrator, however, remains strong and prideful despite the conflict she faces. She is positioned as an adversary to some unknown opponent who wishes to strike her down at every available opportunity. Angelou writes: "You may write me down in history / With your bitter, twisted lies, / You may trod me in the very dirt." Yet the narrator is neither scared nor discouraged by this conflict. Rather, she responds with a striking emotional show of pride and character. Instead of being beaten down, she seems to feed on it. She does not succumb to the conflict at hand but rises above it. She writes: "cause I walk like I've got oil wells / Pumping in my living room / Just like moons and like suns, / With the certainty of tides, / Just like hopes springing high, / Still I rise." The narrator clearly views any conflict as a mere obstacle to be conquered.

Additionally, she challenges the very source of the conflict with the force of her own existence. She questions the authority that attempts to hold her down even as she surpasses it. In this way, Angelou beautifully illustrates how many individuals choose to rise above the conflicts that could potentially keep them from flourishing.

Still, the majority of people tend to react poorly when faced with conflict and adversity. It is difficult to remain as strong as the narrator in Angelou's poem, as the next two works clearly demonstrate. Mordecai Richler's novel The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz features a main protagonist plagued by his own sense of guilt and insignificance. He faces conflict almost daily — burdened by the constant reminder of a lost love and mounting debts that threaten his financial and mental stability. In the face of this conflict, he does not rise above to conquer as Angelou's narrator did. Rather, he crumbles. He turns to irrational actions, crying in random bursts, and allows the guilt of a fateful phone call to an old teacher to push him further and further into an erratic state of depression.

Although less intense in its portrayal, Alex Colville's painting Infantry, Near Nijmegen Holland conveys the same type of despair and depression that can afflict individuals and groups when faced with extreme conflict. The painting reflects on the horrors of war and how they can erode the morale of an entire nation. The soldiers march bleakly with their heads down, appearing nearly helpless against an impending doom that seems to await them. To many, the horrors of war are simply too great to rise above.

Broken by Conflict: Richler and Colville

There is no way to avoid conflict altogether — it constantly lurks at every turn. Yet there are many who are able to rise above it and find within themselves the inner strength to prevent conflict from destroying who they are and what they stand for. That is the underlying theme in Amy Tan's "Two Kinds" and Dylan Thomas' "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night." However, not all can survive conflict, and as William Faulkner's "Barn Burning" shows, conflict can destroy the self.

Amy Tan's short story "Two Kinds" illustrates this resilience in great detail. Her story presents two conflicts: one experienced by the narrator's mother, and one experienced by the narrator herself. In both cases, the women are strong enough to rise above their conflict and find an inner strength that carries them through future hardships. The mother had to face losing everything, including her entire family. Rather than succumb to her tremendous losses, she immigrated to the United States and maintained a positive attitude about the success of her only remaining child. The daughter, in turn, faced a different conflict — having to resist the strong pressure of her mother's expectations. Her mother wanted her to fit a perfect mold, and instead of letting that demand destroy her, the daughter found an inner strength that allowed her to remain herself, even despite her mother's constant interference. The story ends with the beginning of a new conflict — the daughter being forced into piano lessons — yet the ending is not pessimistic, because the daughter has found herself and the strength to continue forward.

Dylan Thomas' famous poem "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" similarly demonstrates the extraordinary strength and resilience one can summon even in the face of the most dangerous conflicts. Thomas expresses his conviction that life should be lived to the fullest and that, despite conflict, one should not be afraid to take risks. He understands how excessive caution and fear of conflict can render the individual insignificant and powerless. His solution is not to lie down and accept defeat but to stand up and fight. This may lead to even greater danger, but to Thomas, the pride and strength gained in the struggle are worth whatever consequences may follow.

Conclusion: The Stakes of Adversity

Tan, Amy. "Two Kinds."

Thomas, Dylan. "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night."