How to show inner conflict without overtly stating it?

[Sai_dias_29]

Right now, I'm working on revising my first story and I came a cross a problem. One of the main character is going through an internal conflict, where feel both guilt and fear in tandem. But so far I'm struggling to show that in writing without having explain it. If anyone has any idea how to depict internal conflict really well, could you give me an advise?

 

[thomas1965]

Showing fear is not so difficult. Don't let him do what he wants to do and thinks is the right thing to do.
Let him be relieved about distractions or let him imagine more problems.
Maybe the goal suddenly doesn't look so appealing - the sour grapes syndrom.
You also need to find a believable way for him to overcome his fears.

 

[Sai_dias_29]

Showing fear is not so difficult. Don't let him do what he wants to do and thinks is the right thing to do.
Let him be relieved about distractions or let him imagine more problems.
Maybe the goal suddenly doesn't look so appealing - the sour grapes syndrom.
You also need to find a believable way for him to overcome his fears.

I did that. But it didn't show through in the way I wanted it too. It made the character look and feel unreasonable.

 

[Britva415]

Describe the feelings, not the thoughts.

State what thoughts the feelings are attached to, in a way that lets the reader connect the dots.

When I say feelings, in my opinion physical ones are the most compelling. That truly is where our emotions manifest. How does someone ever know they’re feeling a feeling other than in their body? This could be something you’ve never thought about before, or it could be something you already know. Either way, it’s a great “show don’t tell” technique.

 

[Voboy]

Guys feeling guilt?

They sweat. Their adam's apples bob. They look away. They wipe their palms excessively. They forget to take off their wedding rings. They act tentatively; they might be unsure, for example, how tightly they can grip the woman's tit. They ask "are you okay?" a lot, not to reassure the woman, but to reassure themselves.

 

[KeithD]

His thoughts flit from one issue to another quickly and without resolution.

 

[BelleCanzuto]

Guys feeling guilt?

They sweat. Their adam's apples bob. They look away. They wipe their palms excessively. They forget to take off their wedding rings. They act tentatively; they might be unsure, for example, how tightly they can grip the woman's tit. They ask "are you okay?" a lot, not to reassure the woman, but to reassure themselves.

Like VoBoy wrote, describe the physical effects of the fear and guilt. Think about how your body feels when you're nervous.
Is your stomach upset? Do you feel nausea? Or is it tight, or like there's a lump in it?
Do you make direct eye contact, or look at the floor?
Do you shake, hold yourself really still, cross your arms tight?
Think about times you've realized someone you were with was afraid. What about their demeanor clued you in? Did they start talking a lot? Or talking fast? Or loud?


Guilty feeling is harder, I think, because it's similar to afraid. But the principle is the same.
Think about what your body does when you feel guilty, and describe that.

It may not be universal, but it would be enough to get your point across without declaring that you character feels guilt and fear.

 

[Sai_dias_29]

Guys feeling guilt?

They sweat. Their adam's apples bob. They look away. They wipe their palms excessively. They forget to take off their wedding rings. They act tentatively; they might be unsure, for example, how tightly they can grip the woman's tit. They ask "are you okay?" a lot, not to reassure the woman, but to reassure themselves.

It's not a guy feeling guilty. It's a mother. That's what makes it hard for me, because I'm not sure I'm doing justice to her inner struggle. My beta reader said that they can get behind the guilt and fear, because it's understandable, but they don't find believable enough. Especially its been few months they've been feeling like this.

 

[Voboy]

It's not a guy feeling guilty. It's a mother. That's what makes it hard for me, because I'm not sure I'm doing justice to her inner struggle. My beta reader said that they can get behind the guilt and fear, because it's understandable, but they don't find believable enough. Especially its been few months they've been feeling like this.

I mean, it's much the same.

Guilty people avoid eye contact, they sweat, they mutter. Think of other things you do when you're nervous.

It's all just physiological arousal. A stress reaction. Gender doesn't really matter much.