Read the excerpt from "On the Mountain."

That's when it happened. A three-hundred-year-old Douglas fir extended a root like a big, gnarled foot across the path and, not seeing the hazard, Jess fell right over it and landed hard on her knee. For a moment she just stayed there, blinking back the tears that threatened to fill her eyes.

What type of conflict is described in this excerpt?

character versus self

character versus character

character versus society

character versus nature

This is an example of character versus nature conflict.

In this type of conflict, a natural phenomenon or object (like an animal, a storm, etc.) intervenes in the characters' life in a way that challenges them, that makes them deal with their own weaknesses, thoughts, or emotions. In this case, the characters often find themselves powerless in the face of nature.

Here, we are told that the character named Jess encounters a natural obstacle (a large tree root), and as the result of her fall, she is forced to confront her weakness: "blinking back the tears that threatened to fill her eyes."

This is an example of character versus nature