Which literary term describes a struggle between opposing forces in a narrative?

The term that describes a struggle between opposing forces in a narrative is "conflict." Conflict is fundamental to storytelling, as it creates tension and drives the plot forward by presenting challenges that characters must face and resolve. It can be categorized into various types, such as man versus man, man versus nature, man versus society, and man versus self, illustrating the diverse ways in which characters encounter opposition.

In contrast, theme refers to the underlying message or central idea of a narrative, resolution pertains to how the conflict is ultimately settled, and motif signifies a recurring element or idea that contributes to the development of the theme. Thus, while all these terms are integral to literature, conflict specifically captures the essence of opposing forces within a story.