CONFLICT THESAURUS

BEING OFFERED DIRTY MONEY



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HELPFUL TIP:

Conflict is your story’s secret sauce, supplying tension, friction, and complications to a character’s journey. It comes in a million different forms, so identify the obstacles and problems that will hit your character the hardest by using the Character Builder to uncover their primary insecurities, fears , and desires. Don’t forget to include everyday conflict scenarios that will frustrate them and keep the pressure high.
CATEGORY:
Moral dilemmas and temptations, duty and responsibility, power struggles, ego-related conflict

NOTES:
"Dirty" money is money or a gift that is tainted in some way. Sometimes it's the person giving it who makes it repugnant but often it has more to do with the way it was obtained or what it represents. For characters reluctant to take and benefit from a dirty gift, the offer would create a moral dilemma. Some specific examples of these conflict scenarios can be found below.

EXAMPLES:
A person convicted of drunk driving wanting to pay for a wheelchair that the character's child needs after the accident
An absentee parent reentering the character's life and offering to pay for their upcoming wedding 
An abusive spouse or parent buying gifts for the character out of remorse
An absentee parent trying to make up for past disappointments with expensive trips
Regular income being generated for the character through a parent or partner's objectionable career (prostitution, the sale of drugs, human trafficking, etc.)
An inheritance from a mafia boss or lifelong criminal
Being given a raise or bonus for completing a horrible task
Receiving settlement money from a thriving organization that still engages in the unethical practices that hurt the character

MINOR COMPLICATIONS:
Losing sleep over whether to take the money or not
The character's life being harder if they don't take what's being offered
The character feeling guilty every time they use the money or see the gift
Having to keep the source of the gift a secret from loved ones
Lying about where the money is coming from
Feeling indebted to the person (if the money is a gift or donation)
Hocking the gift for necessary money, incurring the giver's anger
Accepting a gift that comes with inconvenient or unexpected conditions

POTENTIALLY DISASTROUS RESULTS:
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RESULTING EMOTIONS:
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POSSIBLE INTERNAL STRUGGLES:
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PEOPLE WHO COULD BE NEGATIVELY AFFECTED:
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NEGATIVE TRAITS THAT COULD MAKE THE SITUATION WORSE:
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IMPACT ON BASIC NEEDS:
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WOUNDS THIS COULD LEAD TO:
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POSITIVE TRAITS TO HELP THE CHARACTER COPE:
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POSITIVE OUTCOMES:
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