What do you call the events that create tension or conflict in a story?

The events that create tension or conflict in a story are referred to as the conflict or problem. This element is crucial because it drives the narrative forward and engages the reader's interest. Conflict usually presents challenges or obstacles that characters must face, which helps to develop their personalities and motivations. In a well-structured story, the conflict often leads to a climax, where the tension reaches its peak, followed by a resolution that resolves the issues raised during the story.

Understanding conflict is essential, as it helps readers to empathize with characters and recognize the themes that the author is exploring. The other choices, such as climax, resolution, and setting, refer to different elements of the story structure. Climax refers to the turning point of the story, resolution deals with how conflicts are resolved, and setting involves the time and place in which the story occurs. None of these elements directly describes the events that create tension or conflict.