Which literary term best describes a narrative featuring a significant struggle or dilemma?

The term that best describes a narrative featuring a significant struggle or dilemma is conflict. In literature, conflict is an essential element that drives the plot by presenting challenges or obstacles that the characters must face. This struggle can be internal, such as a character grappling with personal issues or moral dilemmas, or external, involving struggles against outside forces like other characters, society, or nature.

Conflict is crucial in storytelling because it creates tension and interest, compelling readers to engage with the characters and their journeys. It is through this struggle that themes can be explored, character development occurs, and resolutions are found, ultimately leading to a more dynamic and engaging narrative. Other literary terms such as plot twist, theme, and exposition play different roles in a story, but they do not specifically characterize the essence of struggle that conflict embodies.