Do you fight with your fists or with your words? As writers the answer is obvious. But what about your characters, do they fight with their feelings or through logic? And why is it important to identify their reasons for fighting? 

First, think of the five basic conflicts: 
1. Man vs. Man
2. Man vs. Self
3. Man vs. Nature
4. Man vs. Society
5. Man vs. Technology. 

I bring this up because you will be wrapping your plot around one of these conflicts. Every detail counts when it comes to revealing your character to your audience without bluntly telling them. This is why it is important to identify their reason for fighting. 

As for why they fight; stories are always centered around some sort of conflict, regardless of whether that conflict is a physical fight or not. One of the most important elements of a conflict is what fuels your character into jumping into action. Without logic or emotion, a character has no real goals and they can't win their fights because they have no way to truly engage in the fight in the first place. Success is reliant on two things: a goal and a way to attain said goal. 

If you want your character to be victorious you will need to know if their heart is in the fight or if their head is. I believe two specific characters need to be studied to understand the difference between pure emotion and pure logic. 

Let's first venture into emotion. What could cause someone to blindly fight with their emotions rather than their logic? Perhaps it is due to ignorance, or perhaps it is due to unimaginable pain.

In Alexandre Dumas's The Count of Monte Cristo, the protagonist, Edmond Dantes, is on a mission for revenge. He seeks, at first, justice against the men who wronged him and robbed him of his time, his first love, and his life.

Despite popular belief, revenge isn't just a dish best served cold. Revenge is also a dish served with a side of deeply wounded emotions. 

Regardless of Edmond's meticulous and well-orchestrated planning, he is still fighting with his feelings. Edmond's actions cause more harm than he ever intended, he was blinded by the desire to punish his foes rather than serve his justice. 

Perhaps he could have avoided certain unfortunate events if he was more logical. How can you show that a character is fighting with their head and not their heart? 

Characters who fight with logic recognize what is at stake. For instance, Albus Dumbledore from J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. He might not be the center of the plot, but he is a prominent character. Everything he does has a reason and it isn't about emotion, it's about the greater good. He doesn't mind losing his own life as long as it keeps the fight going until the odds are in the favor of the right people. He goes through pain, suffering, and even goes so far as to allow Harry Potter to be put in harm's way in order to get the job done. In reference to character alignment in Dungeons and Dragons, Dumbledore would be classified as a chaotic good character, meaning he does everything for the greater good with no emotions involved, just pure logic. 

Nevertheless, can a character fight with both logic and emotion? Realistically, yes. Absolutely. Most of the time everyone fights with both logic and emotion, but there isn't always balance. Of course, it is possible to create a well-balanced character, the trouble is how to make them compelling. 

Remember that even though your character can keep their emotions in check they still have feelings and even if your characters can be overly emotional they can also find a way to clear their head. 

Know how to pick your character's fights because it will reveal parts of who they are to your readers. Connections like that are paramount.