CONFLICT

There are numerous examples of conflict in this story 

EXTERNAL

• Vanessa vs Beth (her mother) - Man vs Man - Vanessa and Beth are arguing about their impending move to the Brick House. Vanessa doesn’t want to live with her Grandfather and her mother, out of duty to her father, tells Vanessa that they have to.
• Grandfather Connor vs The Movers - Man vs Man - Grandfather Connor is yelling at the movers, ensuring they watch the furniture.
• Grandfather Connor vs Vanessa - Man vs Man - Grandfather Connor gets mad at Vanessa because she isn’t helping her mother unpack.
• Grandfather Connor vs Beth - Man vs Man - Grandfather Connor and Beth are arguing about what to do with the MacLeod china.
• Aunt Edna vs Beth - Man vs Man - Aunt Edna gets mad at Beth for being a pushover and implores her to stand up for herself.
• Grandfather Connor vs Aunt Edna - Man vs Man - Grandfather Connor is irritated with Edna for her loud piano playing. Though this isn’t a direct conflict, it is a power struggle between Edna and Grandfather Connor.
• Wes vs Grandfather Connor - Man vs Man - Grandfather gets mad at Wes for coming over right before dinner and asks Aunt Edna to go to Winnipeg with him.
• Vanessa vs Grandfather Connor - Man vs Man - Vanessa and Grandfather Connor argue about whether or not the weathermen are right.
• Grandfather Connor vs Aunt Edna - Man vs Man - Grandfather Connor yells at Aunt Edna for inviting Wes to stay for dinner and for taking to long in the kitchen. They also fight about if Edna is going to go to Winnipeg with Wes.
• Grandfather Connor vs Pipes - Man vs Environment - Grandfather Connor gets mad at the pipes for starting on fire and not coming under control.
• Grandfather Connor vs Wes - Man vs Man - Grandfather Connor is mad that Wes was able to fix the pipes and he wasn’t.
• War - Man vs Environment - Times were hard because of the conflict and death that the war caused.
• Grandfather Connor vs Vanessa (and Michael) - Man vs Man - Grandfather Connor fight over whether or not Michael is a good match for Vanessa. Grandfather Connor suggests that Michael is already married.
• Vanessa vs Michael - Man vs Man - Vanessa finds out that Michael is already married.
• Vanessa vs Beth - Man vs Man - Beth and Vanessa argue about whether or not Beth should sell the MacLeod china to pay for Vanessa’s university.
• Grandfather Connor vs Death - Man vs Environment - Grandfather Connor dies from a stroke.

INTERNAL

• Beth - Man vs Self - Beth struggles with whether or not she should stand up against her father.
• Vanessa (12) - Man vs Self - Vanessa thinks about her grandfather’s journey and decides that some things, like the Buick, are best left alone.
• Vanessa (40) - Man vs Self - Vanessa contemplates her grandfather’s past and his legacy and realizes how much she’s like him. She feels angry about the mistreatment of her grandfather’s monument the Brick House. As she drives away from the house, she leaves her past with it.