Conflict in Bette Greene’s Novel Summer of My German Soldier Essay Example

In Bette Greene’s novel Summer of My German Soldier, conflict occurs. Conflict is when two or more forces are in opposition. The main type of conflict is person versus person. Pearl does not consider Patty good enough to be her daughter and Patty’s father, Harry, treats her very abusively. It is the poor way in which Patty’s parents treat her that creates the conflict. There is person versus person conflict between Patty and her mother, Pearl. In the story, Pearl is always insulting Patty and criticizing how she dresses and the way she looks. When her mother wonders aloud if Miz Reeves from the beauty parlour would have time to give Patty a perm, Patty sticks up for herself saying that her hair is the best thing about her.
Pearl does not agree with this and calls Miz Reeves anyway. Pearl says to Patty: “I’m very sorry you don’t think Miz Reeves is good enough for you. You ought to be ashamed of yourself. A girl your age going around looking like you do.” (Greene 75). Because Pearl insults the way her own daughter looks, Patty starts to throw a temper tantrum and tells her mother she does not even like her. Pearl does not approve of the way Patty makes herself look, and that is what brings conflict into their mother/daughter relationship. Therefore, because Pearl criticizes the way Patty looks, proves that Pearl does not consider Patty good enough to be her daughter. Not only does Patty experience ongoing conflict with her mother, but her father does not treat her very well either. While Patty is playing a game with her friend, she accidentally throws a rock at a car window and smashes it. Ruth gives Patty money to give to the owner’s so the window can be replaced. On Patty’s way into town to find the people who own the car, she sees her dad driving home. As soon as he gets out of the car he starts beating Patty with his whip, until she falls to the ground. Harry shouts at Patty: “I’ll teach you to throw rocks at
people!”