1. Unresolved Family Secrets: The core conflict stems from the tragic death of Lydia, the eldest daughter in the Lee family. The novel delves into the family's history, uncovering hidden secrets about their past, particularly Lydia's struggles with her identity and her father's expectations. The truth about Lydia's life and death remains hidden, causing tension and unresolved grief within the family.
2. Communication Breakdown: The Lee family struggles with open communication and expressing their emotions. They often avoid difficult conversations and harbor unspoken resentments. This lack of communication creates a chasm between family members, preventing them from truly understanding each other and leading to misunderstandings and hurt.
3. Cultural Identity and Expectations: Lydia grapples with her mixed-race heritage and her father's strict expectations. She feels torn between her Chinese and American identities, leading to a sense of alienation and difficulty finding her place. This struggle adds complexity to the novel's exploration of family dynamics and the impact of societal expectations.
4. Parental Guilt and Regret: The novel explores the parents' overwhelming sense of guilt and regret over Lydia's death. They struggle with the weight of their perceived failures and the what-ifs that haunt their every thought. These feelings create internal conflict as they attempt to cope with their grief and the burden of their own past.
5. Family Dynamics and Relationships: The novel also explores the complex relationships within the Lee family. The siblings, Danny and Nath, are deeply affected by Lydia's death and the family's dysfunction. Their individual experiences and perspectives highlight the different ways that grief and trauma can manifest.
Overall, the central conflict in "Everything I Never Told You" is a complex tapestry woven from the threads of family secrets, communication breakdowns, cultural identity struggles, parental guilt, and fractured relationships. The novel uses this conflict to explore themes of loss, grief, the search for truth, and the enduring power of family ties.