More specifically, the conflict arises from the Phippsburg townspeople's increasing efforts to restrict Malaga Island residents' access to the wharf, their primary means of transportation and livelihood. This is fueled by prejudice and a desire to keep the Black community separate and marginalized. The chapter highlights this conflict through the actions of the white townspeople interfering with the islanders' fishing activities and through Lizzie's observations of this increasingly hostile environment. The conflict is not yet overtly violent but is building towards one, creating a palpable sense of unease and growing animosity between the two communities.