The key conflict for Cora’s character in the novel is that she constantly wants to reconcile the man Ernt is now with the man he used to be. However, that man is gone, and everyone realizes it except for Cora. Additionally, pre-war Ernt shares a negative characteristic with the current Ernt; that is, he put his own desires before those of his family and went off to war. Of course, this could also be construed as a selfless act, but nonetheless, Cora had no say in his decision.