What is the main conflict in The Great Santini by Pat Conroy?

There is constant conflict between Ben and his father whom Ben feels to be too militaristic in his role as a dad. Ben yearns for his father's love and there is conflict within himself as well as he goes from hating his dad to wanting to please him. One major area of conflict is over his dating the daughter of one of Bull's friends, who doesn't want to date Ben any more than he wants to date her.