Conflict is the main theme in the book, and this takes two forms within Junie Kim’s search for identity: internal and external conflicts. The first of these conflicts fits within another theme, Mental Health and Positive Attitude, while the external conflict bridges the Voice and Agency in Conflict theme with the Racism in America motif and Korean Culture and American Identity theme. The parallel structure creates comparisons that allow Junie to learn about herself while taking an active place in Korean and American culture within the context of Conflict, War, and Ideology.

The parallels that exist within Junie highlight the division and lack of acceptance she feels within Korean and American contexts because of her hybrid identity as a second-generation Korean American. This makes her conflict largely emotional, which is why it blends with aspects of the Mental Health and Positive Attitude theme. The response to this conflict is educational. Junie learns to find a position within the Korean context by historicizing her family legacy and developing a closer relationship with her Korean grandparents. Junie especially identifies with Doha, her grandfather, when he was a 12-year-old like Junie.