Do the conflicts that Sal faces effect her positively or negatively?

In Walk Two Moons, the death of Sal’s mother sets in motion a chain of events that place her in conflict with herself even more than with others. Her internal struggles as she copes with grief over this devastating loss are combined with the wide range of adjustments she must make to leaving home and going to live in a new place. The internal conflicts bring her into contact with Ben and Phoebe, two other children who are also dealing with issues related to maternal abandonment. The fact that Sal is able to see beyond herself and connect with them is a positive effect of her internal conflict, one that places her firmly on the road to recovery.
Sal and her father deal with their grief in different ways, which brings her into conflict with him. She cannot or will not acknowledge the full impact of losing her mother, so she is unable to understand her father’s decision to sell the farm. Sal responds to the news by acting out in anger, which has a primarily negative impact. Pushing away the real issue of grief, Sal also distances herself from her only remaining parent. The release of frustration through anger also has a positive effect, as she can then move to a different stage of grief, which her father can anticipate.