Examples of conflict - man vs man

Francis was Michael's older brother, and the novel is as much, if not more, about Francis than Michael. Francis grew up in the exact same situation as Michael, but he was more socially adept and was well known around the neighborhood. "His was a name a toughened kid might boast of knowing, or a name a parent might pronounce in warning" (8). Francis was tough, he once grabbed a kid’s knife by the blade and cut himself but disarmed him, but he was also tender with those he loved. When he was young he often took care of his mother when she would come home from work exhausted, but as he got older and asserted his independence their relationship grew increasingly tense.