Great and Precious Things

The novel presents several different conflicts that center on the novel’s setting, the town of Alba, and the characters who built their lives there. For years, characters like Xander, Judge Bradley, and even Willow have placed value and importance on the community, often prioritizing it above their own families. Throughout the text, these characters learn to balance societal and familial obligations, resolving their conflicts with each other and within themselves in a way that emphasizes the importance of family.

The initial tension in Cam and Willow’s relationship highlights the internal conflicts that they both face regarding their town and their families. They hesitate to begin their relationship because of Willow’s past relationship with Sullivan. For Cam, Sullivan’s death has convinced him that he can’t pursue his feelings for Willow because it would make him disloyal to his brother’s memory. For Willow, pursuing a relationship with Cam would mean defying the townspeople and their judgment, harming her reputation in Alba. Additionally, she would have to openly defy her father, who repeatedly expresses his hatred toward Cam. Through their relationship, the novel explores the clash between society and family. Both Cam and Willow ultimately find a way to balance the two as Cam builds a better reputation and Willow helps her father—and the town—grow to accept Cam.

Judge Bradley is another character who grapples with his roles as town judge and father. Initially, Judge Bradley dismisses Cam, insisting that he hasn’t changed from the troublemaker that he was as a youth. Additionally, years earlier, he disowned his daughter Charity after she decided to have her child, believing that her status as a single mother would damage his reputation in the town. As one of Alba’s most prominent figures, Judge Bradley learns to balance the obligations that he has to both the town and his family. His open support of Willow and then Cam conveys his acceptance while also conveying hope that the town, too, can adapt.

Through the relationships within the Daniels family, the novel explores the complex nature of familial obligations. Despite Arthur openly blaming Cam for Sullivan’s death—and Cam vowing (five years earlier) to never return to Alba—Cam comes back to Alba to help his father. Arthur repeatedly yells at Cam and threatens him, even shooting him the first time they meet; however, Cam keeps returning to Arthur’s home each day, sitting outside and waiting for Arthur to allow him to help. Additionally, Cam and Xander clash at the town meetings over the mine and Cam’s role in the Historical Society. As mayor, Xander feels a duty to the town—even if it means opposing his brother’s plan. Nevertheless, the two agree to put their societal obligations aside to care for their father. As Cam notes while they sit with him at lunch, “There was a tentative truce between [Xander and me] for moments like this, but it felt like the Cold War. We put on a good face in front of Dad and built up our arsenals behind the scenes” (204). This metaphor, which compares their relationship to the Cold War, emphasizes the complexity of their situation. While they’re enemies in front of the town, they work together to care for Arthur.

Through these different relationships, the novel reveals the difficult nature of balancing familial and societal obligations. The characters resolve their conflicts in similar ways: Judge Bradley supports Willow, Cam finds his place in the town, and Xander is punished for his actions against both his family and Alba. In this way, Great and Precious Things emphasizes the importance of family, and each character ultimately prioritizes ensuring that their interpersonal relationships are healthy and productive.