What is the conflict in the novel, The Vandemark Mummy?

Although the mystery of the mummy, its strange markings, and its sudden disappearance drive the plot, Voigt interjects contemporary issues through the conflicts and the concerns of her characters. What is a woman's role when she must choose between her family and her career? And what is a man's role when married to a successful woman? Ken Simard is driven by a 4207 desire to compete, while Sam Hall quietly strives to establish his own career apart from competition with his wife.

Although Mrs. Hall never appears in the plot, we learn about her through her family's comments, and we realize she is feeling left out and perhaps guilty that she is not in Maine with her husband and children. Althea is caught up in these dilemmas as she searches for her own identity through her drive to excel intellectually.