Final answer:
The conflict in 'Music for My Mother' revolves around a female composer who is struggling with societal expectations regarding gender roles in music composition as she is pressured to make her work about womanhood.
Step-by-step explanation:
The conflict in 'Music for My Mother' seems to arise from the intersection of music composition, gender roles, and societal expectations. The protagonist, a female composer, experiences tension between her creative work and the restrictive frameworks placed upon her by the theme of motherhood and womanhood. This reflects a broader struggle many women face in various professions, where their work is often overshadowed or defined by their gender, instead of their professional capabilities and achievements.
An example of this internal and societal conflict is seen when the composer is asked to change the theme of her composition to relate to womanhood, even though her original theme did not concern such topics. This imposition reflects a form of external conflict, where societal expectations act as an obstacle to the expression of the artist's true intentions. Additionally, her frustration with having to define what it means to be a woman in music illustrates an internal turmoil, a personal struggle with emotional issues or moral dilemmas.