The following version of this story was used to create this study guide: Welty, Eudora. “The Petrified Man.” Eudora Welty: Stories, Essays, & Memoir. New York: The Library of America, 1992. Pages 22 – 36.

The story is set in a small town in Mississippi in 1941. Mrs. Fletcher is a regular customer of a local hair salon, where a hairdresser named Leota tends to her. Leota is friends with a woman named Mrs. Pike, who has recently moved to town from New Orleans. Mrs. Pike and her husband rent a room in Leota’s home. Mrs. Pike is a very observant woman, and she deduces that Mrs. Fletcher is pregnant. When Leota tells this information to Mrs. Fletcher at the hair salon, Mrs. Fletcher grows anxious and angry. Mrs. Fletcher has not even told her husband about the pregnancy. Mrs. Fletcher has serious doubts about being a parent, and she has been contemplating aborting the pregnancy.

To change the subject, Leota discusses a traveling ‘freak show’ that recently arrived in town, and which Leota and Mrs. Pike recently visited. One of the exhibits was a ‘petrified man’ who was almost completely paralyzed. Another performer in the show was a fortune-teller named Lady Evangeline. Leota asked Lady Evangeline about a man whom she (Leota) dated years ago. Lady Evangeline said that it was good that Leota did not marry the man, as he cared only about money. Leota talks to Mrs. Fletcher about her (Letoa’s) husband Fred. Fred is unemployed and cares very little about money. Recently, Leota has unsuccessfully tried to persuade Fred to go to the city of Vicksburg to look for work.

The following week, Mrs. Fletcher returns to the hair salon for her next appointment. Mrs. Fletcher is still anxious and uncertain regarding the matter of her pregnancy. Leota is also perturbed, but for other reasons. Leota explains to Mrs. Fletcher that, a few days ago, Mrs. Pike was reading a magazine about true crimes. The magazine contained an article about an at-large serial rapist. Mrs. Pike recognized the criminal as Mr. Petrie, a former neighbor of hers in New Orleans. She then realized that the petrified man was Mr. Petrie in disguise. Mrs. Pike reported him to the police in order to acquire a $500 reward. With this money, the Pikes plan on leaving town. Leota is furious with herself that she did not match the magazine photo to the petrified man and collect the money herself.