A Visit of Charity

“A Visit of Charity” is based on a fourteen-year-old Campfire Girl named Marian, who has to perform community service to earn points towards her badges. She plans to pay a short visit to a local nursing home; not caring much about the people who leave there, she intends to leave quickly. However, she soon gets pulled into a conversation with two embittered, sarcastic old women residents. Exploring themes of aging, bitterness, the treatment of the elderly, and the true meaning of charity, “A Visit of Charity” is not one of Welty’s most well-known works, but it has attained a cult following for its dialogue and darkly comic writing. It was adapted into a 2009 short film.