Question

What motivated the washwoman to get well in the story " The Washwoman " by Isaac Bashevis Singer?

Answer 1

Her obstinacy. Because even though she was ill and her age was old, she still kept on going. 

Answer 2

What motivated the woman to get better was her obstinacy and determination. When she visits the house of the narrator after her illness, she still looks quite sick. However, she claims that she could not die because she still had to return the loads of laundry she had prepared. She claimed that the washing would not let her die, and that this was what pushed her to get better. In fact, we see that she likely passed away after delivering that last load.