Internal Conflicts:
* The protagonist, Petra, struggles with her own identity and sense of belonging. She is a Mexican-American woman living in a predominantly Anglo community, and she feels a constant tension between her two cultures. She grapples with the expectations of her family, her own desires, and the prejudices she encounters.
* Petra's brother, Miguel, is struggling with his own sense of identity. He is a young man struggling with the pressures of his family's expectations and his own ambition. He is trying to find his place in the world and in his family.
* The characters face internal conflicts related to love, loss, and the passage of time. Petra grapples with the loss of her husband and the changing nature of her relationships with her children and grandchildren. Her granddaughter, Esperanza, struggles with her feelings for a boy who is different from her family.
External Conflicts:
* The characters face the prejudice and discrimination of a society that doesn't fully accept them. This is particularly evident in the way Petra and her family are treated by their neighbors and the community at large.
* Petra and her family experience the challenges of poverty and economic hardship. They struggle to make ends meet, and this creates tension and conflict within the family.
* The novel touches on the conflict between tradition and modernity. Petra and her family try to maintain their cultural traditions while also navigating the changes of modern life.
It's important to note that "Walking Across Egypt" doesn't necessarily focus on resolving these conflicts. Instead, it explores the complexities of these issues and the ways in which they shape the characters' lives and relationships. The novel is more about the journey and the nuances of human experience than about achieving a clear resolution.