A Worn Path Analysis

I think the trip to the city to get the medicine represents the mythological trip that the Phoenix takes to the sun to die. I say this because by going on this journey Phoenix is using the last of her energy and will probably die soon after it. On her way to the city Phoenix faces many obstacles. One obstacle she faces is old age “Seems like there is chains about my feet “ she says this because her old age has left her almost immobile. The first actual obstacle she comes across is the scarecrow who represents death or the grim reaper because he is described as wearing all black and is trying to get her to come with him. Another thing that links the scarecrow to death is the simple fact that he is in a field. The next obstacle is the white hunter who tells her to go back and represents evil forces ” Well, granny you must be a hundred years old and scared of nuthin I’d give you a dime if I had any money with me. But you take my advice and stay home, and nothing will happen to you”. He is lying about having no money so she steals a nickel from him, a trivial amount of money for him that won’t be missed so we the readers find ourselves justifying the theft.

No one would leave a child unattended in this condition. If Phoenix actually left the child at home alone, this is definitely criteria that could be utilized to challenge her mental acumen.

for her grand child with lye poisoning. Along the way she encounters several obstacles. Welty throughout the story the author makes several points to connect this work to other famous works of literature to strengthen her character without directly doing so. The author uses imagery to recreate famous parts of The Bible also the main character's name, Phoenix Jackson is a reference to the mystical bird the phoenix which is a symbol for rebirth. Phoenix Jackson symbolically is reborn several times throughout the story. The stories title and main plot point is the path she walks which holds many similarities to the path of life.

Phoenix Jackson, the main character, is a small, old African American woman who goes on a journey for a purpose that is unknown at the beginning of the story. Although Phoenix has made this trip many times, something is different about this trip. Throughout her journey, Phoenix faces many obstacles and hardships. The author uses symbolism and, later, gives the reader awareness of Phoenix’s character while, hopefully, teaching a lesson about life. In “A Worn Path”, Eudora Welty uses the symbols of the name “Phoenix”, life and death, and the main characters’ age throughout the story.

In Eudora Welty’s “A Worn Path,” the character Phoenix Jackson is introduced. Phoenix Jackson is an uneducated, African-American woman without any family besides her sick grandson. Phoenix is the hero of this story and fits the role well by delivering much-needed medicine to her grandson. Phoenix shows many distinct traits that reveal her to be a hero to her grandson. The heroic feats she accomplishes pave a path that leads to her satisfaction as well as protection of her most beloved asset, her grandson. Throughout the story, Phoenix’s humble, caring, and determined character is displayed through her actions.

Life is more than just a walk in the park, we are not always that lucky. Throughout one persons life there are always ups and downs, but what really make a person are the actions we take when we encounter obstacles. Life is an obstacle course in which we have to overcome in our lifetimes. In A Worn Path an older woman by the name of Phoenix Jackson takes a long road full of hardships to achieve a goal, which is to get medicine for her grandson. Not only does Phoenix of A Worn Path represent struggle but how we overcome this struggle to achieve a sense of achievement or a goal. Throughout time, people have been going through life’s obstacles and their willingness to

“A Worn Path” is a short story written by Eudora Welty. It is based on an elderly African-American grandmother named Phoenix Jackson, who goes for a walk to the town of Natchez on a cold December morning to get some medicine for her ailing grandson. This story speaks of the obstacles Phoenix endured along the way and how she overcame them. The theme, central idea or message that the author wishes to convey to his or her readers, in “A Worn Path” is one of determination. Phoenix Jackson is determined to get to Natchez, in order to get medicine for her grandson; she does not let any obstacles get in her way. The theme of determination is shown in many ways throughout this short story.

The setting of this story describes to be in “December a bright frozen early morning, far out in the country” (Welty 418). Introducing the story with a vivid description of where it’s going to take place. Welty introduces the setting in an easy manner for the readers to learn where it takes place. In the setting, throughout the story we know that Phoenix, travels through the woods tell their own stories of human intervention. Phoenix walks "along a path through the pine woods" (Welty 419). She comments later, '"Up through pines,' she said at length. “Now down through oaks” (Welty 420). Welty gives you a vivid prospective of where she is leading Phoenix in the story as she describes the paths and what she sees. Welty also elaborates on the time of day, keeping you in mind of how clear, the sun is beating on the old woman’s faces as she is walking in the same path she takes all the time to go to the city. Also the setting is in the depression era. In the source it says “Phoenix journeys through the forest to Natchez, her path takes her from a nonhuman natural world into a space impacted by

The story “A Worn Path,” by Eudora Welty tells the story of a woman named Phoenix Jackson, who lives in Natchez Mississippi. Phoenix has a grandson that she cares for that has swallowed a chemical called lye, that was in many households back when Welty wrote this story. Lye poisoning was common in rural areas. Welty is writing about this problem the hardship Phoenix Jackson went through to receive medical treatment at that time. Without the name Phoenix Jackson and the characteristics, she possesses there is no way she could overcome the obstacles that stood in her way.

“A Worn Path” tells of an elderly and frail black woman and of the hardships that she must overcome. Upon reading the story, you realize that there is more to the story than meets the eye. She faces many roadblocks along her way. Phoenix faces many dangerous obstacles along her way, for a person of her age. She faces racism from some of characters she meets along the way. Phoenix faces inferior treatment, as though she is nothing more than some insect to squash. This story is about not only her ‘journey’ to Natchez, but also about her journey through society and the struggle to overcome the dangers, being treated inferior, and the racism.

Through the character of Phoenix Jackson in “A Worn Path” Welty produces a picture of an aging African-American woman in the Jim Crow South. In “A Worn Path” we learn of the hardships Jackson faces on her weekly journey for medicine to sooth the pain of her grandson. Welty conveys this these hardships by giving the reader insight into the physical health, the mental health, and the socio-economic status of Jackson.

“A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty is one of the best short stories to illustrate the topic of symbolism. It provides wonderful examples of symbolic representations. The journey of one old black woman provides enough realism to portray the backdrop of poor black people in the rural south after the Civil War. The words of the story tell only of a woman’s lonely journey to the town of Natchez, Mississippi for medicine. However, the underlying sense of the woman’s responsibility to a sick grandson gives way to the major prejudices forced upon her. While the tone of tone of the story is simple, its message is quite powerful. The obstacles that the old woman must overcome provide a symbolic backdrop of determination and the will to live.

Although Phoenix Jackson is old, tired, dirty, and poor, nothing can stand in her way. In Eudora Welty’s “A Worn Path,” Phoenix jumps off the page as a vibrant protagonist full of surprises as she embarks on a long, arduous journey to

In a world that is so diverse, social discrimination is an issue that many have to face everyday. Discrimination can be used by an individual's: race, age, religion, and even one's class. A Worn Path, written by Eudora Welty is about a woman by the name of Phoenix who goes on a long journey to get medication for her grandson. On her journey she comes in contact with a hunter, and many other complications. In the short story, an overall theme of social discrimination is shown through the use of Racism, Ageism and Classism.

Eudora Welty’s “A Worn Path” depicts the journey of Phoenix Jackson, an old woman tenaciously travelling to town. Mrs. Jackson endures her journey. It was lengthy; however, Mrs. Jackson remains free spirited and calm. Welty proclaims to the reader that it is beneficial to focus on the journey rather than the destination. Mrs. Jackson certainly did. Thomas C. Foster provides deeper analysis in “How To Read Literature Like A Professor”. Foster speaks on how snow, the Bible, and symbols can be used, as Welty has, to produce more effective literary works.