C. E. Willis: A Short Story

Eudora Welty’s short story, “A Worn Path,” details the journey of an old woman, Phoenix Jackson, going to town to retrieve medicine for her ill grandson. Her trek is filled with many difficulties that challenge her mental and physical state. Throughout the short story, Welty relays Jackson’s experiences through the use of allusion and symbolism. In applying these literary devices, Welty successfully shows how the hardships Jackson faced increased her will to persevere despite doubt from others, deprivation, and isolation. The title, “A Worn Path,” alludes to the central theme of the short story, perseverance. Jackson’s repeated walk to town and through life enables her to learn how to use her disadvantages in her favor.

The door quickly, yet quietly opened and then shut just as quickly and quietly. A light sniffle could be heard and the quick shuffle of feet and the ruffling of a book bag could be heard. She peaked her head around the corner just in time to catch a fleeting glance of the backpack as her son slinked into his bedroom and quickly shut the door. She glances at her watch and realizes she heard the sound of the bus dropping him off twenty minutes ago. Her motherly instincts could detect something was wrong; she quietly crept to his door and her hear broke at the sound of her son’s quiet sniveling. She then softly cracked the door open and then gracefully walked in to comfort her downcast child.

It was a dry summer afternoon before the arrival of fall, and the beginning of a new school year in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. That afternoon few of my friends from Chicago named Marshall, Kevin, Connor and I had been planning to head over to Marshall’s house after school. As the bell sounded at 2:20pm we ran quickly to our lockers, and made it to the buses. All four of us met at Marshall’s house which was tucked in behind the forest preserve along a private road off Quentin road. The conditions were just right for riding around on our dirt bikes and go-karts although at the time 85 degrees was quite warm to us Chicagoans at the end September.

The sun was glistening through the tall, swaying pines. To the right of the trail, a gentle river flowed softly down towards the mouth of the lake. Walking across the rickety wooden bridge, I inhaled a deep breath of refreshingly crisp mountain air. The sun beat down on me as I made my way across the bridge and back onto the well-used hiking trail. The ambient sounds of chirping birds, babbling water, and the croaks of several frogs filled my ears as I made my way around the bend. As I entered the mouth of the forest, I could see my father standing in the middle of the path, glancing upwards, taking in the beauty that had began to engulf us. “We better get going.” he said, looking back at me. “There’s still many miles to go.” I smiled and turned, taking in one last view of the beautiful creekside. Then, with determination, we set out to finish the challenging trek we had started.

When we arrived at Barnes’ farm that night it was just around dusk. The sun had started setting and all of the teens were scrambling around to get the luggage off the two charter busses before the sun went down. Once all the luggage was loaded onto carts we headed off in the direction of our campsite. As the group was walking the sun fell below the horizon and the darkness set in. The woods were unfamiliar and treacherous, we had been walking for what felt like hours, climbing over hill, squeezing through trees, and tripping over decaying logs. We were hopelessly lost. When it felt like we would never find our tents we stumbled upon a friend out looking for us. He led us to the tent, that still needed to be set up, and a table of food. We

Eudora Welty’s “A Worn Path,” is a story about an elderly woman name Phoenix Jackson walking on a path to Natchez to get some medicine for her ill grandson that swallowed some lye that affected him severely. The story portrayed a vivid idea of her personalities and the readers realize how unique Phoenix Jackson is. Phoenix faced many trials and tribulations while on her journey but she continued to move forward. Phoenix character is like none other some may call her crazy and misunderstood, but she is a fearless character. Phoenix Jackson completes her mission because she is determined, brave, and a true Godly figure

As we started along the trail, I worried about forgotten items and my decision to only bring one extra pair of socks. However, after a while, I became aware of a pair of birds chattering above me and the soft murmur of water trickling down a stream bed. After an hour of walking, the trail starts winding back on itself in a series of switchbacks. The chatter between my family members slows down, as we soon struggled to breathe from exhaustion. Sometimes I was hunched over so far from my load that I would stare at my rubber-toed boots and forget to look up at the majestic trees surrounding me.

Running into the woods Sarah’s eyes fell on familiar sights. Trees she had climbed as a little girl, old trails her father had made, the old stream she loved to sit by and read poetry. Sweet, delicate memories flowed into her mind like warm, caressing fingers attached from loving angels, as Todd pulled her deeper into the woods. The world outside the community is exciting…but this is my home,” Sarah thought as Todd hurried slowed down to help her step over a fallen log

The night coats the air with darkness as we arrive. The only light is the warm glow of the headlights piercing through the thick blanket of the night, and the moon gazing down upon us. Click, our headlamps go on. We hop out the car, as a rush of whipping wind engulfs my face. The cold night air flows through the stitching of my clothes stealing the warmth from my body and sending chills down my spine. My friend and I search to find a campsite, like dogs searching for a buried bone. Walking, I can feel the crisp grit of sand shifting beneath my feet and hear the wind flowing like a river through the trees. Down the worn path, we hang our hammocks and start to gather firewood. Sounds of machetes striking branches fill the woods echoing

She reached down and grabbed the gun, taking the opportunity to bash him over the head with it. She dropped the gun next to him immediately before bolting out of the door.

"Please don't hurt me take whatever you want!" I pleaded while crying, I didn't hear any movement, maybe it is gone?

Jogging back up the drive, I drew near to the fence gate. With one swift movement, I unlatched the lock and opened the door. The gate creaked and my body froze. Maybe I should go to the red book, the thought trickled into my mind. See if it's still there, or better yet, dispose of it in the trash. For five seconds, I remained motionless then impulsively I rounded the fence and strode down the length of the wooden wall. The trees from the forest pressed near me, casting dark shadows, and for a second, it felt as if they were glaring down from their lofty height. A cool ominous breeze push passed me and my eyes scan wildly when suddenly I stopped. At the place where the red book was was a pile of orange leaves. Bending down, I began rustling my fingers through the foliage, but to my surprise, instead of a book...there was an old worn sweater? It wasn't possible, a red sweater? I had seen the book, or at least, I thought I had. A shiver ran through me. It was happening

Upon a first reading of Eudora Welty’s, “A Worn Path”, it appears to be a simple story about an old woman going into town to procure medicine for her sick grandson, who has swallowed lye (Welty 3). After further readings and doing research, the deep meaning and depth of the story becomes apparent. The worn path is much more than a routine route regularly traversed into town and back to home. The protagonist Phoenix Jackson has many more layers than the way she is perceived as an apparent no account drifter, charity case, whose only reason to head into town is to see Santa Clause (Welty 2). There is significant meaning behind the interactions with people, places, and objects that Phoenix crosses paths with on her journey into town.

Eudora Welty’s short story, “A Worn Path”, tells a story of an elderly woman named Phoenix Jackson who is making her way down a path in the woods one cold December day. Throughout the story Jackson runs into several animals and people, some are real and others are memories, daydreams or even tricks of the eye. These characters seem small at first, but they hold a much greater meaning in the story than you would expect. On the trip, the old woman faces difficult terrain that tests her strength and ability, never complaining or giving up, she just continues to push herself. Although the reader is unaware of where Jackson is going until the end of the story, with what she goes through to get there, you can tell she is determined to make it despite the obstacles she encounters.

Walking back into the living room, a noise outside the back window caused her to stop in her tracks and turn to look out it. Slowly advancing the window, she noticed a figure sprinting off into the distance. Her face paled, as she reached for the door-nob to the back door. Slowly, she turned it and placed one foot in front of the other, her bare feet coming in contact with the damp