Phoenix Jackson's A Worn Path

In “A Worn Path” colors are used to emphasize the depth and breadth of the story, and to reinforce the parallel images of the mythical phoenix and the protagonist Phoenix Jackson. Eudora Welty’s story is rich with references to colors that are both illustrative and perceptive, drawing us in to investigate an additional historical facet of the story.

At the beginning of the story, Phoenix has already answered the call to adventure. She carries with her a small thin cane, which has been made from an umbrella. She uses this to tap the ground as she walked. She probably carries the sick because of her poor eyesight due to age. Phoenix is determined to have a sooth journey for in her tripped dress, she stacks her pockets with foodstuffs. She is aware of the difficult journey that lies ahead of her, and cannot afford to be hungry on her way to town.

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.

The mythological story "A Worn Path” is of tales and figures, the most considerable, being the legend of the phoenix. There are numerous symbols and allusions brought about in the story relating to the legend of the phoenix. The phoenix is a bird that comes from Egyptian mythology. The best analogy of the phoenix is a magnificent bird. The phoenix has astonishing powers. It has the knack to materialize and vanish in the blink of an eye. The myth states the phoenix travels to the sun. The sun gives the phoenix it powers. The heat incinerates the bird. The bird is reborn from the ashes. From her name along with appearance to her action and the symbolism throughout the story, Phoenix Jackson is the manifestation of the phoenix (bird).

“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.

His grandmother is the only relative he has left, and she makes the trip to town to receive medicine that soothes the pain. There has been no change in his condition, Phoenix tells the nurse, he sits with his "mouth open like a little bird." She also says that though he suffers, he has "a sweet look." Though Phoenix says he is not dead, some critics have theorized that he is. The Hunter The hunter encounters Phoenix after she has fallen into a ditch, the unfortunate result of an encounter with one of his dogs. He helps her up, demonstrating his willingness to assist a person in need. But his subsequent conversation with her reveals his disrespect for her and biased attitudes towards African Americans in general. When he learns that she intends to walk to town, he assumes Phoenix is not able to make the long journey and he tells her to go home; he has no qualms about issuing the order. But when she persists, he relents, assuming that the only reason "old colored people" would embark on such a long trail would be to see Santa Claus. In a second instance of disrespect, he tells Phoenix that he would give her a dime if he had one, unaware that Phoenix has already picked up the nickel that fell out of his pocket. In a third example, he points a gun at her face and asks if it scares her. He is amused by the fact that it does not, further emphasizing his insensitivity. Throughout the conversation, he refers to her as "Granny," as the other

In life, individuals experience hard impediments to accomplish their fundamental objectives. Regardless of what life tosses at them, with a specific end goal to survive they should have a troublesome way. In "A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty was conceived in Jackson, Mississippi. She began her profession as a columnist and sold many hit books. Her fundamental character in "A Worn Path" was Phoenix Jackson who experienced a great deal of hardships to enable her slight grandson to mend, who is experiencing lye harm. Phoenix was en route to the town of Natchez, Mississippi to the medical attendant's office. She was tested by creatures, individuals, and even a phantom. Phoenix Jackson was a decided, conquering, and kind-hearted old woman who is on an intense journey to get drugs for her grandson.

“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 is a story full of strong mythological figures, but the one we see the most is the phoenix. The phoenix is a very large bird with coloring of scarlet and gold, we are told that Phoenix Jackson has gold coloring. From her appearance and also name we can actually tell that Phoenix is the physical embodiment of the mythological creature the phoenix. We have found that the most amazing power that the phoenix has is determination.

This is a simple story about a difficult journey; the story is set in the rural South during the time period at the end of the Civil War, which was an early road that ran from Natchez, Mississippi known as the Old Natchez Trace. The main character, Phoenix Jackson, is an elderly black woman who lives in the country back off the Old Natchez Trace. She is walking to town along the path that she always takes. She travels to Natchez Trace twice a year, and on this particular cold December day, along the way, she encounters various obstacles: thorny bushes, a creek, a barbed-wire fence, a swamp, but these do not stop her from completing her mission. She encounters a dog and waves her cane to drive away a dog, loses her balance, and

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 Worn Path", a short story by Eudora Welty, the main character, an old colored woman named Phoenix, slowly but surely makes her way down a "worn path" through the woods. Throughout her journey, she runs into many obstacles such as a thorny bush and a hunter. She overcomes these obstacles and continues with her travels. She finally reaches her destination, the doctor’s office, where she gets medicine for her sick grandson back home. Many critics have speculated that this short story represents the love a grandmother shows for her grandson. Others say this story represents life and death, where Phoenix represents an immortal figure. Dennis J. Sykes disagrees with the other critics by saying,

Phoenix Jackson, the main character in “A Worn Path”, is an elderly lady who withstands a harsh atmosphere on a journey to acquire medicine for her sick grandson. She is wearing a “dark stripped

In “A Worn Path” Phoenix, Jackson is starting a journey; although the destination is unclear to the readers, it is clear to understand that wherever she is going is quite important. As she is walking along the path she comes to a hill, “Seem like there is chains about my feet, time I get this far,” she said, in the voice of argument old people keep to use with themselves…After she got to the top she turned and gave a full, severe look behind her where she had come up” (Welty 1). This is one of the first examples that shows us the persistence of Phoenix, even though her way is testing. The story continues with more mishaps, difficulties to surmount, and pushing through it all to