“A Worn Path”
The short story, “A Worn Path,” is about an old Negro woman named Phoenix who travels a long distance to a town to get medicine for her grandson. The trip is extremely long and tiresome for an old lady but she feels that it is her duty to get her laboring grandson the needed medicine. Throughout the story, Phoenix encounters dreams, harassments, small triumphs, jolts to her pride, some flights of fancy to console her, a cause to be ashamed, and a moment to dance and preen.
In her journey, Phoenix experiences dreams, harassments, and small triumphs. She experienced a dream when a black dog popped out of the weeds by a ditch and advanced toward her. She later on found herself in the ditch. That is when her senses drifted away. She said, “Old woman, that black dog come up out of the weeds to stall you off, and now there he sitting on his fine tail, smiling at you.” The quote shows how she was not right in the mind after the dog attacked her. Her senses drifted away causing her to experience a dream in which she talked to herself and meditated about her life. Although the young white hunter who helped her get out of the ditch was sort of disrespectful, there was another person that one might find more disrespectful. The harassments she faced throughout her journey were found in the environment. She had to go through a series of hills and bad terrain. The part she struggled the most was through the barbed-wire fence. She had to “creep and crawl, spreading her knees and stretching her fingers like a baby trying to climb the steps.” The quote shows that she was having a very difficult time in trying to pass the barbed-wire fence. For a very old lady with an extremely long distance to travel, the barbed-wire fence proved to be the most stressful. It seemed like she put all of her effort and strength in able to overcome that obstacle. Phoenix experienced a small triumph toward the end of the story. She took the nickel she received from the young white hunter and combined it with the nickel that the attendant gave her. She bought a little paper windmill for her grandson with the money. She buys the windmill to please her son and make him realize that there is “such a thing in the world.
Her trip is full of obstacles, from bushes of thorns that get caught in her dress, to her crossing of a creek. These elements complicate the conflict and increase the readers' curiosity about the plot. Phoenix can't trust her eyes, choosing instead to walk along with her eyes closed and sense her way with the help of her cane. While needed rest forces her to stop for a while, she has a vision of a little boy handing her a slice of marble cake. So many questions arise in the minds of the readers. Who was the little boy? Is she halluci...
The Reformation debate letters from John Calvin and Jacopo Sadoleto illustrate the religious controversy of the sixteenth century. Sadoleto’s letter was addressed to the magistrates and citizens of Geneva, pleading them to come back to the Catholic church, as they had fallen to the ways of the Reformers. In his letter, Sadoleto painted the Reformers as ‘crafty’ and ‘enemies of Christian peace’ (30), never directly addressing them. Calvin does, however, address Sadoleto’s insinuations directly in his response. The two letters disagree when it comes to justification, Sadoleto believing that it comes by faith and works and Calvin, more so along the lines that faith is what really matters. Calvin successfully argues against Sadoleto’s premise and presents influential points, making his argument more convincing than his opponent’s.
In I.17.1 of John Calvin’s work, Calvin argues that people do not need to worry about anything they do not understand because God takes care of everything. It is important to understand that this is not the beginning of Calvin’s Institutes of Christian Religion, because his points in chapter sixteen set the basis for his argument in this next section. Chapter sixteen on providence gives the foundation of
Although it’s a long and treacherous route to Natchez, Phoenix has a wealth of previous experience. Every time she has done this though, she has faced great discouragement. The doctor who provides her with the medicine time and time again tries to demoralize Phoenix by claiming that the grandson’s sickness is “an obstinate case”. Although faced with hearing this dispiriting comment every time she visits the doctor, Phoenix stays determined and continues to make the journey for medicine as many times as needed. This inner determination is also what allows her to face the many obstacles and hardships found on the path itself. When she encounters animals in her way that cause her trouble, she firmly says, “Out of my way, all you foxes, owls, beetles, jack rabbits, coons and wild animals!...Don’t let none of those running my direction. I got a long way.” These animals attempt to cause hardship for Phoenix, however she stands stronger than ever. The doctor and animals could have easily caused Phoenix to give up, but Phoenix’s love for her grandson as a true parent invigorates her determination letting her continue on this journey no matter setbacks are thrown at
One of the main hindrances that stand in her way is the physical aspect of her age as well as the journey. Phoenix Jackson is very weak and feeble because of her old age so that makes her long journey very strenuous. Another physical obstacle is that she has to weave and duck under a barbwire fence. Her feeble body cannot handle such tasks at her age. The third hindrance she must defeat is that she must cross over a log that lay across a creek. This requires concentration, skill, and patients. Even people whom are twice as young as Phoenix have trouble doing such things. Not many other emotional force other then love is strong enough to give power to an old woman who is living only for one reason. She realizes that if she were to die then the fate of her grandson would be damned.
It’s December when Phoenix starts on her journey to Natchez and it is a journey she has taken many times before. This journey is no journey an elderly and weaken person should have to make by themselves, yet Phoenix does. She does not allow her age or her condition to keep her from it. Deep through the pines, the path takes her, and her first task would be to make it over a hill that seems to take all her energy and strength. “Seems like there is chains around my feet, time I get this far…” (Welty 5), here the reader can tell Phoenix does not have the strength that she really needs to make it up the hill. Yet somewhere she finds the will to keep pushing on and moving forward. This same type of spirit that allows Phoenix to keep pushing forward in society, and not to back down. Showing the younger generation that you have to fight your way through to a brighter day. It is later down the path that Phoenix comes to a creek and the only way to get across, is by walking on a log. Phoenix walks across this log with her eyes close. Once across she opens her eyes and says, “I wasn’t as old as I ...
John Calvin founded Calvinism. John believed that churches are supposed to do the right thing and do what God wants. Calvinism had some certain rules such as only using bible names for their kids. People, who joined Calvinism couldn’t swear, dance, or insult anyone at the inn. John Calvin came up with the idea of predestination, which means that the fate of your soul was decided by God. With predestination, they believed that your actions would show what God planned to do with your fate. Calvinism can be summed up by “The Five Points of Calvinism” or “TULIP”. T stands for “Total Depravity” meaning that not everyone is lost. They have to reach out on their own to be saved. U
“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.
In 1536 a man by the name of John Calvin authored a book titled, “Institutes of the Christian Religion.” In this incredibly detailed theological work, Calvin outlines and defines the doctrines and systematic theology of the Protestant faith. Prior to the release of Calvin’s book, there were little to no reformation movements that were operating on a large scale in the nation of France. But as the impact of Calvin’s work began to grow, there became a growing mass of followers interested in the biblical framework Calvin highlighted. One group, the Huguenots were followers of Calvin and soon began to take steps in starting a Protestant Reformation within the nation of France.
...ation. As Phoenix continues down her path, she runs into many hindrances that must be overcome. Sykes believes“Phoenix [considers racial] conflicts are just stones in the road, obstacles in the path” (np). Eudora Welty writes this story to tell of the maltreatment of blacks and to bring this issue into the light. She uses subtle and obvious symbols to prove how blacks have been treated throughout life and how many have just considered the obstacles in their path of life just like pebbles they need to pass on the road.
Phoenix's precarious journey may seem dangerous, but her determination is what carries her through the obstacles she faces as she makes her way through the woods. Phoenix makes her way across the worn path and discovers many active opponents. She continues forward over barriers that would not even be considered a hindrance for the young. The long hill that she takes tires her, the thornbrush attempts to catch her clothes, the log that Phoenix goes across endangers her balance as she walks across it, and the barbed-wire fence threatens to puncture her skin. All of these impediments that Phoenix endures apparently do not affect her because she is determined that nothing will stop her on her journey. She keeps proceeding onward letting nothing deter her determination. ?The hunter(tm)s attempt to instill fear in Phoenix, a fear she disposed of years ago as she came to terms with her plight in society, fail (Sykes 151). She ?realizes that the importance of the trip far exceeds the possible harm that can be done to her brittle ...
Although I feel as though there are many literary elements throughout this short story such as characterization and theme, I also feel as though symbolism is very important as well. First of all, I believe that the name Phoenix in itself is symbolic for the type of person the old woman truly is. A Phoenix is a mythological creature who dies in fire and rises from ashes only to be stronger. It is as though all of these hardships only make the old woman more determined to complete her journey successfully.
Martin Luther, a figure well known for his impact on the reformation, was born in 1483 in Eisleben; as a young man, Luther was caught in a deadly thunderstorm, which is when he made his first vow to St. Anne. He vowed to enter a monastery if his life was saved. In 1505, Luther entered the order of the Augustinians and their monastery at Erfurt. Luther decided to act upon the reformation due to his theological issue with the church; the church was not selling indulgences. During his time with the reformation, Luther created Lutheranism; a practice based on his own beliefs. Luther’s reformation was a great success and many reformers were to follow his footsteps. Many years later, a reformer known as John Calvin, born in 1509 in France, intended to be a priest until he heard of Luther’s ideas while in France. Calvin agreed with some of Luther’s ideas and disagreed with others, which is why he...
On the other hand we have the explanation of strategic leadership: Strategic leadership is the process of using well considered tactics to interconnect a vision for a group or one of its parts. Strategic leadership typically manages, motivates and persuades staff to share that same vision, and can be an important tool for implementing change or creating organizational structure within a
John Calvin, a French theologian, became the figurehead of the second generation of the Protestant reformers. In 1536, Calvin published Institutes of the Christian Religion. It emphasized the authority of scripture, and the belief that God had predetermined only a select few to enter the kingdom of Heaven. He spread his ideas throughout Geneva until 1538 when he was forced into Germany by anti-Protestants. He was asked to return in 1541 where he established a religious government based on Protestant ideas that he had acquired while in Martin Luther’s home-country of Germany. In 1555, Calvin became the supreme leader of Geneva. Contrary to Luther’s passion, Calvin regarded Protestantism with a more cold and intellectual approach. Under his rule, anyone who did not share his narrow view was either exiled or executed. This allowed Geneva to become the flourishing epicenter of Protestantism, and spread Calvinist views across Europe. This rapid expansion led to numerous branches of the Protestant Movement such as the Puritans of England, the Reformed Church of the Netherlands, and the Presbyterian Scots