In the short story, “A Worn Path”, Eudora Welty uses normal everyday things and occurences to symbolize the ups and downs of life. Eudora Welty’s story is a web entwined with metaphors and similes that link all the usual southern activities of that time period to deeper meaning. With this complex story, Welty reveals Phoenix Jackson’s quest. Phoenix Jackson is an elderly African American who lives in the South after the Civil War. Phoenix has endured many things in her life, from small trials to some as big as slavery. From these trials, Phoenix Jackson has developed traits such as selflessness, determination, and a lively spirit. As the protagonist of Welty’s story, Phoenix represents the fire and the character that all should possess while traveling through life. All though Phoenix is very old and can hardly bend to tie her shoe, the strengths of her character help Phoenix overcome her weaknesses and continue on her quest. …show more content…
The story centers on Phoenix Jackson’s quest.
Her goal is to journey to town to get medicine for her grandson, who had burnt his throat years early by swallowing lye. Along the way, Phoenix encounters many obstacles. Phoenix reveals her static character as she never turns back, even though she must cross barriers and outwit all the antagonists she meets. Phoenix’s quest is a combination of reward and escape. With this journey, Phoenix gets a chance to relive the dream she has always had of becoming a doctor. Also, the quest allows Phoenix to escape from the countryside for a while and to enjoy the civilization of town. This journey also means a lot to Phoenix because she wants her grandchild to heal and feel
better. On her journey, Phoenix comes across several people including a hunter, a nurse, and the doctor’s receptionist. Each character treats Phoenix differently. The nurse treats her nicely with politeness and regard, but the others treat Phoenix with disrespect due to of the color of her skin. With each encounter, Phoenix stays constant and true to herself. She stays determined and does not let anyone foil her quest. Phoenix also shows respect to everyone, even the antagonists who treat her wrong all because of a racial stereotype. Most stories have dynamic protagonists who change for the better throughout the book. In Welty’s story, Phoenix Jackson never changes. She is the same old fiery spirit that she was when she first started on her long quest. Even though Phoenix’s character never wavers, one can gather that it is trials like the quest that makes Phoenix who she is. After collecting the medicine from the nurse, the reader can tell that Phoenix feels a sense of accomplishment and reward. Although, Mrs Jackson is a very static character, one can tell that the little experiences like this have overtime built up Phoenix’s personality, character, and traits. In conclusion, Phoenix Jackson, though old and frail, is a very determined and selfless person. The reader can learn much from her personality and character. Phoenix Jackson sets an example that all should follow. She possesses traits like integrity, respectfulness, and persistence. Also the reader can learn from Phoenix’s journey to town. Her journey to town is much like one’s journey through life. It is not always easy, and is sometimes even very dangerous, but no matter what obstacles one may face, one should always keep moving forward. The reader should follow Phoenix’s course of action and
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...
Eudora Welty's 'A Worn Path' is a story that emphasizes the natural symbolism of the surroundings. As the story begins, we are introduced to our main character, Phoenix Jackson; she is described as a small, old Negro woman. I believe that the name Eudora Welty gives our main character is very symbolic. The legend of the Phoenix is about a fabled sacred bird of ancient Egyptians. The bird is said to come out of Arabia every 500 years to Heliopolis, where it burned itself on the altar and rose again from its ashes, young and beautiful. Phoenix, the women in the story, represents the myth of the bird because she is described as being elderly and near the end of her life. Phoenix can hardly walk and uses a cane made of an old umbrella to aid her. Her skin is described as old and wrinkly, but yet with a golden color running beneath it 'Her skin had a pattern all its own of numberless branching wrinkles and as though a whole little tree stood in the middle of her forehead, but a golden color ran underneath?(55). Her skin tone represents the golden feathers of the Phoenix and her grandson represents the next Phoenix that will be given life when she dies. The trip to the city to get the medicine represents the mythological trip that the Phoenix takes to the sun to die. Most likely this journey along a worn path through the woods, will be one of her last.
“A Worn Path” is a short story written by Eudora Welty. It is a story of an elderly black woman’s journey into town for her grandson’s medicine. Using lots of imagery throughout the story, the narrator tells us that the woman, Phoenix Jackson takes this dangerous journey out of love for her grandson who is in need of medicine. Throughout her journey, she encounters many people who are of great importance to the story.
Eudora Welty presents the short story “A Worn Path” in a remarkable way, revealing a lot of symbolism. It travels around multiple themes throughout the story about an old aged woman walking through a grueling trail to a town to gather medicine for her grandson in Mississippi. This short story takes places in December on a “bright frozen day” where an old Negro woman arises by the name of Phoenix Jackson. I believe she signifies a struggle, but when looking at her a bit deeper, she mostly signifies willpower (Welty, 502). As she goes towards the town on the path, she appears to have walked numerous times before; she has to overcome many problems. What’s important is that with each move she takes it looks to be pretty sluggish, but yet a steady move in the direction of her goal. The story gives an understanding to the determination and confidence of Phoenix Jackson to point out the belief of people in identical lives of endless struggle. In “A Worn Path,” Eudora Welty reveals the idea that sometimes our lives can be a lot like an obstacles course, which are made up of difficulties that we have to overcome somehow.
“A Worn Path” told the story of an old woman named Phoenix Jackson. She had to make a long, adventurous journey to town in order to receive medicine for her grandson who had fallen ill. Phoenix Jackson was determined to reach her destination, and she did not let anything stand in her way. Throughout her voyage, she displayed characteristics of being brave, unselfish, and senile.
In the story A Worn Path, Eudora Welty shows an old woman living in a time period where racial prejudice is rampant and out of control. Phoenix Jackson is a grandmother whose only motivation for living is to nurture her grandson back to health. The strength of love may make people do or say unusual and implausible things. The central idea of this story is that love can empower someone to over come many life-threatening obstacles. The idea is shown when an old woman conquers all odds against her to show her everlasting love for her grandson. Throughout the story Phoenix Jackson has to overcome many types of obstacles that hinder her in her devotion to help her grandson.
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.
Noelle M. “Symbolism in Eudora Welty’s ‘A Worn Path’” Study mode N.P., Oct 2012. Web. 17 Mar 2014.
“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 "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, "A parallel exists between the journey described and the plight of the Southern blacks after the Civil War" (Sykes). Ultimately, Eudora Welty demonstrates how blacks have been persecuted in a white world.
'A Worn Path' is the tale of the unstoppable love and care of a grandmother for her grandchild. Phoenix Jackson is Eudora Welty's main character and protagonist in A Worn Path.? Phoenix is an old, frail woman who attempts to proceed on a long and treacherous journey through the woods to Natchez. Phoenix strives forward despite frequent obstacles in her way that include her own failing health and her grandchild's slim chance of survival. As she takes this prolonged trek across the woods, many of her characteristics are revealed. Her tenacity, senility, and consideration that she displays throughout her long worn path emphasize her character.
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.
In Eudora Welty’s, “A Worn Path” Phoenix Jackson went great lengths risking her own life for her grandson, who couldn’t help himself. On her worn path she faced the world with courage. Although she faced difficulty in her early life, her faith remained the same to help those who were dear to her heart. She walk a worn path relentlessly facing obstacles along the way with a mind that is diminishing overtime. Through the problems that she is faced with, she remains humble. She is admirable because considering her old age, weakness and loss of memory, she is determined. Welty’s details of character, symbolism, conflict and theme creates a compelling and fierce Phoenix Jackson. The moral message in this short story is to show the setting and characterizations
Phoenix Jackson’s past is mysterious, she is born a slave so her parents are unknown. It is never said that she was a slave the readers assume she is when the hunter points his gun at her and asks if it scares her and she says “No,sir,I seen plenty go off closer by,in my day, and for less than what I done,” (51). She responded this way because slaves lived very hard lives and were threatened often for anything that they would do wrong, or even for no reason at all. It is also unknown who her grandson’s mother and father are, or if
In “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty, she introduces readers to an African American woman by the name of Phoenix Jackson. Jackson is the epitome of an upstanding human being; she makes a tedious and enduring journey in the dead of winter to get medicine for her ill grandson. As Jackson travels along, the author carefully places symbolism throughout the story. The path itself represents a human beings journey through life and the trials Phoenix faces along the way represent the obstacles in life. The medicine Phoenix receives is symbolic of personal goals in life, and the windmill she buys for her grandson is symbolic of the reward people receive after they overcome obstacles in life. All three symbols carry parallelism to Christian beliefs. The