Phoenix Jackson In Eudora Welty's A Worn Path

1412 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Worn Path

Love is by far the most powerful force known to man, and has been fueling hope since the beginning of time. To those who have never been in love, the actions caused by it make little to no sense, and may seem completely irrational. However, these same actions make perfect sense to someone motivated by love. Eudora Welty, an author and photographer born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi, wrote mainly about the attitudes of people growing up in Mississippi (Brittanica). Her short story “A Worn Path” is no exception to this story type, and portrays the previously mentioned truths about love through the character Phoenix Jackson. Though she may seem crazy and often fails to remember her grandson, Phoenix Jackson is motivated to complete her long journey solely by her love for him. …show more content…

Welty describes her as “very old and small,” as well as mostly blind, creating her to seem weak and frail: the last type of person one would expect to be trekking through rough terrain (418). Soon after this, her skin is described as having “numberless branching wrinkles,” yet with a “golden color [running] underneath” it (418). This contrast sets up an analogy within the story, able to explain an important aspect of Phoenix’s character. While the “numberless branching wrinkles” are symbolic of Phoenix’s old and worn body, her golden-colored skin underneath represents her unshaken will to persevere (418). Though Phoenix may seem aged and broken to those looking in from the outside, she is young and lively at heart, determined to complete the task set before

Show More
Related

  • Eudora Welty's A Worn Path

    1353 Words  | 3 Pages

    Strength is the only reason Phoenix accomplished her journey and Phoenix's love for her only living relative is her greatest strength of all. Although the old Negro woman suffers from many handicaps, she starts her journey mentally prepared for the obstacles awaiting her. Phoenix uses her inner strengths and prevails over every barrier. She relies on her trustworthy feet to make up for her impaired vision. Her wit makes up for her frail body. Her determination makes up for her aged memory. But most of all, her love for her grandson her keeps her going. Clearly, the frail, forgetful, and loving old woman can overcome anything.

    Read More

  • Imagery In A Worn Path By Eudora Welty

    1077 Words  | 3 Pages

    The protagonist of this short story is Phoenix Jackson. She is portrayed as a lively person because of the vivid color descriptions given by the author. Her complexion is described to have yellow, golden and copper colors. This colors state she is a black woman. The author uses imagery to shows us that Phoenix is

    Read More

  • Symbolism In A Worn Path By Eudora Welty

    823 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Phoenix Jackson In Eudora Welty's A Worn Path

    700 Words  | 2 Pages

    Phoenix’s perception of her environment increases the importance of her actions, when she conquers the hill, when she moves past the hunter in the dark glade, and when she enters the Christmas town, all help broadcast of all Phoenix’s resilience, strength of character and selflessness respectively. Phoenix herself is a symbol of moving forward through adversity against all odds, which is reflected by the environments she traverses through the

    Read More

  • Welty’s A Worn Path: The Strength of Love

    1002 Words  | 3 Pages

    There are also mental obstacles that obstruct Phoenix’s journey.  She has to triumph over her weariness because of her old age and her mental fatigue.  As she is walking her mind plays tricks on her, such as the time when she is in the field and mistakes the scarecrow for a dark mysterious figure that she is frightened of.  Another time is when she talks to herself and the animals in the woods.  She tells them not to get in her way because she has a long trip ahead of her.  The love that one person gives to another is never truly appreciated until the recipient realizes what that person has actually done.  The grandson may be too ill or even too young to realize what his grandmother is doing for his safety.

    Read More

  • The Characterization of Phoenix Jackson

    751 Words  | 2 Pages

    A character is just a character until given a chance to evolve. By evolving in a story the character becomes dynamic almost visually alive. That is what Old Phoenix undergoes in the short story “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty. The audience follows Phoenix, an elderly Negro woman, on her strenuous journey from the far countryside to town. On this trip the audience watches Old Phoenix grow into a character that they begin to form a connection with allowing her to jump out at of the pages. This is accomplished through Welty’s use of physical description, action, and dialogue to bring Phoenix Jackson to life.

    Read More

  • Literary Analysis: "A Worn Path"

    1647 Words  | 4 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Phoenix's Hardships and Racism in A Worn Path

    863 Words  | 2 Pages

    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 ...

    Read More

  • A Worn Path By Eudora Welty

    996 Words  | 2 Pages

    Word Press editor. “An Analysis of Eudora Welty’s ‘A Worn Path’”. Word press. N.P., April 12,2013. Web. 17 Mar 2014.

    Read More

  • Theme of Determination in "A Worn Path"

    638 Words  | 2 Pages

    “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.

    Read More

  • A Worn Path: Struggle For Racial Equality

    1517 Words  | 4 Pages

    Welty uses her main character, Phoenix, to portray colored people who represent the fight for freedom. When Phoenix is described in the beginning, she is wearing a “red rag” and a “dark striped” dress (Welty 212). The red rag represents...

    Read More

  • Pheonix Jackson In Eudora Welty's A Wron Path

    539 Words  | 2 Pages

    In A Wron Path by Eudora Welty the main character Pheonix Jackson is a hero to her grandson. The qualities of a hero can be wisdom, caring, patience and chivalris. The qualitites of Pheonix Jackson are caring, mysterious, and tough. She has to make a trip to the doctors office to get medicine for her grandson. The only way to get there is through the path in the woods. The trip is gonna take all day and she already is old and has trouble walking long distances.

    Read More

  • The Character of Phoenix Jackson in Eudora Welty's A Worn Path

    1360 Words  | 3 Pages

    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 ...

    Read More

  • A Worn Path Analysis Essay

    1386 Words  | 3 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • A Worn Path By Eudora Welty

    594 Words  | 2 Pages

    A Worn Path is a short story by Eudora Welty, in which an old woman named Phoenix Jackson walks a very long way to get medicine for her grandson. The title itself is a foreshadow to the rough journey that she will be undertaking in the story. The story mostly sheds light on the story of Phoenix Jackson, who is the protagonist of the story, however there is no clear antagonist present. During the journey along the worn path, there is little to no character development, and due to that fact, the grandma could be described as a flat and static character due to how uncomplicated her character is. However, what makes the character so unique is the motivation, to get medicine for her grandson, that drives her to go through such lengths in cold weather using an umbrella as a cane.

    Read More

More about Phoenix Jackson In Eudora Welty's A Worn Path

Open Document