Through the story of "The Worn Path" one will see different influences inspire Welty to create this story. According to James Walter he quotes from Eudora Welty saying "One day I saw a solitary old woman like Phoenix. She was walking; I saw her, at middle distance, in a winter country landscape, and watched her slowly make her way across my line of vision. The site of her made me write the story...." This quote shows that after observing that woman, Eudora Welty was inspired to write the "The Worn Path". Eudora Welty grew up in Mississippi and during her time she saw many racial tensions of racial segregation. The Natchez Trace trail is a historical trail which is in Tennessee gives the setting of the story. Though there are other aspects, …show more content…
one can see these influences are some major influences that gave her the creativity to write this story. Modernist, Welty wants the reader to understand her perception on some of these relational issues. From analyzing the main character Phoenix, one can see the three most important aspects of the story are the influences on her perception, the determination to overcome obstacles, and the love for her grandson. The influences on her perception is a significant factor in life and reality, as it is the primary way we view the world and determines how we respond to various situations. This story shows how Phoenix is smart, but she does not reason. There are plenty scenes in where she does not use logic and where her imagination or even her age may take over her perception in the way she sees the world. "My senses are gone. I too old. I the oldest people I ever know. Dance, old scarecrow," she said, "while I dancing with you." From this line shows that Phoenix mistook a scarecrow for a ghost showing that her perception of things is not real but it could be fear magnified. How Phoenix perceives things is because of her age, and also her sight which could be dimming away. She probably could not see any further and might have thought the scarecrow was moving may be in the wind.Based on the character's perception and mindset the Welty wants to show how people think in reality. In another scene, she sees tall black trees that look like black men with one arm she says to them "Who you watching." One can see from the scene that due to her old age her imagination affects her perception at times affects in where her responses to situations may not always seem entirely logical.Phoenixes perception of life could be fear magnified because of the thought of losing her grandson; therefore the way she perceives things is not the way she should. In addition to analyzing perception as one of the critical aspects of Phoenix's character, we find her Determination to get the medicine for her grandson is another one of Phoenixes main characteristics.
At the beginning of the scene, "Old Phoenix said, "Out of my way, all you foxes, owls, beetles, jack rabbits, coons and wild animals!.... Keep out from under these feet, little bob-whites... Keep the big wild hogs out of my path. Don't let any of those come running my direction. I got a long way." In this scene, the reader sees no matter how long the path or what she faces that she will not stop until she meets her mark. In one scene Phoenix is saved from a dog attacking her by the hunter, and the hunter says "Well, I scared him off that time," he said, and then he laughed and lifted his gun and pointed it at Phoenix." In this scene, Phoenix is now encountering another obstacle which is the hunter. the hunter tries to persuade or commands her to leave the trail saying "Now you go on home Granny!" Even though some may say, this was either to protect Phoenix from getting hurt since she is a senior woman or either it was for the amusement of the hunter, regardless of this reason this scene shows that this was an obstacle that was put in her way to stop Phoenix from reaching her goal. Phoenix's enders from her age, Even though she steals money from him, the story says that a hunter is a white man, in which this shows that the hunter's attitude towards her could have been to display racism. Since "The Worn Path" was written in 1941 and it seems to take place around that time. From this scene, one sees that Phoenix displays courage and As a modernist, the author wants to show no matter what race or age through determination a person can endure any
obstacles. In addition to determination, even though Phoenix is not as young as she used to be, she does not let her old age stop her from getting the medicine and because of this story shows that Phoenix overcomes her age. Here in the last paragraph, Phoenix says "My grandson. It was my memory had left me. There I sat and forgot why I made my long trip." This scene shows that she forgets important things which means her mind could be deteriorating due to her old age, but she still overcomes her oldness by not giving up. As we can see the reader sees that through determination phoenix overcomes many diverse challenges from inside and outside herself in "The Worn Path." Lastly, Welty's Worn Path another characteristic for the reason she so determines is her love for her grandson. According to this document by James Walter "The full sweep of the pendulum, with its upward motion incorporated periodically into a pattern of temporally dominant gravity—just as Phoenix's journey is incorporated into a landscape of winter and death—symbolically captures the full range of the "habit of love" at the heart of this story's meaning." Phoenix can achieve her goal by the love and faith that she has. Her name itself represents a symbol of light and time. From Greek mythology, the Phoenix is a bright firey bird that lives a very long time from life rebirth and regeneration.From this, we can see a similarity to the main character has much tenacity from enduring many different hardships throughout the story, and she can withstand such challenges through the power of love and faith. As well In the society during those times and even now most single parents must go by themselves to take care or provide for their children to sustain their life. From this Even Though the story doesn't mention about the child's mother and father, in the worn path Phoenix is the only parent who seems to be providing for the child. According James Waters states According to Sara Trefman ["Welty's 'A Worn Path'," Explicator, Vol. 24 February 1966], Phoenix is "clearly a symbol of Christ" and her journey reverberates with symbols from the Christian tradition. Neil D. Isaacs argues [in "Life for Phoenix," Sewanee Review, Vol. 71, 1963] that throughout the story are "allusions to and suggestions of the Christ-myth at large and the meaning of Christmas in particular"; moreover, that "the whole story is suggestive of a religious pilgrimage" by which Phoenix, "with an abiding intuitive faith, arrives at the shrine of her pilgrimage." James Welty compares the main character Phoenix to Christ meaning they both represent life and love. These idea saying that Christ in Christianity gives up his life to save the world; just like Phoenix goes and risks hers to prolong her grandson's life for the power of love.Being a modernist Welty may also have used ideas from where she grew up as a Christian as tools symbolize the character's theme of love. Using of Christianity allusion and some analogies of Christmas Eudora Welty uses Phoenixes love to as a symbol of her faith. In addition to the love she has for her son grandson there is a scene at the end of the story where Phoenix explains saying "We is the only two left in the world. He suffers and it doesn't seem to put him back at all. He got a sweet look. He is going to last. He wears a little patch quilt and peep out holding his mouth open like a little bird. I remembers so plain now. I not going to forget him again, no, the whole enduring time. I could tell him from all the others in creation." From this quote one see the love she has for her grandson her reasoning for going on the path alone. Although the boy is suffering from an incurable disease, Phoneix believes the boy will survive. This scene also shows that she will not give up or do whatever it takes to prolong the life of her grandson. Just like the mythological Phoenix that rises from its ashes so does this Phoenix from every situation because of love she believes that the medicine she is going to receive will prolong the life of her grandson. It is a token of her appreciation to travel far to get the medicine. From this modernist Welty wants to show that love for another person can cause a person to take on fearful dangerous endeavors as Phoenix has endured. To sum it up the author Eudora Welty had many different influences on her to create The Worn Path which is a piece of art. The most critical aspects of the story are the inner and outer influences on Phoenix's perception, the determination to overcome different challenges, and the love for Phoenix's grandson. Welty as Modernist shows us that anything is possible through love faith and courage, what a great story.
"A Worn Path," by Eudora Welty is a heartbreaking story about the heroic trip of an old African American woman, Phoenix. The readers won't find out right away the plot of the story or why Phoenix won't give up her exhausting trip to town-the conflict of this story-especially on a very cold day. The title, "A Worn Path," indicates that Phoenix has obviously walked down this path many times before-also the fact that she can cross a creek with her eyes closed confirms the title's message.
“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.
... on foot and that alone is hard as it is. Eudora Welty shows her theme that with an adequate amount of determination and confidence we can tackle any problem or obstacle that is thrown our way and go the extra mile to reach our objective that we had set. Of course being restrained by time and age, Phoenix still fights and steps forward to a goal which is very significant to her heart; she doesn’t allow any barrier get in her way. Phoenix Jackson being the main character of “A Worn Path” is clear
In A Worn Path by Eudora Welty an elderly African American woman named Phoenix Jackson picks a cold December day to make yet another perilous journey to a near by city to get medicine for her ailing grandson. On the way this old woman faces many obstacles, both natural and man-made. Phoenix draws upon her perseverance and willingness to sacrifice herself to help her throughout her journey, but it is the undying love for her grandson that truly guides and drives her to her final goal. She is described as being a very old woman. “Her eyes were blue with age. 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 run underneath, and the two knobs of her cheeks were illuminated by a yellow burning under the dark (Welty 386). These all show an indication of her old age. Also, her loss of memory indicates her old age. It was only until Phoenix reached the doctor’s office she remembered why she went on her journey. “My grandson. It was my memory had left me. There I sat and forgot why I made my trip”(Welty 394). Another character in the story was a white man who was a hunter. When Phoenix falls in the ditch, he helps her out of the ditch. Even though the hunter helps Phoenix, he still poses as a threat to her, because it seems he did not want her to finish her journey. This is made apparent when he states, “Why, that’s too far! That’s as far as I walk when I come out myself, and I get something for my trouble”(Welty 391). In addition, like her name, Phoenix seems ageless. When she stops to drink water from the spring she says, “Nobody know who made this well, for it was here when I was born”(Welty 391). When she encounters the hunter and he asks her how old she is she says, “There is no telling, mister, “said, “no telling” (Welty 392). Again her age is emphasized when she goes to the doctor’s office and the nurse ask her why she never went to school. “I never did go to school, I was too old a...
During the time period this story was written was in 1941 WWII had just begun, but not only that, but also of poverty that was a reality to many—particularly to blacks and people in rural areas. The title itself, “A Worn Path,” refers to life as the journey through a worn path. Obstacles that Phoenix Jackson faced shows the real-life hardships, lies, and aggressions, that minorities face. Despite its simplicity, Eudora Welty’s “A Worn Path” does show us some of the greatest of life’s realities. The writer starts the story using racial description and symbolism to describe Phoenix Jackson.
In Eudora Welty's "A Worn Path" the conflict was not apparent at the very beginning. What was a poor, elderly sick woman doing gallivanting in the forest during the dead of winter? The reason became clear towards the conclusion of the story as the action revealed that the conflict was obtaining the necessary medicine for her grandson. When this conflict became obvious, another question came to mind. What kind of society did this woman live in that she had to go all the way from her home in the countryside to the city by herself to get the medicine? The conflict being illustrated is that of an individual versus society and the four problems that Phoenix faces as a result of this was her old age, her health, her grandson's health and her state of poverty.
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.
“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.
Word Press editor. “An Analysis of Eudora Welty’s ‘A Worn Path’”. Word press. N.P., April 12,2013. 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.
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 ...
"A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty is a short story about an elderly woman named Phoenix Jackson. She is not only an elder, but brittle and lonely as well. For a good portion of the story, Phoenix is making a journey into town to find medicine for her sick grandson. Although she encounters many hardships on the way, she never gives up because she is on a mission to help the one she loves.
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