Theme of Determination in "A Worn Path"

638 Words2 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. One example of the theme of determination in this short story is all the obstacles that Phoenix Jackson encountered. Because Phoenix is so determined to get the medicine for her grandson, she goes through every obstacle with spirit. The following quote depicts many of the obstacles Phoenix encounters on her way: The path ran up a hill. Seems like there is chains about my feet… a bush caught her ...

Show More
Related

  • Life Struggles of Phoenix in Eudora Welty's A Worn Path

    760 Words  | 2 Pages

    "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.

    Read More

  • The Challenges In The Running Dream By Wendelin Van Draanen

    877 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout life you encounter a numerous amount of obstacles. These obstacles don’t define you, how you handle them does. In the book “The Running Dream” by Wendelin Van Draanen, Jessica encounters the biggest obstacle that life could throw at her. Jessica has had to learn to adjust her life from what it was. Her life is changing and she has to decide if this accident defines who she is going to be while being surrounded by the love and comfort of her family.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of The Book 'The Running Dream'

    891 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout life people encounter a numerous amount of obstacles, some of these obstacles can be tougher than others. These obstacles don’t define who you are, how the situation is handled does. In the book The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen, Jessica encounters a tremendous obstacle that life could throw at her. Jessica has had to learn to adjust her life from the way that she used to live. Her life is changing and she has to decide if this accident defines who she is going to be while being surrounded by the love and comfort of her family.

    Read More

  • Essay on Hidden Conflict in Eudora Welty's A Worn Path

    894 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

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

    1002 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Phoenix's Hardships and Racism in A Worn Path

    863 Words  | 2 Pages

    “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.

    Read More

  • Phoenix's Determination

    954 Words  | 2 Pages

    In “A Worn Path” Eudora Welty uses symbolism and characterization to show that utter determination and self-discipline enables Phoenix to accomplish her ultimate goal (get medication); and without these attributes, she almost certainly would have not accomplished it. In fact, Phoenix develops into a great example for people who face disrespect and degeneration of health, and perfectly illustrates the features needed to succeed when hindrances obstruct success.

    Read More

  • Comparing The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost and The Worn Path, by Eudora Welty

    2316 Words  | 5 Pages

    The short story genre ‘A Worn Path,’ by Eudora, Welty is in third person omniscient point of view, and the theme is of undying love and devotion. The story theme is similar to the poem “The Road Not Taken”, yet is dramatically different as the setting along with characterization gives a detail and clear images in the plot. 3 Intriguingly as stated by the South Central Review (1997)… ‘The Worn Path presents the detail of Phoenix’s journey along the Natchez Trace. The first two Paragraphs deliver meticulous description’:

    Read More

  • Analysis Of A Worn Path

    704 Words  | 2 Pages

    “A Worn Path,” written by Eudora Welty, is a story about an old lady, Phoenix Jackson who faces obstacles of a poor life during the most repressed era of American History - The Great Depression. Poor colored people of the south “like Phoenix, they endured an endless struggle, if not against scurrying hogs, then against the thorny bush” explains what life is life during a racial charged time living in the south (Sykes 151). Phoenix Jackson overcomes negativity, difficulty, and impatience; yet, never loses sight of the importance of her biannual worn path to get medicine for her sick grandson.

    Read More

  • A Worn Path: Struggle For Racial Equality

    1517 Words  | 4 Pages

    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.

    Read More

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

    1360 Words  | 3 Pages

    '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.

    Read More

  • A Worn Path

    450 Words  | 1 Pages

    In the story "A Worn Path" the author, Eudora Welty, develops Phoenix Jackson as the main character who indirectly manipulates other people. The author almost makes the reader feel grief for this old lady who had a very rough life. At the same time, readers observe how Phoenix uses her tragic lifetime as a justification to be selfish. In reality Phoenix is an average human being who feels she must be rewarded for living. She is an old Negro woman who has seen a lot in her lifetime. Her lifetime symbolizes the title of the story by informing the reader of some obstacles she has defeated in her "worn path" of a life. One of the biggest events Phoenix has experienced is slavery. All throughout the story there are several incidents that help back up her selfish characteris...

    Read More

  • A Worn Path, An Analysis

    324 Words  | 1 Pages

    "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.

    Read More

  • Essay About Love in Welty’s A Worn Path

    868 Words  | 2 Pages

    A Worn Path by Eudora Welty, is the tale of the unstoppable love and care of a grandmother for her grandchild. It tells a story of sheer determination as Phoenix Jackson makes a long journey into town to get medicine for her chronically ill grandson. She strives forward despite frequent obstacles in her way that include her own failing health and the grandchild's slim chance of survival. Phoenix Jackson is “an old Negro woman” who continues forward over barriers that would not even be considered a hindrance for the young. This is a journey which she has taken before, and now "the time come around” she must travel it again. She begins her journey to town on “a bright frozen day in the early morning” in December. Phoenix Jackson is “very old and small “, and walks like the “pendulum in a grandfather clock” ever so carefully with her “thin, small cane made from an umbrella.”

    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

More about Theme of Determination in "A Worn Path"

Open Document