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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 P
As he comes toward her, Phoenix is startled and compelled to defend herself: "she only hit him a little with her cane. The hunter asks Phoenix if the gun scares her, she replies "No, sir, I seen plenty go off closer by, in my day, and for less than what I done" (57). As Phoenix begins to walk down the dark path, a black dog approaches her from a patch of weeds near a ditch. Clearly, the frail, forgetful, and loving old woman can overcome anything. Phoenix uses her inner strengths and prevails over every barrier. When she tells him that the time has come around, the reader now knows that there is a reason for her journey into town. She then begins to talk to herself, which she does quite frequently throughout her journey. The white man asks Phoenix what she is doing in the ditch, and she replies "Lying on my back like a June-bug waiting to be turned over, mister" (56) as she reaches out her hand. But you take my advice and stay home, and nothing will happen to you" (57). As the hunter chases after the dogs, Phoenix slowly begins to reach down towards the shiny nickel. In the midst of Phoenix's travels, Eudora Welty describes the scene: "Deep, deep the road went down between the high green-colored banks. Overhead the live-oaks met, and it was as dark as a cave" (Welty 55). I believe that this line represents a change that has occurred within the hunters mind. The man returns and points his gun at Phoenix.
Common topics in this essay:
Eudora Welty,
Phoenix Immediately,
Claus Phoenix,
Lying June-bug,
Worn Path,
Phoenix Jackson,
hunter phoenix,
phoenix refers,
Word Count,
reader assumes,
journey town,
reason journey,
life phoenix,
mister 56,
eudora welty,
negro woman,
main character,
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Acceptance Essays
