A Worn Path by: Eudora Welty
In "A Worn Path" Eudora Welty uses an old, seemingly insignificant African American woman to demonstrate what love truly is. She begins with a detailed description of the outward appearance of the old woman. Welty proceeds by painting a striking image of the setting on a snowy Christmas morning in the midst of a pinewood forest. While being captivated by the intricate details of the cold morning, the reader becomes aware of the fact that the woman, Phoenix Jackson, is in the midst of a long, rigorous journey through the still, thick woods. Throughout this harsh and unselfish journey, Phoenix clearly exhibits courageousness and perseverance.As the journey progresses, the reader begins to realize the magnitude of Phoenix's unselfish na
Her perseverance caused her to complete the journey in the same way that it caused the hunter to lay his gun on his shoulder by not backing down. While Jackson is on her trek into town, she comes across several situations to reveal her true courage. She encounters rough terrain, thorn bushes and even falls to the ground, but always continues through her struggles. It is revealed towards the end that the sole purpose in Jackson's trip is to get medicine for her grandson when the nurse asks, "is his throat any better?" (295). After conquering the log, Phoenix bravely looks down the barrel of a hunter's gun without so much as a blink of an eye. Welty uncovers her unselfish motives when the reader discovers why Phoenix embarked on the long grueling journey. Throughout her journey, Phoenix boldly displays the admirable quality of perseverance. However, the thought of giving up or going back never enters her mind. Phoenix's three chief qualities are summed up when she "stood straight up and faced him" (294). When asked if she is scared she boldly replies, "[. She unselfishly decides to use her money not on herself, but rather to buy her grandson a Christmas present. She knows the task ahead of her is not to be taken lightly because her grandson's life is at risk. She repeatedly makes the journey season after season solely to get medicine for her grandson.
Common topics in this essay:
Christmas Jackson,
Phoenix Jackson,
African American,
Eudora Welty,
journey phoenix,
medicine grandson,
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Acceptance Essays
