There are always many factors that cause society to push outsiders away. One discriminates according to race, age, and behavior above most. In Eudora Welty's "A Worn Path", she focuses her attention on the main character Phoenix Jackson. The fact that she is an elderly racial minority, African American, already pulls her away from society, but it is her abnormal behavior that contributes the most to her isolation.
             Just because Phoenix Jackson is an African American, it seems that society pushes her away. They automatically put a discriminatory name on her and look down on her. When Ms. Jackson came across the hunter, he greeted her with a, "Well, Granny" (par. 38) referring to her as an old lady. This is an instance of disrespect towards her just because she is an elderly woman. He later makes a racial comment to her, which seems to bother her and says, "I know you old colored people! Wouldn't miss going to town to see Santa Claus!" (par. 48). The hunter assumes that the only reason she is going to town is to visit with Santa Claus. By this time, the reader can tell Phoenix is just not happy about the way this man is disrespecting her because of her age and race. In a smaller instance, Phoenix is walking a long the street and confronts a white lady. She asks the lady to help her with her shoes and confronts her by a term of respect, "Missy" (par. 64). This goes back to the days of slavery and Phoenix is asking a favor in a respectful manner. The lady answers to her in a term similar to what the hunter uses, "Grandma" (par. 65). The lady then helps her regardless, which is actually pretty unbelievable. In real life, it would be very hard to find a white lady carrying loads of bags to put them aside to help an elderly African American woman. This is most likely due to Ms. Jackson's age and is treated differently because of it. When Phoenix approaches the...