The story, "A Worn Path", is about an old woman, Phoenix Jackson, who makes her way out into the woods to a nearby town. We are made to believe that it is a far distance for a woman of her age to walk. The story starts with describing her and the path she takes, all the while mentioning the nature and Phoenix's various encounters. The main focus of the story switches from her journey in the beginning, to the plight of the ill boy and how dedicated she, his grandmother, is to getting some sort of medicinal help for his ailments.
             If this story had been changed to mention the boy more or say, if the story was started with the description of him and his circumstance, it would have been read with a completely different attitude or impression of the grandmother's actions. When I came to read the story, my thoughts focused on wondering why on earth this decrepit, old woman would walk such a ways for no apparent reason. Not until the near end of the story are we given insight as to what her journey was truly about. Had I known about the boy earlier on, I would have felt more compassion. No doubt the story would have become more depressing because of this, but nonetheless touching to its readers.
             The description of the boy lends us a graphic depiction of how very sick he had become. We are told how he was helpless to sit up and talk or eat properly; how he couldn't even breathe well. Had we been given this description earlier on, I'm sure we also would have been given a clearer picture of the little old house and the darker side of the surroundings during the journey. This would offer more of a somber mood towards the trials Phoenix encountered on her way to the clinic. Instead, we are subjected to the pleasantries of calm woods and trees with birds chirping all the way.
             The story ends by leaving an aura of mystery behind. Is Phoenix's grandson really still alive? After several years o...