The Role Of Phoenix In Eudora Welty's A Worn Path

The Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 1863 and two years later came the end of the Civil War; although, neither of these events saved blacks from social and economic struggles. Even into the 1930s, when the Great Depression was occurring, blacks continued to suffer racism even though they were considered equal by the government. White supremacists still thought of blacks as being at a lower status than them. Lynching also became an large issue during this time period, when countless blacks were unrightfully hung by white men. In a book written by Dora Apel, “As black freedmen sought to exercise their rights, white supremacists sought to deny black manhood and maintain the old hierarchy, perpetrating thousands of racialized extralegal killings in the last decades of the nineteenth and much of the twentieth century.” It was clear that racism was still alive and well during this period, so many blacks still had to endure harsh cruelties because of their skin color. …show more content…
It is made clear in the story, “A Worn Path” that Phoenix Jackson has made journeys over and over again, particularly the journey to town. The mythological Phoenix is famous …show more content…
James Robert Saunders suggests, “Of all the indigenous stories written by Eudora Welty over the past half century, it is perhaps “A Worn Path” that is most intriguing in terms of its ability to defy simple explanation. Obviously, Welty named the main character after the mythological bird, the Phoenix because she made many journeys, she overcame the struggles in her life, and is