Allegory In A Worn Path By Eudora Welty

“The gentlest and most wonderful of its kind. Mesmerizing beauty and brilliant color, its cry synonymous to a lovely song. But comes time, consumes itself in its own magnificent flame and from its own ashes will rise and reborn anew…” – Kahit Minsan. The story of Phoenix Jackson depicts the long and strenuous journey of an old woman fighting to bring medicine to her sick grandson. In the story, Eudora Welty uses symbolism, color, and theme in “A Worn Path” to show the allegory of the “Flight of the Phoenix”, in the life of Phoenix Jackson. First, Eudora Welty uses symbolism to relate Phoenix Jackson to the mythological tale of the “Flight of the Phoenix”. In the story, Welty says “She walked slowly in the dark pine shadows, moving slowly a little from side to side in her steps, with the balanced heaviness and lightness of a pendulum in a grandfather clock.” (paragraph 1) This symbolic description shows how Phoenix Jackson’s walk resembles the way birds walk on the ground. Another example of symbolism comparing Phoenix Jackson to a phoenix is when Welty says “her cheeks were illuminated by a yellow burning under the dark.” (paragraph 2) This description relates Phoenix’s physical …show more content…
In the myth, the phoenix must go on a journey to pick up spices, which it takes to its nest. The next morning when the sun comes up, the heat ignites the cinnamon and turns the phoenix into ashes. From the ashes, a new phoenix is born and it must then deposit its parent’s ashes in the “City of the Sun”. Phoenix Jackson in “A Worn Path” makes similar journey but instead of cinnamon she is fetching medicine for her sick grandson. The story depicts a ling and strenuous oath to get into town and Phoenix frequently has to stop and rest. But Phoenix never forgets her mission and despite all the struggle she makes it into town and gets the