Eudora Welty’s “A Worn Path” tells the story of Phoenix Jackson, an elderly African Woman leaving in the south who takes on a journey into town in order to get medicine for her grandson. To many, the story of Phoenix’s journey seems to be a short, simple story with no exciting action taking place, and although that is true, the story itself exhibit the struggle faced by many African American back in the early 20th century and even today in the 21st century, the struggle of racism. Racism is not a social issue that started in the 20th or 21st century, it has been a problem to the society for a long time. Going back to the days of the slave masters, it all started as trade by barter system, where the Traders would give Africans goods and they
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From living in comfortable home and society, they became an inferior being just because of the color of their skill. Although there have been Emancipation of Slavery, and the American and European society have slowly given room for equality between all races, there are still some out in the world who exhibit acts of racism, as we would notice in Welty’s short story.
The story begins, with the readers being introduced to Phoenix as “an old Negro woman with her head tied in a red rag,” who “carried a thin, small cane made from an umbrella” to make her journey through the wood a little easier. Phoenix is making the long journey through the woods for her only living family, her grandson. However while on this journey to get the medicine, she came across some series of unfortunate events, like when she had to get herself free the thorny bush and said “Thorns, you doing …show more content…
The hunter referred to Phoenix as “Granny” and the clinic attendant referred to her as “Aunt Phoenix” rather than “Mrs. Jackson”. The term “Granny”, “Aunt”, and “Uncle” were names used by whites to address blacks. It was never a word of endearment or a word used loving. Although Welty’s short story was written in the 20th century, racism is still very much alive and well in the 21st century. The term colored is still used by a few elderly crowed and has been replaced to nigger with the younger crowd. Racism is “busily working in the shadows, gerrymandering away voting rights and creating legislation that makes pre-emptively shooting dead a young black man who makes you nervous synonymous with standing one's ground,”(Zurcher). The only difference between racism of the 20th century and racism of the 21st century is the fact that whites in the 20th century openly voiced and expressed their dislike of blacks, whereas in the 21st century whites will act one way for the public and only express their true feelings about blacks behind closed doors. The media went into frenzy this past April when Donald Sterling, owner of the Los Angeles Clippers was allegedly recorded telling his girlfriend (who is ironically half black) not to post any pictures of herself with blacks on social media or bring them to any L.A. Clippers game. His girlfriend posted a picture of herself with retired American professional
From living in comfortable home and society, they became an inferior being just because of the color of their skill. Although there have been Emancipation of Slavery, and the American and European society have slowly given room for equality between all races, there are still some out in the world who exhibit acts of racism, as we would notice in Welty’s short story.
The story begins, with the readers being introduced to Phoenix as “an old Negro woman with her head tied in a red rag,” who “carried a thin, small cane made from an umbrella” to make her journey through the wood a little easier. Phoenix is making the long journey through the woods for her only living family, her grandson. However while on this journey to get the medicine, she came across some series of unfortunate events, like when she had to get herself free the thorny bush and said “Thorns, you doing …show more content…
The hunter referred to Phoenix as “Granny” and the clinic attendant referred to her as “Aunt Phoenix” rather than “Mrs. Jackson”. The term “Granny”, “Aunt”, and “Uncle” were names used by whites to address blacks. It was never a word of endearment or a word used loving. Although Welty’s short story was written in the 20th century, racism is still very much alive and well in the 21st century. The term colored is still used by a few elderly crowed and has been replaced to nigger with the younger crowd. Racism is “busily working in the shadows, gerrymandering away voting rights and creating legislation that makes pre-emptively shooting dead a young black man who makes you nervous synonymous with standing one's ground,”(Zurcher). The only difference between racism of the 20th century and racism of the 21st century is the fact that whites in the 20th century openly voiced and expressed their dislike of blacks, whereas in the 21st century whites will act one way for the public and only express their true feelings about blacks behind closed doors. The media went into frenzy this past April when Donald Sterling, owner of the Los Angeles Clippers was allegedly recorded telling his girlfriend (who is ironically half black) not to post any pictures of herself with blacks on social media or bring them to any L.A. Clippers game. His girlfriend posted a picture of herself with retired American professional