In the short-short story “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty, an incredible journey filled with intestinal fortitude and sheer determination transpires. An elderly woman, of considerable age, named Phoenix Jackson makes a foot journey from her home far out in the middle of the country to town (Kirszner & Mandell, 2012). Many obstacles complicate and intrude on her journey that might have caused her to abandon her mission, which was to get medicine at the doctor’s office in town for her grandson (Kirszner & Mandell, 2012). Her name Phoenix is synonymous with the Egyptian legend of a bird that is reborn from its own ashes (Bartel, 1977).
Early on in her journey, Phoenix must deal with getting through some heavy brush filled with thorns (Kirszner …show more content…
Again, for many people, this would not be a big deterrent, but Phoenix is severely limited in balance and if she falls, could mean death. Yet, she possesses the will and determination to cross the creek on the log and does so effectively (Kirszner & Mandell, 2012). Later in her expedition she encounters a dog and a man with a gun (Kirszner & Mandell, 2012). The dogs’ aggressive behavior causes Phoenix to fall to the ground. With assistance from a hunter, he stands her back up and interrogates her intentions (Kirszner & Mandell, 2012). During the interrogation, the hunter points his long gun at her, and still she shows no fear and explains that her plan is to go to town (Kirszner & Mandell, 2012). When asked if she was scared of the gun, Phoenix replied, “No, sir, I seen plenty go off closer by, in my day, and for less than what I done,” (Kirszner & Mandell, 2012, p. 391). I believe the hunter realized that this woman had been alive for sometime, and nothing he did would scare, intimidate, or get her to return home. I think he was actually impressed by her strength and …show more content…
This well known legend of the Phoenix has a core similarity in that the bird lives for a very long period of time before being reborn (Leafloor, 2014). This directly correlates to the elderly age of the woman. Many readers believe the grandson is not really alive and Phoenix makes this trip to keep purpose to her life (Bartel, 1977). “Phoenix has to make herself and others believe that her grandson lives so that she can endure her hardships and her subconscious awareness of the imminence of her own death (Bartel, 1977, p.
Early on in her journey, Phoenix must deal with getting through some heavy brush filled with thorns (Kirszner …show more content…
Again, for many people, this would not be a big deterrent, but Phoenix is severely limited in balance and if she falls, could mean death. Yet, she possesses the will and determination to cross the creek on the log and does so effectively (Kirszner & Mandell, 2012). Later in her expedition she encounters a dog and a man with a gun (Kirszner & Mandell, 2012). The dogs’ aggressive behavior causes Phoenix to fall to the ground. With assistance from a hunter, he stands her back up and interrogates her intentions (Kirszner & Mandell, 2012). During the interrogation, the hunter points his long gun at her, and still she shows no fear and explains that her plan is to go to town (Kirszner & Mandell, 2012). When asked if she was scared of the gun, Phoenix replied, “No, sir, I seen plenty go off closer by, in my day, and for less than what I done,” (Kirszner & Mandell, 2012, p. 391). I believe the hunter realized that this woman had been alive for sometime, and nothing he did would scare, intimidate, or get her to return home. I think he was actually impressed by her strength and …show more content…
This well known legend of the Phoenix has a core similarity in that the bird lives for a very long period of time before being reborn (Leafloor, 2014). This directly correlates to the elderly age of the woman. Many readers believe the grandson is not really alive and Phoenix makes this trip to keep purpose to her life (Bartel, 1977). “Phoenix has to make herself and others believe that her grandson lives so that she can endure her hardships and her subconscious awareness of the imminence of her own death (Bartel, 1977, p.