Though on the surface it seems to be a simple story about an old woman on a journey, Eudora Welty’s “A Worn Path” is highly symbolic. With a name like Phoenix, her allegorical potential is obvious, even if the meaning is slightly more cryptic in nature. Because phoenixes are symbols for cyclic death and rebirth, one could interpret Phoenix's character as a symbol for the oppressed, fighting or lose faith. They’re spirit will never perish. However, there are two other symbols whose presence in the story is less conspicuous: the dress and the thorns. The grandmothers’ attachment to the dress is manifested rather early in the story. As she descends down a hill, her dress snags in a bush, which she intently attempts to free. Though the task
