On Overgrown Paths

Phoenix Jackson, the main character in A Worn Path by Eudora Welty (1940), was an elderly woman with more determination than someone half her age. She is a woman living up to her first name! She is on a mission, and she will not allow anything to stand in her way. In this short story, we see a similarity between the mythological bird, the phoenix, and Phoenix Jackson. Throughout multiple obstacles in Phoenix’s passageway to her destination, her strength, resistance, and spirit persisted beyond…

“A Worn Path” is about a grandmother, named Phoenix, who needs to go into town, called Natchez, to get medicine for her grandson. The path that she has to take has many obstacles to overcome. Even with the obstacles that lie ahead of the journey, she still goes. Phoenix age is emphasized with the descriptive details that are given by the narrator. Some of the obstacles that she had to overcome are dense forest, walking over hills, wild animals, thorny bushes, barbed wire fences, and winter…

In “A Worn Path,” Phoenix Jackson is the main character of this short story. Eudora Welty describes Phoenix Jackson as an old woman who goes on a long journey through the woods. Throughout her journey, Phoenix Jackson starts to experience emotions such as hardship and joy. Many people have argued about Phoenix Jackson’s journey being connected through religious, historical, or racial criticism. Furthermore, I will carefully analyze her conscious and unconscious mind through the Psychoanalytical…

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…

In the short story, “A Worn Path”, the author Eudora Welty made the main character Phoenix Jackson a symbol of the mythical phoenix bird. They are alike because they both live for a long time; they both symbolize a rebirth; they both go on a journey in order for their “rebirth.” Each and every similarity shows that they are connected in some way, shape, or form. The author purposely made many similarities between the two because Phoenix Jackson is an allusion to the mythical Phoenix bird. Though…

Through the course of the short story “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty, Phoenix Jackson had several moments or opportunities along her way to abandon her mission. Phoenix’s first moment or opportunity was when her skirt was entangled with a thorn bush and she could not let her dress get torn. According to the quote of Welty (1940), " Her eyes opened, their widest, and she started down gently. But before she got to the bottom of the hill a bush caught her dress. Her fingers were busy and intent,…

The Biographical Approach to understanding Eudora Welty’s “A Worn Path” Seventy seven years ago, America was at war with European countries, fighting in the appalling and depressing World War II. Segregation in the south was slowly disappearing, and with the men at war, women became the fuelers of America’s thriving economy. Eudora Welty, a white, independent, and middle aged woman has the voice people want to hear during the harsh times. Swanson stated that “In addition to her many short…

As suggested by the title of this piece, A Worn Path can be interpreted as a story of a journey that has been previously traveled by the character. Phoenix even lends understanding to this concept when she provides evidence of her knowledge of the path. While traveling she thinks to herself, “Up through the pines….Now own through oaks.” (850) This statement clarifies that Phoenix is completely aware…

Phoenix Jackson is as worn down as the path she travels. She conquers many obstacles in her journey to get her grandson his medicine. The difficulties endured include racism, her old age, and poverty. The short story, “A Worn Path,” was written by Eudora Welty in 1940. The main character is Phoenix Jackson. She is described in the story as an African American woman from the south who is very old, frail, wrinkled and small. The story takes place in the 1930’s, many years after slavery…

taking advantage of them and then by burning their house, murdering a child who was not even old enough to walk. Through symbolism, Welty is able to give a new meaning to this story. There are many symbols that Eudora Welty has included in A Worn Path. One of the main symbols shown throughout the course of the story is how Phoenix was related to the mythological phoenix bird who sets itself on fire but rose from its own ashes. She made the journey to town every time her grandson needed…