Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Symbolism in the worn path
Symbolism in the worn path
Significance of symbolism in literature
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Symbolism in the worn path
In the short story of “A Worn Path “symbolism is used in a manifold of ways to described the many things that are encountered along the way. The journey through the worn path is a symbolism of the path of life. Also the obstacles that she faces along the way are equivalent to the trials of life. For example, Lady Gaga’s hit single “Born this Way” tells a story of a “new race” being created within humanity. Not making the race yourself, but slowly developing within everyone around. It’s also in the good and bad that goes around the world. For instance, the concept of yin-yang is symbolized as the good and the bad in things, describing the opposite forces within those two objects. Such as, light and dark, life and death, male and female, and so on.
The story is set in the Natchez trace in the southwestern state of Mississippi. The trace is an old highway that runs from Nashville, Tennessee, to Natchez, Mississippi. The story begins in the woods and eventually leads to the city of Natchez. This took place in December, during Christmas in the 1940s.
In the story Phoenix Jackson is a little old blind lady going on a little journey on the cold winter days to town to get medicines for her grandson who she dearly cares for so much. On her journey she goes through many obstacles and faces many dangers, but the love for her grandson keeps her strong and together. A while back, her grandson swallowed lye which know made him very sick and needs medicine to take away the pain. In the article “Symbolism in ‘A Worn Path’ “Jackson has to head out into town “to
Reyes2
obtain the medicine for her grandson.” She starts her journey one cold morning through the path she knows very well. She wore a striped dress that went all the way down to the...
... middle of paper ...
... to her grandson.
Continue achieving your destinations, don’t give up. People have it worst than you, like phoenix she was blind and defenseless, but continued her destination to get her grandson medicine.
Works Cited
Beller, Michele. “‘A Worn Path’ by Eudora Welty: Symbols and Themes.” Yahoo! Voices. Yahoo Inc., 29th Nov 2008. Web. 17 Mar 2014
Cummings, Michael J. “‘A Worn Path’ Study guide.” Cummingsstudyguides.N.p., 2011. Web.17 Mar 2014.
Garcia, Abu. “Symbolism in ‘A Worn Path’ by Eudora Welty.” Scribd.Np., n.d. Web. 17 Mar 2014
Roberts, Edgar V. and Henry E. Jacobs, ed. “‘A Worn Path’ Analysis.” Yahoo Contributor Network. Yahoo, Inc., 6 Nov 2008. Web .17 2014
Schnalia. “Symbolism in ‘A Worn Path’.” College Essays Help and Ideas.N.p., 5 Mar 2012. Web.17 Mar 2014.
123helpme Editors. “Symbolism in ‘A Worn path’.” 123helpme.N.p., n.d. web. 17 Mar 2014
In the short story "A Worn Path," the message that Eudora Welty sends to the readers is one of love, endurance, persistence, and perseverance. Old Phoenix Jackson walks a long way to town, through obstacles of every sort, but no obstacle is bad enough to stop her from her main goal. She may be old and almost blind, but she knows what she has to do and won't give up on it. Her grandson has swallowed lye, and she has a holy duty of making her way to town in order to get medicine for him. The wilderness of the path does not scare her off. She stumbles over and over, but she talks herself through every obstacle. Undoubtedly, the theme of perseverance is what Eudora Welty wants to point out to her readers. Just like the name Phoenix suggests
The title itself, “A Worn Path,” referred to life as the journey itself through a worn path. Obstacles that Phoenix Jackson faced shows the real-life hardships, lies, and aggressions, that minorities face. Despite its simplicity, Eudora Welty’s “A Worn Path” does show us some of the greatest of life’s reality.
“A Worn Path” is a short story written by Eudora Welty. It is a story of an elderly black woman’s journey into town for her grandson’s medicine. Using lots of imagery throughout the story, the narrator tells us that the woman, Phoenix Jackson takes this dangerous journey out of love for her grandson who is in need of medicine. Throughout her journey, she encounters many people who are of great importance to the story.
“A Worn Path” tells of an elderly and frail black woman and of the hardships that she must overcome. Upon reading the story, you realize that there is more to the story than meets the eye. She faces many roadblocks along her way. Phoenix faces many dangerous obstacles along her way, for a person of her age. She faces racism from some of characters she meets along the way. Phoenix faces inferior treatment, as though she is nothing more than some insect to squash. This story is about not only her ‘journey’ to Natchez, but also about her journey through society and the struggle to overcome the dangers, being treated inferior, and the racism.
Cummings, Michael J. “ ‘A Worn Path’ Study Guide” Cummings Study Guide . N.P., 2011.17 Mar 2014.
In "A Worn Path", a short story by Eudora Welty, the main character, an old colored woman named Phoenix, slowly but surely makes her way down a "worn path" through the woods. Throughout her journey, she runs into many obstacles such as a thorny bush and a hunter. She overcomes these obstacles and continues with her travels. She finally reaches her destination, the doctor’s office, where she gets medicine for her sick grandson back home. Many critics have speculated that this short story represents the love a grandmother shows for her grandson. Others say this story represents life and death, where Phoenix represents an immortal figure. Dennis J. Sykes disagrees with the other critics by saying, "A parallel exists between the journey described and the plight of the Southern blacks after the Civil War" (Sykes). Ultimately, Eudora Welty demonstrates how blacks have been persecuted in a white world.
“A Worn Path” is a short story written by Eudora Welty. It is based on an elderly African-American grandmother named Phoenix Jackson, who goes for a walk to the town of Natchez on a cold December morning to get some medicine for her ailing grandson. This story speaks of the obstacles Phoenix endured along the way and how she overcame them. The theme, central idea or message that the author wishes to convey to his or her readers, in “A Worn Path” is one of determination. Phoenix Jackson is determined to get to Natchez, in order to get medicine for her grandson; she does not let any obstacles get in her way. The theme of determination is shown in many ways throughout this short story.
"A Worn Path," by Eudora Welty is a heartbreaking story about the heroic trip of an old African American woman, Phoenix. The readers won't find out right away the plot of the story or why Phoenix won't give up her exhausting trip to town-the conflict of this story-especially on a very cold day. The title, "A Worn Path," indicates that Phoenix has obviously walked down this path many times before-also the fact that she can cross a creek with her eyes closed confirms the title's message.
Eudora Welty’s short story “A Worn Path” emphasizes the unselfish love that inspires courage, sacrifice, and love through her use of symbolism.
Eudora Welty presents the short story “A Worn Path” in a remarkable way, revealing a lot of symbolism. It travels around multiple themes throughout the story about an old aged woman walking through a grueling trail to a town to gather medicine for her grandson in Mississippi. This short story takes places in December on a “bright frozen day” where an old Negro woman arises by the name of Phoenix Jackson. I believe she signifies a struggle, but when looking at her a bit deeper, she mostly signifies willpower (Welty, 502). As she goes towards the town on the path, she appears to have walked numerous times before; she has to overcome many problems. What’s important is that with each move she takes it looks to be pretty sluggish, but yet a steady move in the direction of her goal. The story gives an understanding to the determination and confidence of Phoenix Jackson to point out the belief of people in identical lives of endless struggle. In “A Worn Path,” Eudora Welty reveals the idea that sometimes our lives can be a lot like an obstacles course, which are made up of difficulties that we have to overcome somehow.
For such a simple tale, "A Worn Path" is full of hidden symbols and allusions. By realizing that Phoenix Jackson is a biblical character as well as a Christ figure, Phoenix assumes a more human image. Rather than carrying the image of a gentle demigod, Phoenix's sin allows readers to relate to a concerned grandmother who is doing everything in her power to heal her ailing grandson. But, I am sure that most will agree with me that "all things have a fervent love for one another for 'love will cover a multitude of sins'" (1 Peter 4:8).
In the story A Worn Path, Eudora Welty shows an old woman living in a time period where racial prejudice is rampant and out of control. Phoenix Jackson is a grandmother whose only motivation for living is to nurture her grandson back to health. The strength of love may make people do or say unusual and implausible things. The central idea of this story is that love can empower someone to over come many life-threatening obstacles. The idea is shown when an old woman conquers all odds against her to show her everlasting love for her grandson. Throughout the story Phoenix Jackson has to overcome many types of obstacles that hinder her in her devotion to help her grandson.
Sykes, Dennis J. "Welty's The Worn Path." Explicator 56.3 (1998): 151. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 26 Apr. 2011.
Welty, Eudora. ?The Worn Path.? Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs. 6th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: PH, 2001. 150-155.
In Eudora Welty’s, “A Worn Path” Phoenix Jackson went great lengths risking her own life for her grandson, who couldn’t help himself. On her worn path she faced the world with courage. Although she faced difficulty in her early life, her faith remained the same to help those who were dear to her heart. She walk a worn path relentlessly facing obstacles along the way with a mind that is diminishing overtime. Through the problems that she is faced with, she remains humble. She is admirable because considering her old age, weakness and loss of memory, she is determined. Welty’s details of character, symbolism, conflict and theme creates a compelling and fierce Phoenix Jackson. The moral message in this short story is to show the setting and characterizations