Life’s Struggles The use of short stories in literature have been used to teach readers about alliterations, metaphors and similes. The Worth Path, by Eudora Welty, teaches the reader about these literary terms using a tenacious elderly African American grandmother. Welty uses the path that grandmother Phoenix Jackson travels, to procure medicine for her grandson, to bring metaphors and similes to life in the story. Eudora Welty uses symbolism in her story to show the determination and spirit enable a person to endure no matter how difficult the journey. Welty quickly starts the story by using alliteration to teach the reader that Phoenix is elderly, “she was very old and small and she walked slowly in the dark pine shadows, moving a little from side to side in her steps.” (Kirszner). Sher further paints the character as elderly by using simile as describing the patterns of her skin on her forehead as the branches of a tree. The use of these literary terms in short stories allow readers to quickly understand the meanings of their stories. The Worn Path also shows the reader some insight on the struggle of recently free black slaves after the Civil War. Phoenix’s encounter with a hunter leads the reader to believe he is a white man by the way he speaks to her. Dennis Sykes quotes in his analysis of A Worn …show more content…
One such occasion is when she sits down to rest and peers up through the tree above her and sees mistletoe. Welty again creates an allusion, mistletoe is also known as “Wood of the Holy Cross”. David Piwinski states that the mistletoe personifies human qualities in the language of flowers by being symbolic for love and affection (Piwinski). Welty leads the reader to associate Phoenix with the mistletoe by creating the allusion that Phoenix shows love and affection for the grandson she is making the trip
“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.
The mythological story "A Worn Path” is of tales and figures, the most considerable, being the legend of the phoenix. There are numerous symbols and allusions brought about in the story relating to the legend of the phoenix. The phoenix is a bird that comes from Egyptian mythology. The best analogy of the phoenix is a magnificent bird. The phoenix has astonishing powers. It has the knack to materialize and vanish in the blink of an eye. The myth states the phoenix travels to the sun. The sun gives the phoenix it powers. The heat incinerates the bird. The bird is reborn from the ashes. From her name along with appearance to her action and the symbolism throughout the story, Phoenix Jackson is the manifestation of the phoenix (bird).
“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.
The title, "A Worn Path," is not only the actual path Phoenix travels throughout the story, but it also stands for the road blacks have walked on in order to reach freedom. Slaves had to walk many paths in order to escape their owners and the paths led to the freedom away from their plantations. Many slaves escaped plantations by walking all day and all night in wretched
“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.
The short story “A Worn Path” is written by Eudora Welty. Eudora Welty uses a lot of symbolism in her story. The major character in the story is Phoenix Jackson. She is a static character who is old and determined to get her to do list accomplished. Phoenix Jackson is a coloured woman from the south. She uses her resources around her to make things such as an apron. Phoenix uses sugar sacks to make her apron. She is very thankful and fortunate when she gets money. She buys things for her grandson when she gets money.
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.
In “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty, the main protagonist, Phoenix Jackson, experiences a series of obstacles on her pursuit to acquire vital medication for her grandson. Phoenix is constantly delayed by delusions caused by the consequences of a shadowing past. The author uses a plethora of symbolism to create an emblematic explanation which connects the events on her trek to town, and her dark past as a slave. Her asperous memories, create a safety harness of delusions causing Phoenix to become caught between two realities: One that is burdened and realistic, and another that is imaginary and innocent.
Today we will be talking about the different literary references used throughout Eudora Welty’s “A Worn Path”. I will explain and decode different techniques used by the author throughout her story. The story is of an old southern African American woman, named Phoenix Jackson, making her way into to town to pick up her grandsons medication from the doctor’s office. But this is no normal old woman. She cannot see and is picking her way with a cane to make her way across a barrage of obstacles. Throughout her journey she comes upon different characters and situations, from these events we will draw our interpretations of the symbolism embedded within the tale.
In “A Worn Path” colors are used to emphasize the depth and breadth of the story, and to reinforce the parallel images of the mythical phoenix and the protagonist Phoenix Jackson. Eudora Welty’s story is rich with references to colors that are both illustrative and perceptive, drawing us in to investigate an additional historical facet of the story.
Through the character of Phoenix Jackson in “A Worn Path” Welty produces a picture of an aging African-American woman in the Jim Crow South. In “A Worn Path” we learn of the hardships Jackson faces on her weekly journey for medicine to sooth the pain of her grandson. Welty conveys these hardships by giving the reader insight into the physical health, the mental health, and the socio-economic status of Jackson. In “A Worn Path,” Phoenix Jackson’s physical age inhibits both her journey through the woods and life.
'A Worn Path' is the tale of the unstoppable love and care of a grandmother for her grandchild. Phoenix Jackson is Eudora Welty's main character and protagonist in A Worn Path.? Phoenix is an old, frail woman who attempts to proceed on a long and treacherous journey through the woods to Natchez. Phoenix strives forward despite frequent obstacles in her way that include her own failing health and her grandchild's slim chance of survival. As she takes this prolonged trek across the woods, many of her characteristics are revealed. Her tenacity, senility, and consideration that she displays throughout her long worn path emphasize her character.
Eudora Weltys A Worn Path is a story that emphasizes the natural symbolism of the surroundings. The main character in the story, Phoenix Jackson, is an old black woman who seeks out to find medicine for her sick nephew. This story contains a motif, which is the continuous walking of Phoenix Jackson throughout her journey. She lives in the pinewoods and faces the challenging experience of walking through the snowy, frozen earth to get to the hospital in the city of Natchez. Phoenix Jackson is a very caring person, and is in love with life. Although she is very old, it seems that she has many years ahead of her. Eudora Welty brings realism into the story describing the realities of being old.