Symbolism is the use of conventional or traditional signs in the representation of divine beings and spirits. For example, when people say “Life is a roller coaster.” In this metaphorical symbol the person doesn’t actually mean that life is a roller coaster, it’s a figure of speech, which indicates that life has its ups and downs. Another example could be the colors; as everyone is aware that black indicates death, white for purity, and red for danger or passion, purple being the royal color, yellow for violence and lastly blue for peace. Animals have a symbol of something as well; the dove represents peace, lamb innocence and the snake evil, according to The Bible. As you can see, symbolism is to be found usually anywhere.
A Worn Path is a short story about an old Negro woman, Phoenix Jackson, who has a routine. She lives in a village far outside of town. Phoenix has to face obstacles to get to her destination, Natchez. She overlooks through many impediments as she continues with her journey. She bumps into animals, falls into a ditch, and gets stop by a white hunter. Phoenix doesn’t let anything halt her. She is determined to arrive to Natchez. Natchez is a town, in which Phoenix obtains medicine for her extremely ill grandson. Her grandson’s throat stopped functioning properly due to the cause of him swallowing lye a while back. Phoenix is capable of sacrificing herself in order not to lose her only family, her grandson.
In Eudora Welty’s story “A Worn Path”, symbolic contents are found in numerous ways. In this short story the main character, Phoenix Jackson, symbolizes a mythological bird. A mythical bird is a bird that is said to live after 500 years. In the article, “Symbolism in ‘A Worn Path’ by Eudora Welty”, Abu states...
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...The trip to town has a symbolic form of pilgrimage. In the article, "'A Worn Path' by Eudora Welty: Symbols and themes." it implies, "Worn Path is symbolic for the pilgrimages made by all pilgrims who are on a quest." Phoenix is symbolized as a pilgrim, because she is on a quest. She has to overlook obstacles and cross the woodlands, just to get to town.
Works Cited
123helpme Editors. ‘Symbolism in A Worn Path.’ 123helpme. N.p., n.d. Web.17 Mar 2014.
Beller, Michele. “’A Worn Path’ by Eudora Welty: Symbols and themes.” Yahoo! Voices. Yahoo, Inc. 29 Nov 2008. Web.17 Mar 2014.
Cumings, 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. N.p., n.d. Web.17 Mar 2014.
Noelle M. “Symbolism in Eudora Welty’s ‘A Worn Path’” Studymode, N.p., Oct. 2012. 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
Bartel, Roland. “Life and Death in Eudora Welty’s “A Worn Path.’” USA: Harcourt Brace and Company, 1998. 45-48
This story is so simple but tells more than just an old African American trip to town for medicine for her grandson. But from a great insight, Phoenix Jackson developed a sense of responsibility toward her grandson, who actually might be the only person in her life. The moral of the story tells about an old African American woman named Phoenix Jackson who was taking a journey from her home into town to seek some medication for her ill grandson. During this journey, the story describes Phoenix Jackson facing struggles and obstacles against her eye sight and old age, as well as nature’s obstacles, thorn bushes and barbed wire. Through these obstacles, Phoenix Jackson is able to depict her poetic view of the world through symbolism.
“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.
Word Press editor. “An Analysis of Eudora Welty’s ‘A Worn Path’”. Word press. N.P., April 12,2013. Web. 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.
... on foot and that alone is hard as it is. Eudora Welty shows her theme that with an adequate amount of determination and confidence we can tackle any problem or obstacle that is thrown our way and go the extra mile to reach our objective that we had set. Of course being restrained by time and age, Phoenix still fights and steps forward to a goal which is very significant to her heart; she doesn’t allow any barrier get in her way. Phoenix Jackson being the main character of “A Worn Path” is clear
Phoenix Jackson in Eudora Welty's "A Worn Path" has been compared to the mythological phoenix because of her birdlike qualities, and it's also been noticed that Phoenix possesses many of the same characteristics as Christ. But, what hasn't been addressed is the fact that Eudora Welty didn't just leave the symbolism to Christ alone. Welty also included many biblical allusions as well. Phoenix Jackson is not only symbolic of the mythological bird that rose from the ashes of its own demise or simply a Christ figure comparable to the Son of God, but she is also a biblical hero facing temptation and trials along her journey and succeeds unharmed and steadfast in her faith.
There are also mental obstacles that obstruct Phoenix’s journey. She has to triumph over her weariness because of her old age and her mental fatigue. As she is walking her mind plays tricks on her, such as the time when she is in the field and mistakes the scarecrow for a dark mysterious figure that she is frightened of. Another time is when she talks to herself and the animals in the woods. She tells them not to get in her way because she has a long trip ahead of her. The love that one person gives to another is never truly appreciated until the recipient realizes what that person has actually done. The grandson may be too ill or even too young to realize what his grandmother is doing for his safety.
Mansfield proved no matter how egotistic and pompous a person is, no one wants to hear someone talking in regards to them negatively. In the reader of “Miss Brill” opinion, the moral of the story is treat others the way they would like to be treated. On the contrary in Eudora Welty’s “A Worn Path”, though the protagonist’s journey was considered dangerous and ludicrous, Phoenix Jackson still made her journey. She was able to get her grandson’s medicine and also buy him a toy, due to the ignorance of others. The apologue of this story is love conquers all, never underestimate anyone, and always believe in
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.
Phoenix's precarious journey may seem dangerous, but her determination is what carries her through the obstacles she faces as she makes her way through the woods. Phoenix makes her way across the worn path and discovers many active opponents. She continues forward over barriers that would not even be considered a hindrance for the young. The long hill that she takes tires her, the thornbrush attempts to catch her clothes, the log that Phoenix goes across endangers her balance as she walks across it, and the barbed-wire fence threatens to puncture her skin. All of these impediments that Phoenix endures apparently do not affect her because she is determined that nothing will stop her on her journey. She keeps proceeding onward letting nothing deter her determination. ?The hunter(tm)s attempt to instill fear in Phoenix, a fear she disposed of years ago as she came to terms with her plight in society, fail (Sykes 151). She ?realizes that the importance of the trip far exceeds the possible harm that can be done to her brittle ...
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