A Worn Path
The short story I read "A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty, is the tale of the unstoppable love and care of a grandmother for her grandson. It tells a story of determination of Phoenix Jackson "an elder Negro woman" and how she walks a journey through the woods and fields on her way to town to get medicine for her chronically ill grandson. As she begins her journey, she talks to herself and warns, "Out of my way, all you foxes, owls, beetles, jack rabbits, coons and wild animals!...Keep out from under these feet, little bob-whites...Keep the big wild hogs out of my path" (Welty 306), because as she says, "I got a long way" (Welty 306). She has taken several times before, and now "The time come around"(Welty 309), and she must travel it again. "Her eyes were blue with age. Her skin has a pattern all its own of numberless branching wrinkles" (Welty 306). "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, with the balanced heaviness and lightness of a pendulum in a grandfather clock" (Welty 306). The description of Phoenix Jackson and how she is walking through her journey at the beginning of the story symbolizes how difficult this trip is for her and what she
is facing as an elderly woman such as herself for her unstoppable love and care of her grandson. She supports herself with a cane, striving not to fall with every step she takes just adds to her difficulties. Phoenix is determined to go down that path despite anything that might come between her and getting the medicine for her grandson. Her actions and desire show that body may be worn out, but the attitude that she takes and desire that she has for the crying hand of her grandson are n! First, she has to face an uphill climb. Then, she goes downhill but soon finds herself tangled with a bush. She response to the bush saying "Thorns, you doing your appointed work. Never want to let folks pass no sir. Old eyes thought you was a pretty little green bush" (Welty 307), and manages to free herself from the thorn bush. During the journey she walks across a log with her eyes closed, which is as daring as it comes in the journey. After words Phoenix has a little bit of humor for herself and tells herself "I wasn't as old as I thought" (Welty 307). Eventually, a hunter comes along and helps her get up. He also tries to prevent her from finishing her journey by telling Phoenix that her journey is to far and then tells her "Now go home, Granny!" (Welty 309)
Some common words found in the essay are:
Phoenix Jackson, Granny Welty, Eudora Welty, , welty 306, welty 307, phoenix jackson, unstoppable love care, welty 309, phoenix reaches, unstoppable love, love care,
Approximate Word count = 855
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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