of a grandmother for her grandchild. It tells a story of sheer determination

as Phoenix Jackson makes a long journey into town to get medicine for her

chronically ill grandson. She strives forward despite frequent obstacles in

her way that include her own failing health and the grandchild's slim chance

of survival. Phoenix Jackson is "an old Negro woman" who continues forward

over barriers that would not even be considered a hindrance for the young.

This is a journey which she has taken before, and now "the time come around"

she must travel it again. She begins her journey to town on "a bright frozen

day in the early morning" in December. Phoenix Jackson is "very old and

small ", and walks like the "pendulum in a grandfather clock" ever so

carefully with her "thin, small cane made from an umbrella."

The description of Phoenix Jackson at the beginning of this story gives the

reader a glimpse of how difficult this trip is going to be for an elderly

woman such as her. The description "Her eyes were blue with age. Her skin

has a pattern all its own of numberless branching wrinkles" are indi

the man says, "you must be a hundred years old, and scared of nothing...you

that she is too old, and even tries to scare her with his gun. At that point

isn't dead, is he?" Phoenix responds with, "No missy, he not dead, he just

out from under these feet, little bob-whites", because as she says, "I got a

shoe tops" along with "an equally long apron of bleached sugar sacks, with a

Some topics in this essay:
Phoenix Jackson's, Phoenix Jackson, Jackson Negro, Eudora Welty, phoenix jackson, medicine grandson, journey town, begins journey, phoenix reaches,