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Phoenix Jackson, Walking The Worn Path

The ending of the story is indeterminate and you do not know how long grandma Jackson can continue making her trip to town or if her grandson is actually able to survive and lead a long life.
             Grandma Phoenix deals with many different forms of conflict throughout the story. She struggles to make her way to town for her grandson sacrificing and risking her own self. Mrs. Jackson deals with man versus man conflict when the hunter pointed his gun at her and intimidated her with his dog. Phoenix contends with nature as she struggles to free herself from a thorn bush, and she does not want to rip her dress. She talks to the bush stating "Thorns, you doing your appointed work. Never want to let folks pass, no sir. Old eyes thought you was a pretty little green bush" However, she manages to free herself from the thorn bush. She also has to deal with a stray dog that gets in her patch and prevents her from moving forward. Grandma Phoenix contends with society when she sees the shiny nickel fall out of the hunter's bag, when the hunter becomes preoccupied with the strange dog she reaches down and grabs the nickel even though she knows she is stealing in front of god. The reason she steals becomes evident as at the end of the story she decides to buy her grandson a paper windmill as a present, even though she stole she still did it all for her grandson. Eudora Welty may have been using a symbol from another classic book as this criticism states "Welty has created through Phoenix a modern Don Quixote. Her grandson's sparring with the windmills will be his quest for freedom, for equality in this new world that has been opened up for him". (The Explicator pg. 152) Grandma Phoenix has to deal with herself and her own old age while making her trek to the city for her grandson's medicine. 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.


Essays Related to Phoenix Jackson, Walking The Worn Path

1. A Worn Path and I Used to Live Here Once

... for her grandson makes it conceivable for him to get the help he needs. As explained by Cummings, the Natchez Trace is an overland trail between Nashville, Tennessee, and Natchez, Mississippi. In the early 1800s, it was a "worn path" that promoted progress (Cummings, 2011). Phoenix walking this particular pass represents the progress she made going from point A to point B, and her determination ... two stories between the characters is the number of characters. The point of view is the biggest part of each story. Eudora Welty offers her story of "A Worn Path" in third-person limited o...

  • Word Count: 2068
  • Approx Pages: 8
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

2. Phoenix Jackson in A Worn Path

... be a good reason for that. In the winter, we are faced with the most amount of weather obstacles. When Phoenix walks on the path, she has to face many obstacles, including weather. The fact that she is able to overcome the weather obstacles shows how much perseverance she has. By giving a character the name Phoenix, Welty helped reveal and shape the true character of Phoenix Jackson. Weather one just one of many ... ."" (Welty, 687) Phoenix didn't want to rip her dress because she was going into town and she wanted to look nice and neat. She slowly untangled her dress from the thorn bush...

  • Word Count: 1236
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

3. The Actions Of Eudora Welty's "A Worn Path"

... 's "A Worn Path" has actions similar to the actions of a Phoenix. Phoenix Jackson is a old women walking through the woods to get to town for her grandson. Phoenix Jackson is intruded with so many obstacles ,but she keeps going on. A Phoenix is a bird that lived forever by regenerating itself. The similarities of Phoenix Jackson and a phoenix are shown in so many ways. Phoenix Jackson in "A Worn Path" is worthy of her name through her background, description, and characteristics. The background of a Phoenix ... reflect upon the background of Phoenix Jackson. "The Phoenix ... ...

  • Word Count: 652
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

4. A Worn Path by Eudora Welty

... powerful feelings and with love, one can overcome and do things never thought possible. In Eudora Welty's "A Worn Path", Phoenix Jackson uses the power and strength of love to overcome many physical and mental obstacles. When walking the long path towards town, Phoenix Jackson comes across the obstacle of her physical being. She is very old and her sight is bad, but still she trudges on using an umbrella as her ... cane. Many obstacles tried her. One such described by Welty as, "a barbed wire fence. There she had to creep and crawl(88)". That is one of the many things that ... an old w...

  • Word Count: 701
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

5. Taking the Easy Road

... the perseverance that will be necessary to pioneer the path this traveler has chosen. In analyzing Welty's character development, the reader is very quickly able to gather that "Phoenix Jackson's walk to Natchez demonstrates her will to persevere in a sometimes hostile world" (Cummings, n.d.). The reader discovers the odds that Phoenix is up against within her surroundings. The scene opens with the ... walking down the easy path. While all are presented options in life to take the simple journey or the journey that requires perseverance, it is the latter that yields the greatest returns i...

  • Word Count: 2554
  • Approx Pages: 10
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

6. A Worn Path and A Jury of Her Peers

... Worn Path" and Susan Glaspell's "A Jury of Her Peers," are both short stories rife with symbolism. Welty's story is about the journey of an old African American woman named Phoenix Jackson, who endures many obstacles walking through the woods to the town of Natchez to get her grandson medication. Glaspell's much longer story is about two women, a farm woman, Mrs. Peters, and the sheriff ... relationship she had with her husband, as is evident in the condition of her home, something a woman normally takes pride in but the lawyer points out the "[d]irty towels! Not much of a housekeeper, ...

  • Word Count: 1059
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

7. A Worn Path

Eudora Welty's "A Worn Path" begins as a simple story of an old woman walking through the woods to town. Phoenix Jackson, the main character, faces many challenges and obstacles while walking to Natchez. Suspense and wonder is aroused in the reader as to why Phoenix would go through so much trouble to get to Natchez. The introduction of the detail about her invalid grandson at the end of the story creates power as well as respect ... an important mission. In most genres of literature the exposition is expected at the beginning of a work. In "A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty, the exposition is fou...

  • Word Count: 421
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

8. A Worn Path

"A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty, is the tale of the unstoppable love and care 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 ... of nothing...you take my advice and stay home, and nothing will happen to you." Not even these words from the hunter could make Phoenix give up, always getting her...

  • Word Count: 863
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

9. A Worn Path

"A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty, is the tale of the unstoppable love and care 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 ... of nothing...you take my advice and stay home, and nothing will happen to you." Not even these words from the hunter could make Phoenix give up, always getting her...

  • Word Count: 813
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

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