After overcoming this first obstacle and on her trip down the hill, "a bush caught her dress" (Welty, “Path” 2). She says that the thorns are "doing your appointed work" and that they "Never want to let folks pass- no sir" (Welty, “Path” 2). This is a personal loss because it is her favorite dress that has been tore by what she thought was a pretty little green bush. However, after struggling against them, Phoenix "trembling all over" stands "free" (Welty, “Path” 2). Phoenix was held up by the thorn bush and she sacrifices her own body from the pain she endures, but that won’t stop her from keep on moving.
In stories, usually, we think of our traditional hero as a young and strong undefeatable man. In Eudra Welty’s short story “A Worn Path”, it is obviously not the case. Pheonix Jackson, an old shortsighted poor woman may not look as our traditional hero but she goes through a series of events where she displays all the qualities of one. At the start of her journey, we can easily perceive Phoenix’s steadfastness through the woods up a hill. The old lady, despite her age and difficulty to walk, is determined to get to town to get medicine for her sick grandson.
Techniques from the anthology “Sometimes Gladness” by Bruce Dawe Drifters: “Drifters” - means always being on a physical journey; never staying, always moving with no fixed destination; no end in sight “One day soon” - future tense; prediction. “the brown kelpie pup will start dashing about”, “the oldest girl is close to tears”, “the youngest girl is beaming” - juxtaposition; shows difference in perspective. Older girl symbolises perspective of ones with maturity and wisdom who ache for roots and stableness while youngest girl and pup symbolises naivety and how their perspective differs from the former “green tomatoes” - symbolism of unfinished business; incomplete “bottling set she never unpacked” - high modality; shows mothers resignation; gives background; shows that this is not their first move and will not be their last. “last shrivelled fruit” - communicates the family's departure and the emotion of sadness and loss that comes with it; contrasts with the bright berries and shows that the mum's wish was not granted. “won't even ask why” - familiarity; resignation, once again.
Also, the author describes Phoenix’s skin as having “a pattern all its own of numberless branching wrinkles as though a whole little tree stood in the middle of her forehead…” (Welty). All of these examples tie back with the long lifespan of a phoenix. Jackson’s whole mission in this story is to receive and deliver medicine for her grandson. “She makes these trips as regular as clockwork” (Welty). Just like the mythological phoenix rising every day, Phoenix Jackson consistently rises up to the challenge of taking a long journey to aid her grandson.
Kim Adams Professor Jones English Comp II 20 September 2012 IT’S NOT THE DESTINATION, IT’S THE JOURNEY In Eudora Welty’s story “A Worn Path” about an elderly black woman making a long journey, I realized this journey she is making is the biggest and, perhaps most important, journey of her life. In this story Phoenix Jackson takes a worn path to the city every year to get medicine for her sick grandson. Throughout her journey she comes across many obstacles; animals in the wild, a harassing hunter, untied shoelaces, and snippety nurses. In spite of all these obstacles she carries on and trudges through her journey to get to her destination. (Welty, 1941) We would all be wise to take a lesson from Phoenix on carrying on through the tough
“A Worn Path” Essay Eudora Welty's "A Worn Path" is a story about an old black woman who must hunt medicine for her sick nephew. Phoenix Jackson, the protagonist, must travel from the pinewoods where she lives and attempt to fight through the blizzarding cold to reach the hospital at the closest neighboring city of Natchez where she intends to find help. In this story, Welty exemplifies the concept that people can, and do overcome the trials and tribulations of life with the lasting hope and strength provided by loved ones. Here, it is the jeopardizing health issue of her nephew and ultimately her love for him that keeps her going. Welty illustrates this concept with her use of symbolism, dialogue, and conflict of the characters.
In this passage, the writer successfully helps the reader to know more about Alison Hargreaves by describing her difficult decision, the conditions on K2, and her ambitions. The writer also makes use of the opinion from her fellow climbers, her feelings about her family, and various language techniques. In the first paragraph, Alison’s difficult decision is described as the ‘toughest decision’ of her career, and she has failed in two summit bids. This shows that Alison is a fearless person as even she has failed so many times, she still hopes to try again. The writer uses ‘utterly torn’ to describe Alison, which shows that her moods are entangled, and show her desperate in facing the choice of whether to decide to stay with her family or continue chasing her dream.
Symbolism “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty has been praised by readers since it was published, for its simplicity and its depth. Welty uses quite a tremendous amount of symbolism throughout the story which allows the reader to connect with the protagonist, Phoenix Jackson, the events that unfold and the journey’s surroundings that take place in the story. The scenery that Welty wrote about is bursting with symbolism. This symbolism gives us insight into Phoenix’s character, the poverty that she lives in, and the hardships that she has to continually go through--old age. Welty is known to have cherished and be fond of mythological creatures, and is where she gets the name of the protagonist, Phoenix.
As I claw and climb my way to the top I suddenly remember that I have to be careful on my way down the other side. Just after the decent of the boulder is a gigantic tree root that sticks up from the ground like an evil under lord trying to grab your foot and pull you down. Once you make it past the evil root the path looks clear but don’t be fooled. I slowly mosey my way down the dirt path looking for the tree with a heart carved in it. As I approach it I know to tread carefully for at the tree is quicksand.
The prose extract takes about how the persona has gone back to her childhood backyard, which is rusty and aged, and her hours swinging on the clothes line and climbing trees. The persona takes about how she is not a child anymore and that sense of freedom has long left her as responsibilities and age seep into her. As the persona reminisces, there is a definite tone of regret and loss as she describes the backyard. One very powerful metaphor present, is the last line of the extract “unlikely the washing line could support me this time…too many things tying me to the ground”. This line is both literal and metaphoric.