An Evaluation Of Eudora Welty’S “ A Worn Path”

353 Words2 Pages
An evaluation of Eudora Welty’s “ A Worn Path” Eudora Welty’s “ A Worn Path” deserves respect and admiration among such literary works of the same genre. Its worth is found in Eudora’s use of point of view, symbolism and similes. Point of view helps bring a good reputation to the work “A Worn Path”. The story is told from a third-person limited point of view, which allows the reader to know everything about one character. Additionally, this allows the reader to empathize with Phoenix, because her thoughts and actions are shown. Yet, in third-person, the reader is allowed to view Phoenix from a distance, and thereby see her as others see her. Simply, this kind of narration holds the reader’s focus; therefore, the reader does not feel confused and judge on the work without misunderstanding. The use of symbolism contributes in achieving the story its worth. Using symbolism makes the work stronger because it stimulates the reader to figure out what these symbols stand for. The most obvious symbol in the story is Phoenix Jackson’s comparison to the mythological bird, the phoenix. Dressed in vivid colors, Phoenix’s resilience is underscored by her comparison with a bird that rises from the ashes every 500 years. This example from the story emphasizes its worth. Similes increase the literary value of the work. Similes are direct comparisons that use words such as “like” or “as” to link the two ideas. One such simile in this story occurs in the description of Phoenix Jackson’s face. The narrator describes her cane as being limber as a buggy whip. Other similes in the story appeal to various senses, such as smell: she gave off perfume like the red roses in the summer. In using similes, Eudora makes vivid comparisons that help the reader form a mind’s eye picture of the action. In conclusion, the worth of this work is achieved by
Open Document