The old lady, despite her age and difficulty to walk, is determined to get to town to get medicine for her sick grandson. She uses her “ thin and small cane made from an umbrella” to get around. The narrator clearly explains the condition of the “deep and still” woods and how they prevent her from advancing: “ Something always take a hold of me on this hill – pleads I should stay.” Thorny bushes would grasp her dress, trapping her. But her steadfastness continued on as she dangerously crossed the log across the creek where she could have easily fallen regarding her physical state. “I wasn’t as old as I thought.” She would say.
One of the first obstacles she runs into is the hill. Every time she comes to climb the hill, Phoenix says it seems like there are "chains about my feet" (Welty, “Path” 1). This hill symbolizes the hard life that Phoenix has had to travel and sacrifice in order to get what she wants. Because she was very old and small and she walked slowly (“Path” 1). After overcoming this first obstacle and on her trip down the hill, "a bush caught her dress" (Welty, “Path” 2).
In the short story, “A Worn Path” Phoenix Jackson, the main character, is an elderly lady who lives in the country and walks mils to get to the city to receive medicine for her grandson. Unfortunately for Phoenix, many obstacles hinder her on her walk to the city. The restrictions that cause problems for Phoenix on her trip to the city are her age, the environment, racism, and her mental health. Phoenix’s age causes her many problems on her travel to receive medicine for her grandson. “Phoenix’s eyes were blue with age and her skin had branching wringles as if she had a branching tree on her forehead.” The white hunger asked her “how old are you, Granny?” and she replied “there is no telling mister, no telling.” These are two quotes directly from the short story “A Worn Path” that describe Phoenix’s age.
She lives in a small community who travels through the fields and wilderness to get medicine for her sick grandchild. It is a cold December day and when the Earths ground is slippery and unknown; she still finds the determination and will power to travel the distance from the love she feels within. A phoenix is a strong-willed bird, which often represents ‘a rise from the ashes’ or rebirth, and also symbolizes inner strength and a long life. The main character, Phoenix, shows these characteristics as she makes her journey. Although she is old and fragile, she never gives up.
The Grapes of Wrath Essay Ma’s Perseverance as a Key to Survival By Kate Mineeva "In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins- not through strength but by perseverance." H. Jackson Brown When struggling for survival, perseverance is the key to lifting yourself up in the face of difficulties. In his novel The Grapes of Wrath, the writer John Steinbeck presents Ma as a central, authoritative heroine, whose position as the matriarch of the family lets her to take over control and display perseverance in her actions to lead her family through the difficult times. During the course of the novel, Ma is determined to maintain wholeness of her family and create strong bonds within; her humane traits and strong
Kendall Madoo 2-02-12 Period 1 In the “the worn path” the protagonist, Phoenix, goes through her journey towards town to get medicine for her grandson. Her journey is block by many obstacles, yet she over comes it because of her determination to get through life. Phoenix’s journey is similar to everyone’s life for how we have to overcome or adapt to the obstacles in our way to get to things that we want. Phoenix faces many obstacles, some that can be overcome and others that she couldn’t overcome. Many people can relate to this lady’s journey, that they had obstacles maybe not as the same, but had a difficulty just like it.
Kristine Paulus Return Journey “A Worn Path” October 3, 2011 Phoenix continues on her footsteps with her cane on the narrow road ahead of her. She slowly wipes the tears from her aged eyes filled with joy and satisfaction. Then she looks at the medicine and says “oh child grandma is coming home, I’ll soon be there”. She looks up to the sky and say “thank you Lord for guiding my footsteps to get this medicine for my ill grandson”. “Tap tap tap” she repeats constantly as she heads south to her destination to the toy store.
She battled for women's rights and made it her personal responsibility to ensure someday women would be treated as equals. Alice should be looked at as not only a feminist, suffragist and political strategist, but as an incredibly important personal role model with great personal accountability. When asked why she dedicated her entire life to women's equal rights she replied, "When you put your hand to the plow, you can't put it down until you get to the end of the row", which truly embodies the essence of her infallible personal
“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.
Women in the 1800s were considered weak links; they were supposed to depend fully on their husbands for survival. Many women are exceptions for this “belief”. In the Count of Monte Cristo a novel written by Alexandre Dumas, the characters Valentine, Mercedes, and Haydee are portrayed as strong women. Each of these women are portrayed as strong individuals in their own way, in a matter that some are consistent and some ahead of their time. To begin with, Valentine demonstrates being a strong woman in a positive manner.