Her interactions with white people and nature reveal character – she is at once determined, confused, and tired. She overcomes one real or imagined obstacle after another. This story is a portrait of Phoenix Jackson, an elderly southern black woman who makes an arduous journey into town to obtain medicine for her grandson. Vocabulary: Grave: serious Persistent: repeated continual Limber: flexible Obstinate: stubbornĦ “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty pp. Elements of the story mirror the structure of the hero’s quest archetype.ĥ “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty pp. Some of these obstacles are physical and some are societal. Phoenix Jackson, an elderly black woman in Depression-era Mississippi, faces a range of obstacles as she progresses through the landscape. 848-856Īs its title suggests, “A Worn Path” features a traveler on a familiar road. The hero’s quest symbolizes the larger journey of life.Ĥ “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty pp. The hero receives a boon, or benefit, that is used to help others.
The hero overcomes these obstacles, often with the aid of others, and often at great sacrifice. The hero encounters obstacles that test his or her character. Classic quest tales follow a certain structure and share certain elements: The hero is on a journey to obtain something of great value.
Literary Analysis: The hero’s quest is one archetypal plot structure. Literary Analysis: An archetype is a plot structure, character type, symbol, or idea that recurs in the literature or mythology of many different cultures across the world.ģ “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty pp. There are many instances where Phoenix relates to the landscape like another person.Ģ “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty pp. Introduction: Phoenix Jackson, the main character in this story, addresses the natural world as if it were an old acquaintance. And finally how the human spirit can endure, despite the forces of nature and society that would destroy it.1 “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty pp. That unselfish love inspires courage, compassion, and sacrifice. The moral that readers can take from the story is that love can become so deeply ingrained in the human heart that it becomes a habit that exists beyond conscious thought or reason. In this essay we analyzed how Eudora Welty’s “A Worn Path” explores the theme of perseverance and an example of symbolism from the story. Some of the obstacles are foreseen and most were surprises to her. She also encounters many obstacles along her path, from the thorns to the stream crossing, a racist hunter, a scarecrow, and the lone dog. Phoenix’s travels are spread over many kinds of surfaces, from sand, to wagon trails, to sidewalks. “A Worn Path” Prentice Hall: Literature, Grade 10, Part 2, Common Core Edition. The story can be thought of as a kind of road trip. “Seems like there is chains about my feet, time I get this far…Something always takes a hold of me on this hill-pleads I should stay.” (Welty, E. An example can be seen in the story’s title. Now we will explore one of the many examples of symbolism. Another thing the title also alludes to is the idea of life – Phoenix’s life in particular – It is seen as a journey that is made by repeated passage through and endurance of the world around her, and suggests that such endurance has a slow power that will ultimately leave behind a mark or “path” through that world. The story’s title, “A Worn Path”, alludes to the path Phoenix has walked many times before to Natchez to get medicine for her sick grandson. A theme worth noting is the perseverance and power Phoenix Jackson has. Although this was decades after the end of the Civil War and the emancipation of southern slaves, people in Mississippi were still suffering from the negative social and economic consequences the war brought. This story is set in Mississippi during the Great Depression of the 1930s. The points of analysis will explore the theme, examples of symbolism and the message or purpose Eudora Welty was trying to convey in the story. ‘A Worn Path’ is a novel by Eudora Welty.