Conflicts’ and Setting “a Worn Path”

The story “A Worn Path” written by Eudora Welty takes place in the 40’s and is of an elderly Negro woman who makes her way on a familiar journey into town to obtain some medicine for her young grandson. In this story, Welty describes scenarios where Phoenix Jackson faces many conflicts, while heading to the rural part of town, with nature and society all while enduring her physical conflicts that make taking this journey a little more challenging than someone in their earlier years of age. I will be describing the many conflicts’ the character has to succumb and how the setting plays a vital role in helping us to visualize the obstacles she may have to endure. Specifically, Phoenix Jackson is “very old and small and she walked slowly” (Welty, 643) and is on the brinks of losing her sanity. Given the time this story was wrote, this would make Phoenix’s age somewhere around 80 – 100. Physical restrictions make it very difficult to get to town timely and in this case have taken an entire day just to reach her destination. In addition to Phoenix’s pace that affected her ability to reach town timely, an example of Phoenix’s conflict with her age is when she sits down for a rest, without closing her eyes and she “sees” a little boy bringing her a piece of marble cake and even responds to him, “that would be acceptable.” (Welty, 644) Another reference is made towards Phoenix’s age and question of sanity when she gets through the fence and begins questioning the “ghost”, which is nothing more than a scarecrow. (Welty, 645) Once Phoenix reaches town, the simple act of tying her own shoe is a conflict when she asks a lady to tie them for her. Finally, upon entering the building, she loses her memory for just a second. Being questioned by the condescending nurse about her reasoning for being there, she can’t quite figure it out until a nurse who recognizes her as “Aunt Phoenix” (Welty, 648) reminds her of her sick young grandson and how he swallowed lye years before. “My