Literary Analysis Essay On A Worn Path
Love: The Greatest Motive
In the story “A Worn Path” an elderly African-American woman named Phoenix Jackson embarks on a hackneyed journey that may seem effortless for most people, but is truly the epitome of all physical and psychological elements of overcoming anything in life. Before the story even begins one can recognize many ideas the story will elaborate on. For example, “A Worn Path” not only refers to its literal meaning of a path that has been worn down from being traveled on, but it also refers to the main character, Phoenix Jackson, being worn down herself from life. Phoenix Jackson overcomes mental and physical challenges throughout the story such as hallucinations, racial differences, bushes, creeks, provincial people, and …show more content…
she herself for a moment becoming jaded thus tying back into the title of “A Worn Path”.
The title of any story, let alone “A Worn Path” is the center of thought.
There is always a hundred ways to title a paper, but the author picks the one title for specific reasons. Double meanings and foils are evident throughout this entire story. The first meaning to the title “A Worn Path” is the obvious literal meaning. The route that Phoenix takes to the city of Natchez is very visible because it has been taken so many times before to retrieve medicine for Phoenix's ill grandson. “'How old are you, Granny?' he was saying. 'There is no telling, mister,' she said, 'no telling.'” Being so old it is not easy walking far, even small obstacles become big when you are physically weak. To overcome all these small obstacles Phoenix's mentality was very strong, which brings the idea of a second meaning to the the title “A Worn Path” mental exhaustion."It's the constant and determined effort that breaks down all resistance, sweeps away all obstacles." -Claude M. Bistol. Phoenix Jackson was determined to get the medicine her entire journey, but when she finally arrived at “the big building” she was silent for having forgotten what she was doing there. Miss Jackson was jaded from the journey and strayed off road, but soon remembered. Phoenix “makes these trips just as regular as clockwork” so getting to town was not part of her mental exhaustion, having to repeatably overcome obstacles is what made her
weary.
Blue eyes, racial and social distress, and natural and man made obstacles are the three biggest physical elements in the story. The setting of the story is just as, if not more, important than the title. This story could not have be justified in any other place or time period. Being in the midst of the depression and the abolition of slavery occurring not more than seventy years earlier both play a key role in the story. On her journey Phoenix meets two people that foil each other, the hunter and the lady that tied Phoenix's shoe. “I know you old colored people! Wouldn't miss going to town to see Santa Claus!” The man represents racial distress, although he isn't being completely prejudice he is still giving off a racial stereotype meanwhile discouraging Phoenix from completing her journey. On the other hand the woman that helps Phoenix tie her shoe represents social distress even though she doesn't not discourage Miss Jackson from traveling. The woman only ties Phoenix's shoe so that she can get on with her life. The man made obstacles in the story are the people and the dog that discourage her from continuing from the rest of her journey. An example of a natural obstacle is the thorny bush. The bush caught on to Phoenix's dress, and not wanting to tear her dress Phoenix patiently untangled herself from it. Phoenix's patience with the thorny bush symbolizes her patience with negative people. Phoenix know what she wants to do and how she is going to do it, and she isn't going to let anyone change her mind however, when people do try to persuade her she is courteous. Phoenix could easily ignore everyone she meets and blame her secluded lifestyle on the hardship she has experienced in her life, but instead she takes time to talk, reason, and listen to everyone. It is very uncommon to see a person of African-American decent with blue eyes (brown eyes are a very dominant gene) but, Phoenix Jackson had blue eyes. Her blue eyes represent the clarity she saw in the world; a blue crisp color that could see innocence in every situation. Miss Jackson was optimistic,a quality that everyone possesses, but most choose to hide. When faced with her grandson's sickness Phoenix went out for her grandson's medicine. She did it out of love and care and because she never thought about going on a long, treacherous journey and possibly coming home to find her grandson dead. Phoenix Jackson always thought “He going to last.” These three physical elements make the story so saturated with themes, morals, and symbols.
At one point in life, everyone encounters something that isn’t real. Like most people, Phoenix Jackson experienced symbolic hallucinations of her own thoughts that were always in the back of her mind. The fist hallucination she experienced was thinking a scarecrow was an actual man. “She shut her eyes, reached out her hand, and touched a sleeve. She found a coat and inside that an emptiness, cold as ice.” This represented Phoenix's loneliness and her feeling of emptiness when it came to companionship. The late Eudora Welty never talks about any other family Phoenix Jackson has beside her grandson and Phoenix lives in a secluded area so it is assumed her grandson is the only person Phoenix talks to. Another hallucination Miss Jackson has is of a young boy giving her some cake on a plate. The healthy boy giving her some cake represents Miss Jackson's want for her grandson to be healthy and to be the one taking care of her instead her taking care of him. The author, Eudora Welty, chose for the boy to give Phoenix a slice of marble cake which represents the boy boy giving Phoenix her own “soothing stuff”, peace of mind.
In essence, the elderly Phoenix Jackson must overcome mental and physical lassitude while traveling down a worn path to the town of Natchez to retrieve medicine for her sick grandson. Miss Jackson comes across different man made and natural challenges that try to hold her back or make her turn around, but Phoenix keeps persevering until she reaches her goal. All the while dealing with physical challenges Phoenix's physiological strength is tested is well. It is put to the test by hallucinations of a man and a boy with cake. The title “A Worn Path” refers to her physical and mental jadedness from multiple trips on the literal worn path. Bluntly, the entire story revolves around the title “A Worn Path” and leaves the reader with the real meaning of never giving up.
In the story “A Worn Path” an elderly African-American woman named Phoenix Jackson embarks on a hackneyed journey that may seem effortless for most people, but is truly the epitome of all physical and psychological elements of overcoming anything in life. Before the story even begins one can recognize many ideas the story will elaborate on. For example, “A Worn Path” not only refers to its literal meaning of a path that has been worn down from being traveled on, but it also refers to the main character, Phoenix Jackson, being worn down herself from life. Phoenix Jackson overcomes mental and physical challenges throughout the story such as hallucinations, racial differences, bushes, creeks, provincial people, and …show more content…
she herself for a moment becoming jaded thus tying back into the title of “A Worn Path”.
The title of any story, let alone “A Worn Path” is the center of thought.
There is always a hundred ways to title a paper, but the author picks the one title for specific reasons. Double meanings and foils are evident throughout this entire story. The first meaning to the title “A Worn Path” is the obvious literal meaning. The route that Phoenix takes to the city of Natchez is very visible because it has been taken so many times before to retrieve medicine for Phoenix's ill grandson. “'How old are you, Granny?' he was saying. 'There is no telling, mister,' she said, 'no telling.'” Being so old it is not easy walking far, even small obstacles become big when you are physically weak. To overcome all these small obstacles Phoenix's mentality was very strong, which brings the idea of a second meaning to the the title “A Worn Path” mental exhaustion."It's the constant and determined effort that breaks down all resistance, sweeps away all obstacles." -Claude M. Bistol. Phoenix Jackson was determined to get the medicine her entire journey, but when she finally arrived at “the big building” she was silent for having forgotten what she was doing there. Miss Jackson was jaded from the journey and strayed off road, but soon remembered. Phoenix “makes these trips just as regular as clockwork” so getting to town was not part of her mental exhaustion, having to repeatably overcome obstacles is what made her
weary.
Blue eyes, racial and social distress, and natural and man made obstacles are the three biggest physical elements in the story. The setting of the story is just as, if not more, important than the title. This story could not have be justified in any other place or time period. Being in the midst of the depression and the abolition of slavery occurring not more than seventy years earlier both play a key role in the story. On her journey Phoenix meets two people that foil each other, the hunter and the lady that tied Phoenix's shoe. “I know you old colored people! Wouldn't miss going to town to see Santa Claus!” The man represents racial distress, although he isn't being completely prejudice he is still giving off a racial stereotype meanwhile discouraging Phoenix from completing her journey. On the other hand the woman that helps Phoenix tie her shoe represents social distress even though she doesn't not discourage Miss Jackson from traveling. The woman only ties Phoenix's shoe so that she can get on with her life. The man made obstacles in the story are the people and the dog that discourage her from continuing from the rest of her journey. An example of a natural obstacle is the thorny bush. The bush caught on to Phoenix's dress, and not wanting to tear her dress Phoenix patiently untangled herself from it. Phoenix's patience with the thorny bush symbolizes her patience with negative people. Phoenix know what she wants to do and how she is going to do it, and she isn't going to let anyone change her mind however, when people do try to persuade her she is courteous. Phoenix could easily ignore everyone she meets and blame her secluded lifestyle on the hardship she has experienced in her life, but instead she takes time to talk, reason, and listen to everyone. It is very uncommon to see a person of African-American decent with blue eyes (brown eyes are a very dominant gene) but, Phoenix Jackson had blue eyes. Her blue eyes represent the clarity she saw in the world; a blue crisp color that could see innocence in every situation. Miss Jackson was optimistic,a quality that everyone possesses, but most choose to hide. When faced with her grandson's sickness Phoenix went out for her grandson's medicine. She did it out of love and care and because she never thought about going on a long, treacherous journey and possibly coming home to find her grandson dead. Phoenix Jackson always thought “He going to last.” These three physical elements make the story so saturated with themes, morals, and symbols.
At one point in life, everyone encounters something that isn’t real. Like most people, Phoenix Jackson experienced symbolic hallucinations of her own thoughts that were always in the back of her mind. The fist hallucination she experienced was thinking a scarecrow was an actual man. “She shut her eyes, reached out her hand, and touched a sleeve. She found a coat and inside that an emptiness, cold as ice.” This represented Phoenix's loneliness and her feeling of emptiness when it came to companionship. The late Eudora Welty never talks about any other family Phoenix Jackson has beside her grandson and Phoenix lives in a secluded area so it is assumed her grandson is the only person Phoenix talks to. Another hallucination Miss Jackson has is of a young boy giving her some cake on a plate. The healthy boy giving her some cake represents Miss Jackson's want for her grandson to be healthy and to be the one taking care of her instead her taking care of him. The author, Eudora Welty, chose for the boy to give Phoenix a slice of marble cake which represents the boy boy giving Phoenix her own “soothing stuff”, peace of mind.
In essence, the elderly Phoenix Jackson must overcome mental and physical lassitude while traveling down a worn path to the town of Natchez to retrieve medicine for her sick grandson. Miss Jackson comes across different man made and natural challenges that try to hold her back or make her turn around, but Phoenix keeps persevering until she reaches her goal. All the while dealing with physical challenges Phoenix's physiological strength is tested is well. It is put to the test by hallucinations of a man and a boy with cake. The title “A Worn Path” refers to her physical and mental jadedness from multiple trips on the literal worn path. Bluntly, the entire story revolves around the title “A Worn Path” and leaves the reader with the real meaning of never giving up.