Phoenix Jackson In Eudora Welty's A Worn Path

Eudora Welty, author of A Worn Path, formated her narrator so that it would not have any part in the story other than telling it. From this, the reader is able to characterize the protagonist, Phoenix Jackson, as a woman who is very determined and loving and focused on one goal, bring medicine home to help her sick grandson. As a reader, one can tell that Phoenix is a very determined grandmother, for she had to face many challenges in order to help her grandson. On lines 35 to 37 the author describes that in order to get to her destination, Phoenix must cross over a creek on a log. The way that the author describes her going across is that she levels her cane, and fiercely marches across the log. Within the first three lines, the author states that Phoenix is “an old Negro woman.” When a person ages, then they may not be able to do as many things as
they could as they were younger, so when Phoenix crosses on the log fiercely, this shows how determined she is to go to the city and receive the medicine. Another reason that proves that Phoenix is determined, is that on page thirteen line six, the story mentions, “then he laughed and lifted his gun and pointed it at Phoenix.” Further on, the white man questions Phoenix where she is headed and she responds, “No sir, I going to town.” The white man then adds, “Why, that’s too far...
Now you go on home, Granny.” In addition, the man laughed at Phoenix multiple times and even called her an old colored person, yet all those insults did not stop her. She was determined to travel to the city, so she did not let this man stop her. In addition to determination, Phoenix is very loving and caring. This is proven when the nurse talks to Phoenix and told her, “The doctor said as long as you cam to get it, you could have it, but it’s an obstinate case.” This shows the reader, that the reason Phoenix made her journey was to help her grandson who has a throat problem, for she had to come get the medicine because the doctor would not deliver it to her. This proves that Phoenix is a loving person due to the fact that she made a difficult journey, just to help try to heal her
grandson. Another act of kindness toward her grandson was when Phoenix had ten cents and could spend it on whatever she wanted, but instead on using it on herself, she used it to buy a paper windmill to make her grandson happy, meaning that she cared more about her grandson’s happiness then on anything for herself. The author uses a narrator that is not a character in the story, therefore showcasing all of Phoenix’s characteristics including how determined and loving she is.