Subordinate Characters In A Worn Path

Subordinate characters, whose roles are seemingly unimportant, are critical in Richard Connell’s and Eudora Welty’s short story. A subordinate character often either motivates or challenges the protagonist to do something. The subordinate characters from “The Most Dangerous Game” and “A Worn Path” help the reader understand how the protagonist feels and believes. Both stories are similar since the subordinate characters help express the protagonist’s thoughts, mindsets, and characteristics. Within “The Most Dangerous Game” and “A Worn Path,” the author is able to express the protagonist’s thoughts. Connell uses subordinate character Zaroff, a general, who meets Rainsford and has an amicable personality; however, at dinner, he makes Rainsford
uncomfortable by “studying him [and] appraising him narrowly.” This is the first time within the story that Rainsford feels worried and thinks he might be getting into trouble. All over Zaroff’s walls, lie the heads of many animals that he has hunted, intimidating the protagonist. Later, Rainsford finds out that Zaroff has been hunting humans and disagrees with his idea. He is then challenged to a hunt where he becomes the prey. When Rainsford first hears that Zaroff is a murderer, he is shocked and thinks that Zaroff is the “bad guy.” He does not condone the idea of murder; however, in the end, the reader can infer that he kills Zaroff, meaning that he too is wrong. By adding Zaroff and his hunting experience, the reader is entertained while being informed that his actions affect Rainsford’s thoughts. Similarly, in “A Worn Path,” Welty introduces a white man. This white man tells Phoenix that she is too old to travel to town and she should “go on home.” Phoenix disregards his comment and replies saying that she is “bound to go to town” implying that she thinks that she can make it to town, even though someone advised her to discontinue on her journey. By adding the white man, Welty allows the reader to apprehend Phoenix’s thought and desire to reach the town. The usage of subordinate characters enhances the reader's knowledge of the protagonist’s thoughts. Subordinate characters allow the reader to understand the protagonist’s mindset. Connell first introduces Whitney by starting a dialogue between him and Rainsford. Whitney says to Rainsford that game have a “fear of pain and [a] fear of death.” When Rainsford hears this, he replies “nonsense” providing the reader information to understand his mindset of how animals do not fear pain or death. The author also provides intimations that someone or something is going to change Rainsford’s point of view. Later, Zaroff, the general, comes across Rainsford, and that night, they have a conversation about hunting. Zaroff states that he is bored with hunting; as a result, he finally came to the conclusion to hunt humans. Rainsford is shocked at Zaroff’s solution, and gets the tables turned against him when challenged to a hunt. Rainsford becomes terrified for his life since he is no longer a hunter, but the huntee, and realizes that animals fear pain and death, changing his initial beliefs. Zaroff and Whitney complement the story by allowing the reader to understand how their thoughts affect Rainsford’s mindset. Welty uses her subordinate characters in a similar way; however, the protagonist’s maintains the same mindset throughout the story. The white man points his gun directly at Phoenix, yet she stands there fearless. She then says to him that she must be on her way, showcasing her determined mindset. In the end of the story, Phoenix reaches the town and meets a nurse. The reader now knows why Phoenix travels all the way from home to town, to retrieve medicine for her ill grandchild. The nurse states that Phoenix must come to town in order to receive the medicine since no one would deliver it to her. This explains to the reader the impetus behind Phoenix’s determined mindset, it is either she travels and acquires the medicine or she watches her grandchild suffer. By using the information and actions provided by the subordinate characters, the reader is able to understand the protagonist’s mindset. Subordinate characters have the ability to help the reader characterize the protagonist since they are a part in the story.
In “The Most Dangerous Game,” Whitney points out an island with a bad reputation to Rainsford. With this information, Rainsford becomes curious as to why the island is labeled “Ship-Trap Island.” Crew members of the yacht worry and hope that the island passes quickly, enhancing Rainsford’s curiosity. Throughout the beginning and middle of the story Rainsford remains curious about the island since Whitney described it terrifyingly. Since the subordinate character explained the island to Rainsford, the protagonist’s curiosity sparked. This allows the reader to assume that Rainsford’s curiosity will cause something worrisome to happen. Next, in “A Worn Path,” Phoenix encounters many obstacles on her journey; however, it is these challenges that characterize her as a determined human. A bush catches on her dress yet she is determined that her dress does not tear. Later on, she comes across a man and he calls Phoenix “granny.” He then tries to influence her to head home, yet she continues. His taunting does not change her mind, instead she journeys on holding on to her determination. When she finally reaches the town, the nurse states that Phoenix has made this journey before. She explains that if Phoenix wants medicine to help her grandson feel better, she must travel to the town, as they would not deliver it to her. As the nurse says this, the reader is
able to comprehend the reason behind Phoenix’s determination is to help her relative. By using subordinate characters and inanimate objects to challenge the protagonist, the reader is able to identify Phoenix to be a determined person. Subordinate characters are a part of the story and have the ability to characterize the protagonist using dialogue, thus allowing the reader to comprehend the protagonist’s description. In both short stories, the author uses subordinate characters to help the reader to better understand the protagonist. Connell includes Whitney and Zaroff from “The Most Dangerous Game” to provide the reader with information about Rainsford. Likewise, in “A Worn Path,” the white man and nurse also inform the reader with intimations of who Phoenix is. While some subordinate characters are seemingly unimportant, they are critical and aid the reader to better understand the protagonist’s thoughts, mindsets, and characteristics.