The Theme of “A Worn Path”
The Theme of “A Worn Path”
Charlotte Schroeder
Ashford University
03/04/2013
ENG 125
Instructor Abby Forster
In the short story “A Worn Path”, the author Eudora Welty, created a strong theme of undying love with an old woman and her grandson. The main character in this story is called Phoenix; she is an old woman that is narrated from the author trying to make a long journey down a worn path to bring her sick grandson medicine. She will not let anything get in her way from completing her mission and will not give up even though she is not a young puppy anymore. She is the last living relative to her young grandson and she keeps strong to fulfill his needs and keep him happy. The author uses great symbolism in the short story throughout the entire story. Religion, racism, and true love all play a key role in the theme of “A Worn Path”; it has strong literary elements that take this story to higher limits. The story does not tell us where the mother is, however shows us how strong Phoenix is in her journey with characters making us know how bad racism is and how God is strong with her in her mission. Anyone that has children would not stop at anything to save them; Phoenix’s journey down a worn path proves it. This story is about a grandmother, Phoenix, walking through treacherous woods to get some medicine for her grandson that is sick that may or may not help him. The story is told in the third-person, “Third-person point of view which occurs when the speaker is not a participant in the story. It has two forms: omniscient point of view and objective point of view.” (Cited in Clugston, 2010) The author uses a narrative approach with the main character; it shows her thoughts and feelings throughout the entire story. She speaks to herself with a single purpose, devotion to her grandson in the doctor’s clinic. She must get to him at no cost since she is poor. The story’s theme is about undying love for a grandmother and
Charlotte Schroeder
Ashford University
03/04/2013
ENG 125
Instructor Abby Forster
In the short story “A Worn Path”, the author Eudora Welty, created a strong theme of undying love with an old woman and her grandson. The main character in this story is called Phoenix; she is an old woman that is narrated from the author trying to make a long journey down a worn path to bring her sick grandson medicine. She will not let anything get in her way from completing her mission and will not give up even though she is not a young puppy anymore. She is the last living relative to her young grandson and she keeps strong to fulfill his needs and keep him happy. The author uses great symbolism in the short story throughout the entire story. Religion, racism, and true love all play a key role in the theme of “A Worn Path”; it has strong literary elements that take this story to higher limits. The story does not tell us where the mother is, however shows us how strong Phoenix is in her journey with characters making us know how bad racism is and how God is strong with her in her mission. Anyone that has children would not stop at anything to save them; Phoenix’s journey down a worn path proves it. This story is about a grandmother, Phoenix, walking through treacherous woods to get some medicine for her grandson that is sick that may or may not help him. The story is told in the third-person, “Third-person point of view which occurs when the speaker is not a participant in the story. It has two forms: omniscient point of view and objective point of view.” (Cited in Clugston, 2010) The author uses a narrative approach with the main character; it shows her thoughts and feelings throughout the entire story. She speaks to herself with a single purpose, devotion to her grandson in the doctor’s clinic. She must get to him at no cost since she is poor. The story’s theme is about undying love for a grandmother and
References: A Worn Path, Edora Welty-Introduction. Critism. ED. Anna J. Sheets. Vol. 27 April, 2012 Retrieved from: http://www.enotes.com/worn-path-critcism/worn-path Clugston, R.W. (2010). Journey into literature. Retrieved from: https://content.ashford.edu Lappin, A. Studia Neophilologic June, 2012, Vol. 84 Issue 1, p33Retrieved from: http://www.ashford.edu/ehost/books