Harkness Worn Path
LIT- Ritchey
9/4/13
One Who’s Spirit Never Dies
Eudora Welty published “A Worn Path” in 1941. These years were the times after the Great Depression took place and many African- Americans and rural southerners were still in poverty. Along the path Phoenix Jackson takes, she encounters many problems and the story line becomes a series of challenges she must overcome, which mirror her conditions in society. The significance of the story is the way Phoenix Jackson must face racial discrimination as part of her everyday life. The story does not subjectively focus on this theme, but it does include it. For instance, the white hunter refers to her as Granny in an arrogant way. The attendant, and the nurse are likely white, for they also treat her condescendingly, the shopper calls her Grandma, and the nurse calls her Aunt Phoenix. Phoenix Jackson is an African- American small old woman. She is using a thin, small cane to walk. She wears a long, dark, striped dress and a long apron which meet her unlaced shoes. Her eyes were aging with blue and her skin showed multiple wrinkles. “Her skin had a pattern all of its own numberless branching wrinkles….” Her hair was wrapped in a red rag hanging down to her neck in ringlets. In “A Worn Path” there are many symbols and meanings. There is a scene with a white hunter asking her if she was afraid of the gun and her replying that she wasn’t. This symbolizes the Civil War. She was most likely involved in the Civil War in some way, therefore she has been around guns and is used to the sound they make while going off. Phoenix also steals a nickel from the hunter after he claims he does not have money. The significance of this action is her providing opportunities for others to do nice deeds that will help themselves and their souls, but he does not take this opportunity and it was taken away. Phoenix also states that she never went to school because she was too old at the Surrender. The significance was the Surrender was the end
9/4/13
One Who’s Spirit Never Dies
Eudora Welty published “A Worn Path” in 1941. These years were the times after the Great Depression took place and many African- Americans and rural southerners were still in poverty. Along the path Phoenix Jackson takes, she encounters many problems and the story line becomes a series of challenges she must overcome, which mirror her conditions in society. The significance of the story is the way Phoenix Jackson must face racial discrimination as part of her everyday life. The story does not subjectively focus on this theme, but it does include it. For instance, the white hunter refers to her as Granny in an arrogant way. The attendant, and the nurse are likely white, for they also treat her condescendingly, the shopper calls her Grandma, and the nurse calls her Aunt Phoenix. Phoenix Jackson is an African- American small old woman. She is using a thin, small cane to walk. She wears a long, dark, striped dress and a long apron which meet her unlaced shoes. Her eyes were aging with blue and her skin showed multiple wrinkles. “Her skin had a pattern all of its own numberless branching wrinkles….” Her hair was wrapped in a red rag hanging down to her neck in ringlets. In “A Worn Path” there are many symbols and meanings. There is a scene with a white hunter asking her if she was afraid of the gun and her replying that she wasn’t. This symbolizes the Civil War. She was most likely involved in the Civil War in some way, therefore she has been around guns and is used to the sound they make while going off. Phoenix also steals a nickel from the hunter after he claims he does not have money. The significance of this action is her providing opportunities for others to do nice deeds that will help themselves and their souls, but he does not take this opportunity and it was taken away. Phoenix also states that she never went to school because she was too old at the Surrender. The significance was the Surrender was the end