A Worn Path Hero's Journey Essay

A “Worn Path” by Eudora Welty is about an elderly woman who encounters many difficulties during her journey to get medicine for her grandson. The Hero With A Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell is about the journeys that hero’s make and the many things they encounter. Phoenix's journey corresponds to the hero’s journey in several different ways. The helpers, guardians, and tests prove that their journeys are similar. One way that Phoenix’s journey corresponds to the hero’s journey are the helpers she encounters along the way. Campbell notes that a hero must encounter “Protective” figures during his journey (69). Welty begins by introducing the hunter as a helper towards Phoenix. In the story Phoenix falls into a ditch and the hunter “lifted her up, gave her a swing in the air, and set her down” (491). The hunter that helps Phoenix up correlates with the helpers in the hero’s journey. She also introduces the lady
Campbell tells us that the hero will come across a guardian who will protect the “Entrance” of “The zone of magnified power” (77). First, Phoenix has to get up the hill. Phoenix states that it seems “‘Like there is chains about my feet’” every time she gets to a certain point on the hill (489). The hill is similar to the type of guardians in a hero’s journey. Then, Phoenix has to get past a thorn bush. Phoenix is caught in a bush and says the bush is doing its “‘Appointed work’” and it “‘Never want to let folks pass’” (490). The bush resembles a guardian out of a hero’s journey by trying to stop Phoenix from continuing. Finally, Phoenix has to get over the log is a “Trial” but when she gets over it she realizes that she is not as old as she thought (490). The log challenges Phoenix physically because she is an elder and struggles similarly to a hero in a hero’s journey. Phoenix’s journey relates to a hero’s journey because she faces