Literary Analysis Essay On A Worn Path
Love: The Greatest Motive
In the story “A Worn Path” an elderly African-American woman named Phoenix Jackson embarks on a hackneyed journey that may seem effortless for most people, but is truly the epitome of all physical and psychological elements of overcoming anything in life. Before the story even begins one can recognize many ideas the story will elaborate on. For example, “A Worn Path” not only refers to its literal meaning of a path that has been worn down from being traveled on, but it also refers to the main character, Phoenix Jackson, being worn down herself from life. Phoenix Jackson overcomes mental and physical challenges throughout the story such as hallucinations, racial differences, bushes, creeks, provincial people, and …show more content…
There is always a hundred ways to title a paper, but the author picks the one title for specific reasons. Double meanings and foils are evident throughout this entire story. The first meaning to the title “A Worn Path” is the obvious literal meaning. The route that Phoenix takes to the city of Natchez is very visible because it has been taken so many times before to retrieve medicine for Phoenix's ill grandson. “'How old are you, Granny?' he was saying. 'There is no telling, mister,' she said, 'no telling.'” Being so old it is not easy walking far, even small obstacles become big when you are physically weak. To overcome all these small obstacles Phoenix's mentality was very strong, which brings the idea of a second meaning to the the title “A Worn Path” mental exhaustion."It's the constant and determined effort that breaks down all resistance, sweeps away all obstacles." -Claude M. Bistol. Phoenix Jackson was determined to get the medicine her entire journey, but when she finally arrived at “the big building” she was silent for having forgotten what she was doing there. Miss Jackson was jaded from the journey and strayed off road, but soon remembered. Phoenix “makes these trips just as regular as clockwork” so getting to town was not part of her mental exhaustion, having to repeatably overcome obstacles is what made her
In the story “A Worn Path” an elderly African-American woman named Phoenix Jackson embarks on a hackneyed journey that may seem effortless for most people, but is truly the epitome of all physical and psychological elements of overcoming anything in life. Before the story even begins one can recognize many ideas the story will elaborate on. For example, “A Worn Path” not only refers to its literal meaning of a path that has been worn down from being traveled on, but it also refers to the main character, Phoenix Jackson, being worn down herself from life. Phoenix Jackson overcomes mental and physical challenges throughout the story such as hallucinations, racial differences, bushes, creeks, provincial people, and …show more content…
There is always a hundred ways to title a paper, but the author picks the one title for specific reasons. Double meanings and foils are evident throughout this entire story. The first meaning to the title “A Worn Path” is the obvious literal meaning. The route that Phoenix takes to the city of Natchez is very visible because it has been taken so many times before to retrieve medicine for Phoenix's ill grandson. “'How old are you, Granny?' he was saying. 'There is no telling, mister,' she said, 'no telling.'” Being so old it is not easy walking far, even small obstacles become big when you are physically weak. To overcome all these small obstacles Phoenix's mentality was very strong, which brings the idea of a second meaning to the the title “A Worn Path” mental exhaustion."It's the constant and determined effort that breaks down all resistance, sweeps away all obstacles." -Claude M. Bistol. Phoenix Jackson was determined to get the medicine her entire journey, but when she finally arrived at “the big building” she was silent for having forgotten what she was doing there. Miss Jackson was jaded from the journey and strayed off road, but soon remembered. Phoenix “makes these trips just as regular as clockwork” so getting to town was not part of her mental exhaustion, having to repeatably overcome obstacles is what made her