Phoenix Jackson Tradition Analysis

Time Worn Tradition:A Comparison of Values in Eudora Welty 's "A Worn Path" and Shirley Jackson 's "The Lottery"Families and society pass on traditions as a way of spreading certain knowledge or ways of life from generation to generation. People often consider traditions to be ancient, and therefore of the highest integrity and moral meaning. But what do you do when these traditions seem to fall short over time? It is the responsibility of every individual to choose for themselves what ways of life they wish to keep intact for their generation and which ones they wish to dispose of. This concept is brought into light with the ideas of two fictional characters. Phoenix Jackson displays the values of tradition in Eudora Welty 's "A Worn Path"
Welty writes, "Her eyes were blue with age". (115; 2). Phoenix travels to the city far from her home in the woods to receive medication for her ill grandson. Welty seems to want everyone to realize that she is an extremely aged women and yet she still continues her journey. In the tale, Phoenix falls down into a ditch along the side of the road after being scared by a dog. A young hunter comes along and helps her. Afterward he asks, "How old are you, Granny". (117; 50). Phoenix replies, "There is no telling, mister, no telling". (117; 51). Phoenix herself is unable to remember her age, and many years ago she probably forgot even to keep counting. The hunter later into the story declares, "Well, Granny, you must be a hundred years old and scared of nothing:. (117; 59). Even a young man is astounded at her bravery of venturing so far from home by herself. When the hunter advises her to return home, Phoenix declares, "I bound to go to town, mister. The time come around". (117; 46). There is no dissuading this women while her mission for her grandson is at stake. She has to
She had conjured up some sort of riddle to remind herself of the way. We realize this when she recites, "Up through pines, Now down through oaks". (115; 6). Welty also describes how "Old Phoenix would have been lost if she had not distrusted her eyesight and depended on her feet to know where to take her". (117; 80). Upon his saying this, Phoenix had just entered sight of the city. So much had changed since her first trip, that at first she surely thought she had gotten lost. Once she approached her destination, and entered the building to receive the medication, a newly hired nurse asked for her information. Poor Phoenix never answered, and seemed extremely distant to her situation. Once questioned by a familiar nurse she seemed to face reality again, and exclaimed, "There I sat and forgot why I made my long trip". (118; 88). Phoenix 's health is clearly declining and yet "she makes these trips just as regular as clockwork". (118; 79). The nurse tries to recollect how long Phoenix has been returning to her office for the charity medicine and says, "When was it-- January-- two, three years ago--" (118; 20). Although two or three years might not seem like a long standing tradition, to an old women who has to walk such a long distance and back it is a lifetime. Without the medicine her grandson would become very ill, and her travels orbit around his needs. The love of Phoenix 's tradition