Strength In Eudora Welty's A Worn Path
The short story, “A Worn Path”, by Eudora Welty, the narrative is told from third person, limited to the main character, Phoenix’s, thoughts. The story takes place in the 1940’s, the main character being an older black woman making a journey through a forest by herself in order to reach town and get medicine for her sick grandson. Phoenix must climb steep hills, cross a wet log over a creek, and deal with the harsh treatment of the people she encounters on her way to the hospital to achieve her goal. Phoenix may be an old woman but that does not stop her from making this long and dangerous journey to get into town. The point of view Welty choses allows the reader to see Phoenix’s physical, emotional, and mental strength the reader would not have seen from first person. Without the narration of third person, the reader would not see these strengths because Phoenix would not share some of the details that a third person would. Through these demonstrations of strength, the reader admires Phoenix. Phoenix demonstrates physical strength throughout her journey toward …show more content…
As Phoenix is making her way through the forest she encounters a hunter. The hunter, a white man, “lifted his gun and pointed it at Phoenix” (para 51). The hunter is pointing his gun at Phoenix in an attempt to frighten her. Phoenix, “stood straight and faced him” (para 53). Phoenix stands her ground with the hunter after he points his weapon on her, unflinching. The hunter is pointing his gun at Phoenix with the intention of scaring her, “Doesn’t the gun scare you?’… ‘No sir, I seen plenty go off closer by, in my day” (para 54, 55). Phoenix is not scared in this situation because she has been in greater danger in the past. Phoenix’s emotional state is unwavering due to her emotional strength built up over time in these types of situation. With this demonstration of Phoenix’s emotional strength, the reader admires Phoenix
Intergenerational Trauma In The Break
1083 Words | 5 PagesWhen Phoenix notices her uncle's house is filthy, she decides to clean it up because her uncle likes it "when she does girl things like that" (Vermette 25). Phoenix is portrayed in the text as harsh and commanding, but in reality, all she wants is to be liked, which demonstrates how victims of intergenerational trauma desire to be loved. Phoenix is also seen to be jealous and go to extreme lengths when Emily receives affection instead of her. Phoenix has been pregnant for “seven months” with Clayton’s child (Vermette 320) and now is in prison for raping a girl, Emily, who Clayton was hanging out with. Readers understand that Phoenix has never received a lot of affection when she was younger
Fahrenheit 451 Quote Analysis
400 Words | 2 Pagesevery time he burnt himself up he sprang out of the ashes, he got himself born all over again” (Bradbury 156). So in this situation the phoenix represents people and them making mistakes. He’s basically saying that the bird does this because it’s natural; but people on the other hand, will learn from their mistakes and hopefully not make
Phoenix Jackson Archetypes
1718 Words | 7 PagesWhether Phoenix makes the journey because of the trauma causing her to relive experience, or because she is in denial, or if she does it to honor him, it does not change the fact that Phoenix persevered in order to reach the goal of acquiring the medicine. Phoenix makes it to her destination despite having to walk through a dead and dangerous land in order to keep the memory of her grandson alive because she is a strong and courageous women with a deep love for her grandson that was not altered simply because he is gone from the physical
Three Artistic Tools Used In Eudora Welty's A Worn Path
488 Words | 2 PagesIn the short story Welty’s want the reader to be comfortable with Phoenix as a character. Welty describes Phoenix wearing a long dress reaching her shoe top and a long apron of bleached sugar sacks. When Phoenix talks aloud to herself the author wants the reader to imagine an old woman with characteristics of a warm, comical, young spirited woman side of her. The short story also uses images which evoke from the biblical imagery. Phoenix’s uses biblical connection to show the reader how important her story and the
Obstacles In Eudora Welty's A Worn Path
539 Words | 3 PagesPhoenix insisted, “No sir, I going to town” (Welty 466). Phoenix continually displays the will to get her grandson’s medicine and not letting anything or anyone stand in the way of achieving that goal. The hunter even pointed his gun at Phoenix but she showed no fear. She put her life at jeopardy, yet again, for the sake of her grandson. The hunter said, “Doesn’t the gun scare you” (Welty 467), Phoenix replies, “No sir, I seen plenty go off closer by, in my day, and for far less than what I’ve done” (467).
How Far She Went Short Story
885 Words | 4 PagesThe Tragedy Within: Analyzing “How Far She Went” The dog wouldn’t hush, even then; never had yet, and there wasn’t time to teach him. When the woman realized that, she did what she had to do.
Intergenerational Trauma In The Break By Katherena Vermette
2075 Words | 9 PagesThis serves as an example of how a lack of familial ties can prevent an individual from overcoming intergenerational trauma. The relationship between Phoenix and her mother Elsie is portrayed as distant and estranged. This is exemplified in a scene where Phoenix is going to prison and Elsie attempts to reach out to her, but she rejects the gesture by moving away and refusing to touch her mother. Phoenix also expressed disdain for her mother's weakness, “she does not want to look at her, does not want to see Elsie groveling in her Elsie way, being weak. She does not want to feel sorry for her, or feel anything for her” (Vermette 323).
Pheonix Jackson's Dementia In A Worn Path
328 Words | 2 PagesPheonix Jackson’s grandson is dead because she shows signs of dementia, she hesitates when asked about how the boy is doing, and she says words that imply the boy isn’t changing. The story “ A Worn Path” follows the difficult trip routinely made by Pheonix on foot to a nearby town for her grandson’s medicine which he needs for his swollen throat. Pheonix shows signs of dementia which would affect her perception of reality and her grandson being alive or dead. In the line, “At first she took it as a man,” referring to her encountering a scarecrow, Pheonix shows that her senses are inadequate enough to believe a scarecrow is a man dancing in a field (762). Pheonix is more reliant on her body remembering the trail than her sense of sight
Literary Elements In Eudora Welty's A Worn Path
526 Words | 3 PagesShe exemplifies Christ along her journey when she stops under a mistletoe tree; the same type of tree in which the cross was made. The thorns she encounters also relate to Christ’s death on the cross, the crown of thorns he wears on his head. The journey she takes to get her grandson’s medicine, is considered to be an example of self-sacrifice. Phoenix gives others the opportunity to help her and accomplish good things. One example is when the hunter helps her out of the ditch.
A Literary Analysis Of Eudora Welty's A Worn Path
678 Words | 3 PagesGiven her grandson’s injuries that hope is as fragile as the paper windmill. This reminds us that hope is fragile, and is contingent on historical and civil efforts beyond Phoenix and her grandson. Phoenix Jackson perseveres to achieve a purposeful goal. Phoenix Jackson stayed true to her faith in times of desperation. Against the obstacles, she was willing to reach her destination to provide her grandson with the medicine he is in need of.
Freedom In Eudora Welty's A Worn Path
810 Words | 4 PagesWhile walking up the path, Phoenix has had to overcome obstacles while it seems like death is in the form of chains around her feet. Even so, she continues onward to freedom. The scene continues while Phoenix passes trees and birds and animals, and suddenly she is crawling through a barbed-wire fence. The change in scenery indicates how Phoenix might be somewhat confused, especially because she is old. It also indicates how Phoenix’s journey was not one of peacefulness, rather, it was one of survival.
Mother Tongue Summary
714 Words | 3 PagesAfter reading Mother Tongue by Amy Tan, my perspective changed about the struggles for people who are not as good at English. All throughout this article Tan uses personal experience from her mom to show the readers the struggle while also using primary sources to back up her claim. All the evidence backs up her initial claim and as the reader your perspective changes after reading about how she personally was effected. The author 's main claim of Mother Tongue is to persuade people so respect people who struggle with English because she has serval personal connections, she has fact based proof, and she is an experienced writer on this topic and in general. All throughout the reading she uses many personal stories and personal experiences on how difficult it was for her mother to go through her everyday life.
Racism In A Worn Path
883 Words | 4 PagesThe old woman is unfazed, which leads the reader to believe she is quite used to this behavior from young white men; in fact, Phoenix actually has the upper hand and the hunter does not even realize it. Elaine Orr points this out in her essay, stating “While he appears the authority, she employs his definitions and rewrites them as riddles, thus deconstructing his privilege”. In another essay the writer states “she is confronted by a white hunter who levels his shotgun at her in an obvious allusion to Jim Crow racial violence” (Moberly). The fact that Phoenix calls the hunters bluff with a gun pointed at her proves this is not her first run-in with an arrogant young white man. The old woman is used to this form of racism and is not daunted by it as she has mind set to complete her walk to
A Worn Path Phoenix Jackson Character Analysis
738 Words | 3 PagesShe is an interesting character because she can have characteristics that are good and bad. The two characteristics that are related to her the most was she can be delusional but yet a heroic person. Phoenix was an old lady so she could have had many medical problems we don’t know about. The most noticeable symptoms
Phoenix Jackson Obstacles
507 Words | 3 PagesShe stood straight and faced him. ”(para 55) This scene shows how Phoenix is forceful when the hunter hold the gun right at her face and she does not move. She is a strong woman and her character proves that with
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