A_Worn_Path

A Worn Path A Vital Path Life is full of purposeful journeys. These journeys are often taken to overcome, to succeed, or to protect. In Eudora Welty’s short story “A Worn Path,” the elderly Phoenix Jackson sets out on one of these voyages. Her trip down the path is a vital part of her life and essential to the survival of her grandson and herself. Beginning her perilous trip to town, Phoenix confidently exclaims, “’Out of my way all you foxes, owls, beetles, jack rabbits, coons, and wild animals!…I got a long way.’” Phoenix knows what trials she must face, and she is determined to overcome them. When her eyesight fails her and she is caught in brambles, she works intently to remove them from her tangled skirts and continues along her way. Phoenix encounters even more challenge when the initially amiable hunter becomes unpleasant and disrespectful and tries to frighten her into going home. Needless to say, Phoenix is not deterred; she says, “’I bound to go on my way, mister,’” and continues down the path. Surmounting these challenges keeps Phoenix determined to complete her journey. Phoenix’s trip down the path is crucial to her sick grandson. phoenix, path, life, journey, phoenix’s, old, way, trip, must, vital, trials, travel, town, sense, says, overcome, over, makes, long, knows, keep, journeys, jackson, herself, grandson’s, grandson, full, determined, continues, challenge, age, youth, young