Reader_Response_of_a_Worn_Path_by_Eudora_Welty

The short story that I had chosen is the story written by Eudora Welty, entitled A Worn Path. The 2 characters that I choose from the story are the character of Old Phoenix and the Hunter. I will elaborate more on why I had chosen the characters. The main theme that I will discuss is about the scarification, responsibility, and love shown by the main character. The issue raise by the author is about discrimination and racism that silently described in the short story. Firstly, the story is about an old woman who is fighting with obstacles that rise up during her journey to a clinic in the town. The character of Old Phoenix or her real name, Phoenix Jackson, is the character I like the most. I like her most because of her braveness. I found that she is very brave in self. This is shown when she didn’t show any sign of scare eventhough she had been pointed a gun by the hunter that she met on her path to the city. As the story stated, “…and then he laughed and lifted his gun and pointed it at Phoenix”. She stood straight and faced him. “Doesn’t the gun scare you'” he said, still pointing it. “No, sir. I seen plenty go off closer by, in my day, and for less what I done,” she said, holding utterly still”. On her way, she found so many obstacles that in my opinion, she can chose to not to continue and go back to her house and accompanied her grandson, but eventually she chose to continue and for that, she faced them as mentioned in the text, “”Now comes the trial,” said Phoenix”. I think that, by saying these, means that she had ready for any hardship forward and that’s why she continue her hard journey. Other than that, I think that she is very responsible due to her responsibility towards her grandson. She willing to walk throughout the long path as stated, “Out of my way, all you foxes, owls, beetles, jack rabbit, coons and wild animals!...Keep out from under these feet, little bob-whites…Keep the big wild hogs out of my path. Don’t let none of those come running my direction. I got a long way” and she feel responsible to bring medicine back for her sick grandson. Her sense of responsibility really touched my heart that I can feel that she really love her grandson and willing to do anything for him as she said, “We is the only two left in the world. He suffer and it don’t seem to put him back at all …. . I not going to forget him again, no, the whole enduring time…”. The next character which I personally don’t like the most is the character of the Hunter. I think that he is a rude man. I say this because of the scene when he pointed the gun toward Old Phoenix. “ …and the he laughed and lifted his gun and pointed it at Phoenix.” He didn’t consider of the aged of the old lady and still pointed his gun. I think that he had no respect towards Old Phoenix. In the other hand, I also think that he is a dishonest man. The scene when he tells Old Phoenix that if he had any money, he will give a dime. This is shown when he said, “I’d give you a dime if I had any money with me.” The fact is he does have the money when Old Phoenix found a nickel on the ground, “…she had seen with her own eyes a flashing nickel fall out of the man’s pocket onto the ground.” I think he had lied about his money because he didn’t will to give it to Old Phoenix since the beginning. I also think that he had a narrow mind. This is because he thinks that Old Phoenix leading toward the city to meet Santa Claus because it is winter and Christmas is coming. “It was December-a bright frozen day in the early morning.”,” He gave another laugh, filling the whole landscape.” I know you old colored people! Wouldn’t miss going to town to see Santa Claus!”. In my opinion, he is a man that practice racism. He looked down toward black people as he is white. This shown when he said, “I know you old colored people!”. I think he tries to differentiate the behaviour of the black and white upon Christmas. He tries to say that the black believe on the existence of Santa Claus. It is obvious to me that he look down upon Old Phoenix when he said that. The main theme of the story is about the responsibility, sacrification, and love that mostly shown by the main character, Old Phoenix. In the story, I think Old Phoenix had done a very great job on showing the values to wards her grandson that is sick at home she sacrifice a lot for her grandson that she willing to travel all way long just to take medicine for him. She faces so many obstacles that I personally think that I won’t will to continue if I’m in her shoes. But in the sense of responsibility, she continues her journey that she had expected it to be long and tough. “”Now comes the trial,” said Phoenix”. , “…Don’t let none of those come running my direction. I got a long way”. The story occurs in winter, the Christmas is coming as it is December. The issue that the author tries to raise in the short story is about racism and discrimination toward people of different colour. This value is shown by the author by the character of the Hunter that applies to be racist towards Old Phoenix. The words used to greet the old lady by mostly all characters in the story are also not appropriate and in my opinion, this shows that they don’t respect the black old lady. The behaviour of looking down at the black people is practiced by the white people. In my opinion, eventhough the terms are seems to be an appropriate one, and they talk to the Old Phoenix nicely, but it still show the disrespectful when they use the terms.