Phoenix Rises From the Ashes When asked by a white hunter ” Doesn’t the gunscare you?” while having it pointed at her, Phoenix Jackson, of EudoraWelty’s “A Worn Path”, replies “No, sir.
I seen plenty go off closer by,in my day, and for less than what I done,” This is an example of how theprotagonist deals with another of her travails. Phoenix’s conflicts only honethe thrust of Welty’s tale of triumph over adversity. The irrelevancy of thesetortures to this person’s purpose is made all the more poignant by theirstaggering weight. From the first line of the narrative you learn the setting isDecember. A “frozen day”, and yet Phoenix does ought but rejoice that it isnot the “season” for bulls and snakes. Given the numerous references to heradvanced age: a delusion of a small boy handing her a slice of cake afternavigating a log bridge, to “Her eyes blue with age.
” She travels from thedeep wood though the dangers of both terrain and prejudice. Throughout the storyshe encounters obstacles that would deter stalwart heroes of epics. Whiletraveling through the country Phoenix encounters a white hunter who helps her upafter being knocked to the ground. Despite his threatening manner, pointing hisgun at her, he tries to deter her from her task. He points out the distance shehad to travel even to reach the point at which they had met.
He callouslyexplains that “I know you old colored people! Wouldn’t miss going to town tosee Santa Claus!”. Lastly to add further injury to insult, after losing anickel and not being aware of it, he claims to not have a penny to give her. AllPhoenix does is apologize to “God” for having stolen it. What fear grips aperson who knows what they were doing was incredibly important, and yet theycannot recall what they were about? The attendant repeatedly attempted tocommunicate (in a condescending tone) with Phoenix, yet she had to ignore thequestions, for she was unsure why she had made the journey. The nurse came toher rescue, and in so doing gave an explanation why “grandma” had made thisarduous voyage. She was caring for her grandson who was suffering from theresult of having swallowed lye; consequently at that level of medical and socialevolution meant being an invalid without any other sociological resources thanhis grandmother.
Despite these travails Phoenix Jackson retains her composure,and more. Each of these incidents, although difficult to fully grasp withincontext of modern society, is still painful. Once she manages to reach town shemanages to get a woman, busy with packages to assist her with one of herdifficulties, her untied shoe. At the clinic she manages to push the attendantto 500% of her original offering.
Subsequently she resolves to purchase hergrandson a paper windmill with the two nickel profit she made entering town. These conflicts she faces only reflect the spirit shining from the character ofPhoenix Jackson. BibliographyWelty, Eudora . “A Worn Path. ” Literature an Introduction to reading andWriting . Ed.
Edgar V. Roberts, Henry E, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, 1998. 132-37.
