A Worn Path

A Worn Path

In the story "A Worn Path" the main character's name is Phoenix which alludes to "the mythical
bird that consumed itself in fire after five hundred years and rose renewed from its ashes. This death-birth
motif gives a meaningful context for details which seem merely descriptive"(Seidl, p. 53).
"Welty's main subject is the intricacies of human relationships, particularly as revealed through
her characters' interactions in intimate social encounters. Welty's outlook is hopeful, and love is viewed as
a redeeming presence in the midst of isolation and indifference" (One Writers Beginnings).
Ms. Welty takes an old woman, Phoenix Jackson, on a seemingly impossible journey using
general symbolism and Christian symbolism. She begins the journey with general symbols of
everyday life. The journey itself is like life, it has its ups and downs. "The woods were deep and still"
(Welty, p. 159) and "Down in the hollow was the mourning dove" (Welty, p. 159) makes the reader think
of death. Other symbols that make us think of life or youth and death or age are: "Seem like there is chains
about my feet" (Welty, p. 159) make it clear that Phoenix is thinking about death or slavery; "Up through
the pines" (Welty, p. 159) makes the reader think of youth; "Now down through the oaks" (Welty, p. 159)
is another
symbol of death; "She had to creep and crawl, spreading her knees and stretching her fingers like a baby
trying to climb the steps" (Welty, p. 160)is anot...

A Worn Path

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