the worn path Essay

Submitted By sarahstaples
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Pages: 4
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The story “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty consist of a brave attempts of a courageous, valiant women to carry on against over whelming forces. Phoenix is a very old small woman who lives in the woods that goes on a journey with many obstacles. Welty starts this story out with many questions and makes you feel many emotions. Phoenix is a very different kind of women and as a reader this story makes you appreciate her a lot through out the story because of how loving you can tell she is. The way Phoenix approaches the obstacles in this story is what makes her unique and courageous. Some major obstacles Phoenix has to deal with are age, poverty, journey, and illness Age can be silent and overpowering when it hits. Welty gives a few different examples to show how old she is. The description of Phoenix’s face seems to be so aged that you can’t really tell how old she is. Welty describes Phoenix’s trip to the medical office in Natchez as Phoenix’s feet already knowing the way to the journey she’s been on time after time. When she gets there Phoenix cannot remember what she is there for and doesn’t know the answers to the questions the nurse is asking her. On her trip she uses an umbrella to balance her self like a pendulum while starting her trip into town. Someone comes and ties her shoes for her because she can’t tie them herself. Phoenix is fighting against age and is slowly losing. An equally crushing opponent is her poverty. Phoenix lives out in the country a very far ways from the city. When she goes on her journey she has to walk to her designation she doesn’t take a car. She carries an umbrella as a cane because she can’t afford a proper cane. Phoenix wears an apron of sugars sacks and a long dress that she

calls her Sunday best. The medicine Phoenix get for the grandson is given to her from charity. Phoenix acquires 10 cents from begging and theft to buy a paper wind mill. The
Financial trouble makes it so Phoenix can’t afford the advanced medical care for her grandson. Closely connected to her poverty is the way through the woods which during her walk seem an almost active opponent. Welty lets you know that its December and everything is frosted over on the ground. When Phoenix starts her trip into town through the woods Welty starts out with this sentence “Out of my way, all you foxes, owls, beetles, jack rabbits, coons, and wild animals!..” (paragraph 3) right away from reading that you know there are many dangers that are going to be on this trip. Phoenix now has to go through thorn bushes with out getting scratched, not long after that she’s trying to go over a frosted log while her eyes are closed with out falling in to the creek. Phoenix comes a crossed bob wire that she has to crawl under without being punctured. Along her trip a dog runs up and knocks old Phoenix
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