Analyzing “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty - 1 - 875 Words

Analyzing â€Å"A Worn Path† by Eudora Welty In the story â€Å"A Worn Path†, Eudora Welty shows an old woman living in a time period where racial prejudice is very high and out of control. Phoenix Jackson is a grandmother whose motivation for living seems to be to nurture her grandson back to health. The strength of love may make people do or say unusual and implausible things. The central idea of this story is that love can empower someone to overcome many life threatening obstacles. This idea is shown when an old woman conquers all odds against her to show her everlasting love for her grandson. Throughout the story, Phoenix Jackson has to overcome many types of obstacles that hinder her in her devotion to help her grandson. To begin†¦show more content†¦The grandson may be too young to realize what his grandmother is doing for his safety. The empowerment of love in this situation enables Phoenix to put aside her fatigue and to continue with her journey. This story made me believe that no matter what happens, Phoenix will hold her principles to make her journey. To continue, the social obstacles that she faces on her journey are perhaps the most difficult to overcome. One of these obstacles is that Phoenix Jackson lives a life of poverty. She accepts charity, but knows that’s what she must do to survive. She takes a nickel from the man in the field and she also accepts money from the nurse at the clinic. Another social obstacle is that she is illiterate. This makes it very difficult and embarrassing at the clinic because she does not know how to read the prescription of the medicine. Instead she has to look for a gold emblem of the doctor’s office that helps her recognize the right medicine. The third social hindrance is again her old age. People she encounters on her journey are very condescending towards her and have no respect for her. The hunter in the field mocks her by pointing a gun at her, while laughing at her. The nurse’s attendant scorns her because she does not feel comfortable talking in the office . All these social obstacles are as a result of her race. Phoenix Jackson is a black woman in the 1930’s during the depression. She has to go through