In “A Worn Path” Eudora Welty’s plot is not all that clear in the
beginning of her short story, but progresses as her character carries on against
all of the overwhelming forces against her. In this short story a black elderly
woman, Phoenix Jackson, must overcome the odds against her as she valiantly
travels through many obstacles in order to contribute to the wellness of her
grandson, for whom she is making this trip down “a worn path.” It is at this
point that all of Welty’s readers’ hearts open up to this poor, elderly
woman as she makes an attempt to carry on her love for her grandson by taking a
long journey down a familiar path in order to get medication that seems to help
ease his sickness pains. However, there are many forces against Phoenix that
Welty includes in her story in order to make Phoenix’s adventure end in a
victory. Poverty, old age, and her journey through the woods are all of the odds
which Phoenix must overcome. Poverty is a major hardship that most of us will
never have to face, but in Phoenix’s case, poverty is present everyday in her
and her grandson’s life. Since she is in this state of poverty, Phoenix is not
able to enjoy life’s luxuries as others do and must make do with what she can.
As she begins her journey, it becomes clear that she lacks the money to pay for
transportation to and from town; therefore, she starts down her path carrying a
“thin, small cane made from an umbrella” (132). Although Welty never really
emphasizes what this is used for the reader can assume that she uses it because
she does not have the money to buy the actual cane needed to help her walk
properly. Another conflict dealing with poverty arouses when she feels it
necessary to steal from a hunter she encounters in the woods. While the hunter
walks away her sneaky “fingers slid down and along the ground under the piece
of money with grace and care they would have in lifting an egg from under a
setting hen” (134). Here Welty shows that Phoenix must do what she has to in
order to survive. Even though it may not appear right, her poverty forces her to
act in a way that she only knows best. For instance, when people have a barrier
separating them between something they want, they are going to do what they can
to achieve their goal no matter what stands in their way. In this case Phoenix
is a poor woman and the money catches her eye. Acting on her instinct, she takes
what is not hers and hopes that she can get away with it. However, because of
her perseverance and determination to better the health of her grandson, Phoenix
journeys into town to receive charity that the doctor’s office provides her.
This “soothing medicine” they give her is the reason why she makes this trip
in the first place (136). However, she is looked upon as a charity case since
she has no money to pay for the medication he needs and is given the medicine
for free. All of these examples that Welty has described in “A Worn Path”
allow her story to develop by making readers think about what she writes.
Poverty is an important issue in today’s society and it makes one think of all
the fortunes they have. In this sense, Welty also makes one fear poverty by the
way she addresses it. The images allow one to feel Phoenix’s pain that comes
along with poverty. Joyce Carol Oates backs up this statement by adding that by
“disciplining her [Welty’s] vision in order to gain deeper penetration into
the dark and lovely realities of the lonely human spirit and shaping her fiction
so that each story should be something achieved...” (362). Oates simply means
that Welty goes beyond normal realities in order to grab the reader’s
attention. Through poverty, Welty takes a worldwide problem and stretches it to
a level in which the person reading her story feels saddened by the power she
displays. To be old, poor, and a surrogate mother is a hard job, and Welty does
a wonderful job of portraying this through the underlying problem of poverty.
Another overpowering element in “A Worn Path” is Phoenix’s age. Welty
writes that she has “numberless branching wrinkles” which illustrates that
she has many years behind her (132). It is here that Welty begins painting a
portrait in which the reader can envision scenes from her story. Because of her
old age, Phoenix lets her feet do the walking while her mind runs free and wild.
This is where her age seems as though it is a constant problem. As seen in the
movies or in real life, old people often have a problem with keeping all of
their thoughts straight. Not only is it dangerous, but it also adds to the flare
of Welty’s story. Now the odds have gone up against this poor, old woman.
Welty carries on with this image of an old woman traveling a path as if she were
sleep walking. But as she approaches the doctor’s office “ her feet knew to
stop,” and she appeared to have no recollection as to where she is going or
what she is doing there (135). As she enters the office she stares off into
space and “for[gets] why[she] made [her] long trip” (136). It seems that she
has come all of this way and cannot remember a thing, except the daydreams she
floated in and out of on her way there. However, one thing does stand out: the
gold diploma seal in the doctor’s office (135). Here Welty allows Phoenix, an
old woman, to recall the one thing that symbolizes something to her, a victory.
Phoenix may not recollect why she is there, but that certain document lets her
know that she is where she needs to be. It also stands for a prize, her
grandson’s medicine. A good friend of Welty’s adds that “there are
half-states, mixtures of dream and reality, or rapid shifts between the two
worlds” which are “fact and fantasy” (Vande Kieft 135). Ruth Vande Kieft
also explains that “A Worn Path” is not the only story in which Welty’s
characters drift between dream and fantasy life (82-92). The odds against
Phoenix are definitely taking their toll upon her. On an earlier page, 133, the
author describes one of her movements relating to a baby. Is Welty trying to
imply that Phoenix displays characteristics of a young child, not only in action
but in thoughts as well? Some say that when someone becomes old, they start to
revert back physically as well as mentally. As Welty shows the effects of old
age, it is at this time that the conflicts become very apparent. This particular
conflict is with herself. She is old and cannot stop the occurrences that take
place to her body and mind as she grows older. Another conflict that contributes
to the plot is Phoenix’s journey through the woods. An obvious factor is the
trip to town. Since Phoenix lives out in the country, she must walk a far
distance to encounter any kind of civilization. The title “A Worn Path”
implies that Phoenix has made this journey many times. Here the reader gets the
impression that these are her marks and that this path is worn because of her.
As she walks through the dangerous terrain, Phoenix encounters a bush which
fails to let her by: “Thorns, you doing your appointed work. Never want to let
folks pass, no sir” (132). Welty describes this path that Phoenix chooses as a
sort of obstacle course. She must stretch and shrink her body in order to get
through the almost impassable obstacles. Even though the path may be worn, it is
as if something is trying to hold her back. Maybe it is a way of telling her
that her grandson may never get better and in actuality the medication she gets
for him may not be working as it seems. Welty insinuates this by the
conversation that takes place between the nurse and Phoenix. The nurse asks
Phoenix if her grandson was any better since her last visit to the doctor’s
office for medication (136). Now the reader can conclude that the medication may
never cure him. However, with her determination and motivation her feet keep on
moving. Along with the thorny bushes, a barbed wire fence and a log over a creek
put her in great danger, but Phoenix continues to proceed with her journey.
After all of these setbacks, she then comes face to face with a white hunter.
Welty uses this white hunter as a conflict because it is relevant to the time
the story took place. The reader can assume from looking at the date above the
story that this was a time which racism was a problem. Therefore, the hunter
nags her a while then pulls his gun slowly up to her. Phoenix replies “I seen
plenty go off closer by, in my day...” (135). What is exactly meant by this?
One possibility may be that Phoenix feels the hunter caught her stealing.
Phoenix also gives the impression that she may have done this before and gotten
caught. Why would Welty add this in her story? It can be assumed that the date
again has strong significance. Well, the possibilities are endless. But, it is
clearly seen that these encounters that she faces are not common in everyday
life. What do all of these setbacks add to her story? They offer the end of the
journey to be more courageous on Phoenix’s part and they give the reader a
sense of open-heartedness towards Welty’s character. This journey through the
woods shows Phoenix’s love for her grandson. With all of the hardships on this
journey love conquers all and Ruth Van Kieft states: “There are no significant
barriers to the expressive love of old Phoenix, and this is reflected also in
her sense of familiarity with nature...” (29). This familiarity allows the
reader to feel that Welty’s character has a deep love for nature. In the
story, Welty includes many conversations with animals during her journey through
the woods. Basically Welty’s character appears comfortable with nature and
does not see the journey as a burden, as does the reader, but as an adventure.
Not only does her journey endanger her, but the fact that she is making this
journey for the love of her grandson adds so much more to her effect of the
story. Furthermore, these incidents indicate that Phoenix adapts to the dangers
that face her, and allows the plot to then become clear. Welty catches the
reader’s attention by how real her short story seems. Even though many people
may never experience Phoenix’s problems, the descriptions and images she uses
allows her to create a powerful story in which many feel they can relate to in
some way. Her three major problems, poverty, old age, and some form of a
journey, are all obstacles which all of her readers will one day face as they
travel through their own paths.
Bibliography
Jacobs, Henry E. and Roberts, Edgar V. Literature: An Introduction to Reading
and Writing. 5th ed. new Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1998: 131-137. Oates,
Joyce C. “Eudora Welty.” Contemporary Literary Criticism. 1973 ed. 361.
Vande Kieft, Ruth M. Eudora Welty. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1987.