A Worn Path
Title: A Worn Path, copyright: Feb. 1941
Author: Eudora Welty: (April 13, 1909 – July 23, 2001)
Protagonist: Phoenix Jackson: Static
Antagonist: The Worn Path: Static
Point of View: 3rd Person Limited Omniscient/First Person
Method of Development: Narration/Behavior/Dialogue
Plot:
Exposition: Phoenix Jackson, elderly African American woman begins long journey from her
home in rural south to the city of Natchez
Setting: Time: 1930’s, December, Place: Natchez Trace, Emotional Environment:
Determined, persistent, challenging
Rising action/Conflict: Phoenix encounters a series of obstacles including a hostile dog,
threatening hunter, barbed wire fence, difficult terrain and hostile medical workers.
Climax: Phoenix finally arrives at Natchez, finds the doctor’s office and retrieves the medicine
that she needs.
Falling action: The reader finds out that Phoenix has been making this same journey for
years in order to obtain a medication for her grandson who has a severe throat injury due to
swallowing lye.
Resolution/Denoument: Phoenix, satisfied with her journey, turns around to make the trip
home.
Metaphor:
“Something always takes hold of me on this hill-pleads I should stay”: Phoenix personifies the
hill as a person trying to hold her back.
“Now comes the trial”: Phoenix compares crossing the creek to a trial or challenge.
“God watching me the whole time”: Phoenix compares a bird to the eyes of God on her
constantly.
The story itself: Could be seen as a metaphor for African Americans’ struggles to overcome
the oppression of slavery.
Simile:
“Big dead trees, like black men with one arm…”: Phoenix compares the trees to men
“…as though a whole little tree stood in the middle of her forehead.” Narrator compares the
wrinkles in Phoenix’s forehead to tree branches.
“Lying on my back like a June bug waiting to be turned over…”: Phoenix compares herself to
a helpless insect.
Allusion/Symbolism: “Phoenix Jackson”: Her name can be seen as an allusion to the mythological
Phoenix who periodically is burned to death but then comes back to life, never being defeated by the
challenges it faces. In this way, her name may also be symbolic of Phoenix’s ability to come back
from whatever challenges she faces.
Theme: The theme could be seen in several ways, though the most common is the undying efforts
that come from a true love for one family member to another. It could also be a reflection of the trials
and challenges that we all face in our journey through life.