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The Phoenix is a legendary bird who is thought to be Gods servant. Ancient myths say that the Phoenix lives for 500 years and then burns itself to death, only to rise from its ashes as a young Phoenix and live for another 500 years. It is a symbol of immortality and spiritual rebirth. In Eudora Weltys A Worn Path, the main characters name is Phoenix Jackson.
It is not a coincidence that Eudora Welty chooses Phoenix to be the protagonists name, for Phoenix Jackson portrays the legendary Phoenix in many ways. Weltys physical description of Phoenix is as a little old Negro woman who uses an umbrella as a cane, wears a red rag on her head, and walks around with her shoelaces untied. This first impression makes Phoenix appear to be quite frail and futile. Paradoxically, Phoenix happens to be a remarkable human being capable of doing many extraordinary things. As she begins her journey, she talks to herself and warns, Out of my way, all you foxes, owls, beetles, jack rabbits, coons and wild animals! ... Keep out from under these feet, little bobwhites, because as she says, I got a long way.
Phoenix demonstrates a great deal of self-determination. She might be old and appear to be worn out, but the burning desire to make her little grandson smile gives her the will to keep on going. Her path is much like life; it has its ups and downs. She encounters many obstacles along the way but somehow manages to get through them. Trusting her instincts gives her spirit to get through difficult moments. For example, when she gets to the creek and has to get across the log in order to reach the other side, she walks across, swinging her umbrella, like a festival figure.
I wasnt old as I thought, she says. She does not trust her eyesight in this case, for she closes her eyes as soon as she sets foot on the log. She is confident that her feet will get her across, although her shoelaces are untied. Another case where Phoenix takes a leap of faith is when she runs into the ghostly silhouette in the cotton field.
Not knowing what it might be, she shuts her eyes once again and extends her hand to discover that the eerie figure is just a scarecrow. On this occasion she practically puts her life into Gods hands. Phoenix also exhibits various acts of cleverness throughout the journey. Her power to manipulate other people is clearly revealed through her dialogue with the persons she comes in contact with. For example, after the hunter rescues her from the ditch and shows her that he is in fact an obnoxious individual, she realizes that his rude behavior is a sign of pride and haughtiness. When he drops his nickel, Phoenix uses this arrogance against him by instigating a fight between the two dogs.
She knows that this will cause the hunter to switch his attention away from her and onto the mongrels, giving her the perfect opportunity to bend over and pick up the nickel. Another of example of Phoenix's shrewdness is in the city of Natchez. There she pauses patiently on the sidewalk and begins to observe the many people passing by. She selects one lady from the crowd who is carrying gifts and asks her to please tie her shoelaces. The lady very politely places her gifts on the sidewalk and responds to Phoenix's request. Phoenix knows that if she asks a lady carrying gifts at Christmastime, she is more than likely to succeed in getting her to stop for a minute to tie up her shoelaces.
The most significant aspect of A Worn Path is Phoenix Jacksons love for her grandson. She demonstrates this with every step she takes along the path. When she walks up the hill and realizes she is tired, the love for her grandson keeps her going. When she reaches the barbed-wire fence, it is the love for her grandson that grants her the courage to risk her life and get to the other side.
She will go on this journey as many times as she has to in order to comfort her ailing grandson. She knows that she cannot cure his throat, but at least she can soothe it. At the end of the story she does something special for him just to make him smile. She buys him a little paper windmill and vows to carry it straight up in her hand while she makes her journey home. Only love can make someone do such a beautiful thing for someone. Welled up inside Phoenix is a lifetime of hardships, brought about partially by her role in society.
Phoenix lives in a white world where colored people are considered inferior. As a result, the hunter in the story is very discourteous to her, as is the attendant at the clinic. This is ironic because there is so much inside Phoenix many years, so much pain, and so much awareness. When she is finally treated with a little compassion at the clinic, Phoenix demonstrates a miraculous ability to accept the harsh circumstances of her life, and to go on.
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Research essay sample on Worn Path Phoenix Jackson
