Published in 1941, “A Worn Path” was written in a time of great moral decline as WWII, the Holocaust, and civil rights for AfricanAmericans were all major issues. After being inspired by an old African-American lady she saw walking on the Natchez Trace, Eudora Welty wrote “A Worn Path” to remind the world of human life’s true meaning. The story follows Phoenix Jackson nd her journey to Natchez to obtain throat-soothing medicine for her grandson, and the story ultimately represents the struggle African-Americans faced in their quest to obtain civil rights.
To convey the racial struggles of the mid 1900’s, Welty uses Phoenix’s brittle physical characteristics, hostile human relationships, as well as deep symbolism. While these literary devices are quite different, Welty is able to combine them in such a way where the reader is forced to confront his or her morality and question his or her stance on life’s true meaning. A New Criticism of Welty’s “A Worn Path” Can love conquer hate? Can determination overcome oppression? During the mid-1940’s, most African-Americans were facing gargantuan injustice and were seeking to gain equal treatment and recognition in society.
As Kathleen Wilson notes in her literary research for Short Stories for Students, famous author and Mississippian Eudora Welty was sitting on the Natchez Trace with a friend and soon became inspired by an elderly African-American woman she could see crossing the Natchez Trace (1997, 320). As pg. 320 of Wilson’s research states, Welty saw the African-American lady from far away but she still knew the lady was going on a deliberate journey for someone else (1997). Welty’s inspiration of this lady’s journey ultimately turned into her famous short story, “A Worn Path,” which was published in 1941.
During this time, morality in the world was at an all-time low, as WWII and the Holocaust were taking place in Europe and the racism in America had come to an all-time high. As mankind was losing its innocence, Welty describes “A Worn Path’s” main character and her grandson as “the only two left in the world,” referring to their innocence and love for each other (1941, 745). As racism continued to become rampant and morality continued to become malignant, Welty constructed “A Worn Path” with different literary elements that come together to remind society of the true meaning of human life.
Some of the chief literary elements Welty uses in “A Worn Path” to remind society of human life’s true meaning are both the time period of the story and the physical characteristics of Phoenix Jackson, the main protagonist. Set mostly in the Natchez Trace during the rampant racism of the 1940’s, Phoenix is making a journey into Natchez to obtain throat-soothing medicine for her grandson. While Phoenix’s task appears simple, her journey is actually a representation of the difficult battle AfricanAmericans faced in campaigning for civil rights. Once Phoenix reaches Natchez, she reveals to the hospital nurse, “I never did go to school.
I was too old at the surrender” (Welty, 1941, 744). In her literary analysis, K. Wilson notes this quote reveals Phoenix is anywhere between eighty and one-hundred years old if the story takes place in its publication year of 1941 (1997, 317). Phoenix’s old age is important because it represents the enduring struggle African-Americans faced while they fought for civil rights, which left the race completely exhausted. As Joyce Moss and George Wilson note on pg. 420 of their historical analysis of “A Worn Path,” Phoenix is unable to even tie her shoes due to fatigue (1997).
Phoenix’s ability to persevere despite her old age and physical ailments is inspiring, but her determination is increasingly remarkable when the reader considers how she is treated throughout the story. In order to show the reader the flawed view of life of many Southerners carried throughout the mid 1940’s, Welty uses Phoenix’s hostile interactions with other Natchez townspeople. Phoenix is constantly dismissed and insulted as she interacts with anyone in or around Natchez, and the insults she receives are a direct correlation to the scrutiny African-Americans received for their desire to gain civil rights.
After Phoenix falls into a ditch, she is helped up by a hunter who constantly calls her “Granny” and dismisses her journey to town (Welty, 1941, 743). As K. Wilson notes on pg. 315 of her literary research, the names “Granny” and Aunt” were often used by whites to diminish older AfricanAmericans’ dignity and individuality (1997). To make matters worse, Phoenix is also called “A charity case” by the attendant of the Natchez hospital and the nurse checks a “charity” mark in her book after giving Phoenix the medicine she needs for her grandson (Welty, 1941, 745).
The inability of the towns people to see Phoenix as a person instead of a charity case parallels with the inability of many whites to see African-Americans as individuals instead of lower-class citizens. Phoenix’s ability to have hope for the future and to stay strong for her grandson through her mistreatment show she has a greater appreciation for life than the townspeople, and this deeper understanding of life allows her noble character to shine throughout the story. To understand why Phoenix is unfazed by racism, the reader must look at the symbolism behind Phoenix’s name.
Phoenix represents the majestic bird who rises from its own ashes, as she treats people with love regardless of the constant insults she faces while on her selfless journey. As K. Wilson notes, Phoenix is timeless and has the ability to make her voice heard in spite of those who try to diminish or dismiss her (1997, 315). On pg. 740, Welty even describes Phoenix as a phoenix, saying, “but a golden color ran underneath, and the two knobs of her cheeks were illuminated by a yellow burning under the dark” (1941).
Phoenix’s determination and will parallels with the character of civil rights activists of the mid and late 1900’s, and her phoenix-like physical characteristics show her character is special and unlike the cultural norm. While Phoenix’s name is full of symbolism, Welty also uses some common objects to signify the African-American desire for equality and opportunity with whites. Throughout the novel, Welty plants various symbols of the African American quest for civil rights that give Phoenix hope and will her to keep moving forward.
As Phoenix sits down to rest on her journey through the Natchez Trace, she imagines a little boy bringing her a piece of marble cake and says, “That would be acceptable. ” (Welty, 1941, 741). According to literary analysist D. J. Sykes, Phoenix’s vision of black and white cake represents the idea of integration in the South (nd, 152). However, on pg. 744 of “A Worn Path,” Welty describes Phoenix reaching for the cake, only to grasp thin air (1941). The inability to grasp the cake is Welty recognizing that the integration of races still has a long way ahead.
Phoenix’s ability to keep moving forward on her journey out of love for her randson depict both Welty and African Americans’ desire for peace between races. The second symbol Welty uses is a college degree Phoenix sees hung on the wall in the nurse’s office (Skyes, nd, 152). On pg. 744 of “A Worn Path”, Welty describes Phoenix as awestruck by the gold lining of the degree, and Phoenix says the degree “matched the dream that was hung up in her head” (Welty, 1941). Phoenix’s optimistic look toward the future shows she has let the love for her grandson and her people transcend any racist comment she hears and any dismissiveness she is shown.
As Sykes notes, Phoenix’s awe at the degree represents her looking forward to the day AfricanAmericans will be able to go to college and the day her grandson will have degrees of his own (nd, 152). Phoenix’s dream for a peaceful and educated life for both her grandson and her people signifies the African-American desire for equal opportunities and peace among races, and Phoenix’s determination to keep pushing in spite of the painful journey ahead signifies the relentless pursuit with which AfricanAmericans pursued a better life for both themselves and their families. A Worn Path” is ultimately Eudora Welty’s way of reminding the world why human life is precious.
During a time when the world was losing its morality, Phoenix Jackson’s love for her grandson comes in to give us all a fresh reminder about how we should see and treat others. The time period of the story coupled with the brittle physical characteristics of Phoenix allow the reader to see the physical hardships AfricanAmericans faced in their journey for civil rights, and Phoenix’s interactions with the Natchez townspeople allow the reader to see the social obstacles African-Americans faced in their journey for civil rights.
Welty’s imagery and symbolism show how Phoenix faces these physical and social obstacles with strength and determination all while remaining hopeful for the future of her people and her grandson. While all these literary devices do not normally fit together, Welty constructs “A Worn Path” in a way where the reader is forced to consider human life’s true meaning: to love and to be loved.
