A Worn Path by Eudora Welty, is the tale of the unstoppable love and care of a grandmother for her grandchild. It tells a story of sheer determination as Phoenix Jackson makes a long journey into town to get medicine for her chronically ill grandson. She strives forward despite frequent obstacles in her way that include her own failing health and the grandchild’s slim chance of survival. Phoenix Jackson is an old Negro woman who continues forward over barriers that would not even be considered a hindrance for the young. This is a journey, which she has taken before, and now “the time come around she ust travel it again.

She begins her journey to town on a bright frozen day in the early morning in December. Phoenix Jackson is very old and small , and walks like the pendulum in a grandfather clock ever so carefully with her thin, small cane made from an umbrella. The description of Phoenix Jackson at the beginning of this story gives the reader a glimpse of how difficult this trip is going to be for an elderly woman such as her. The description Her eyes were blue with age. Her skin has a pattern all its own of numberless branching wrinkles are indications of Phoenix Jacksons old age.

She supports herself with a cane, striving not to fall with every step she takes. She wears a dress reaching down to her shoe tops along with an equally long apron of bleached sugar sacks, with a full pocket. This just adds to her difficulties. 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 bob-whites, because as she says, “I got a long way. She is determined to go down that path despite anything that might come between her and getting the medicine for her grandson.

This shows that her body may be worn out, but the attitude that she takes and desire that she has in order to get the medicine for her grandson are not. In addition, her shoelaces which dragged from her unlaced shoes adds to the chance of her falling on the path. First, she has to face an uphill climb. Then, she goes downhill but soon finds herself tangled with a bush, and she does not want to rip her dress. She talks to the bush stating “Thorns, you doing your appointed work. Never want to let folks pass, no sir. Old eyes thought you was a pretty little green bush” However, she manages to free erself from the thorn bush.

In addition, she faces a barbed-wire fence, which is not easy for anyone, but she gets through, again telling herself that she could not pay for having her arm or her leg sawed off. At one point, she is startled by a stray dog and falls into a ditch. Eventually, a hunter and his dog happen upon her and pull her out of the ditch. He also tries to prevent her from finishing her journey. He tells her that she is too old, and even tries to scare her with his gun. At that point the man says, “you must be a hundred years old, and scared of nothing… u take my advice and stay home, and nothing will happen to you.

Not even these words from the hunter could make Phoenix give up, always getting herself out of a predicament, and having her grandson as a reason to keep going. Walking across a log with her eyes closed is another daring thing she attempts. After safely crossing she says “I wasn’t as old as I thought. She sits down to rest when a little boy brought her a plate with a slice of marble-cake on it. When old Phoenix reaches to take it there was just her own hand in the air, and nothing else around.

Throughout he story, she exhibits signs of senility and delusions including her meeting of a scarecrow which she initially thinks is a man. When Phoenix reaches her destination, the reason for her mission is given. When she enters “the big building”, evidently a medical facility, she doesnt speak and appears disoriented. A nurse recognizes her and inquires about her grandson who swallowed lye two to three years ago. She asks He isnt dead, is he? Phoenix responds with, “No missy, he not dead, he just the same. She tells the nurse he not able to swallow. He not get his breath.

So the time come around, and I go on another trip for the soothing medicine. Phoenix Jackson encounters many adversities along her journey, but somehow manages to get through them. Her perseverance in the face of tremendous obstacles is admirable considering her age and declining health. This story reminds the reader over and over that she truly loves her grandson, and that she is determined to overcome any obstacle to achieve her goal. The only thing that keeps her from giving up is the love she has for him and the fact that all they have in this world is each other.

In A Worn Path by Eudora Welty an elderly African American woman named Phoenix Jackson picks a cold December day to make yet another perilous journey to a near by city to get medicine for her ailing grandson. On the way this ninety-year-old woman faces many obstacles, both natural and man-made. Phoenix draws upon her perseverance and willingness to sacrifice herself to help her throughout her journey, but it is the undying love for her grandson that truly guides and drives her to her final goal. Phoenix Jackson has a seemingly inexhaustible amount of determination.

From the moment that she sets out on her trek, she must fight all the challenges that nature has made for her. From the very beginning there is the threat of attack by wild animals and Phoenix shouts out of my way, all you foxes, owls, beetles, jack rabbits, coons and wild animals! undauntingly challenging them. Phoenix is a very old woman whose aged, fragile body isnt suited to make such a long journey. At one point when she is climbing up a hill, she states that it seems like there is chains about my feet, time I get this far.

And yet she still trudges onward, stopping only once for a short break. On the way down the hill she gets caught in a bush, its thorns tearing at her finest dress. I in a thorny bush, she exclaims. But she doesnt give up; she stands there untangling herself from the bush, her fingers busy and intent. After she has overcome this obstacle she faces yet another trial. Across Phoenixs path lies a creek and across the creek lies a log, which substitutes as a bridge. It is hard enough for Phoenix to walk on flat and stable ground, so walking across the log is a dangerous challenge for her.

Even though there is a large threat of her falling and badly hurting herself, she mounted the log and shut her eyes and crosses to the other side. Next she comes across a barbwire fence, and once again without showing any signs of fear she fords ahead crossing that too. Phoenix travels a good portion of the day facing many physical challenges that test her stamina, but the real trials are the physiological ones that she faces as she encounters people along her journey. The first person that she meets is a hunter.

In the beginning he seems like a benevolent character because he lifted her up, gave her a swing in the air, and set her down, helping her out of the ditch that a dog had pushed her into. He even inquires anything broken, Granny? and goes on to ask her where she lives. But then his manner turns unfriendly. Why, thats too far now you go on home, Granny! he exclaims when he learns where Old Phoenix is headed. He even starts to belittle her, trying to insinuate that his race is superior to hers.

I know you old colored people! Wouldnt miss going to town to see Santa Claus! says implying that Phoenix would make such a long and arduous trip to satisfy a mere childish whim. The hunter even turns hostile pointing a gun at Phoenix just to see her reaction. Doesnt the gun scare you? he asks. No, sir, I seen plenty go off closer, in my day, she replies calmly and respectfully. The hunter sees the courage that emanates from her and decides to leave her alone. Another quality that Phoenix possesses that helps her make her journey is a deep sense of self-sacrifice. This sense of self-sacrifice gives her the ability to risk getting hurt or even killed in order to get what her grandson needs.

This sense of self sacrifice is present throughout the story for the journey itself is a constant battle where Phoenix gives up her comfort and security to go into a strange and hostile environment for the medicine. Such a hostile environment is the city. As Phoenix says herself, she is an old woman without an education, who has probably lived in the country all of her life. The city is a foreign and intimidating place to her, but she ventures in for the sake of her grandson. Phoenix Jackson draws upon her immense love for her ailing grandson to produce perseverance, resourcefulness and willingness to live that otherwise would never be there.

The greatest example of this comes at the end of the story, when Phoenix has reached the doctors office. At this point Phoenix has been challenged physically, emotionally and physiologically and she is worn out. She is on the brink of collapse when she reaches the doctors office and the only thought that fills her mind is that she has made it. So, when the attendant in the doctors office asks her why she has come, Phoenix completely blanks out. She has been pushing herself so hard for so long that she no longer remembers why she must get to the city, but only that she must somehow make her way to the doctors office.

Even when a nurse, who knows Phoenix, comes in and reminds her of her grandson, Phoenix doesnt remember. Only when the nurse cold-heartedly says, he isnt dead is he? does Phoenix remember. The story ends with Phoenix going out to a store to buy her grandson a toy with the money that she has acquired during the journey. She doesnt even think for a second to go and buy herself something to eat something to sustain her on the long and cold walk home. Her love and devotion support her and give her an endless source of almost supernatural strength. The strength that she radiates toward her grandson, the strength that nourishes his life.