FREE ESSAY ON A WORN PATH

A WORN PATH

In the short story A Worn Path, by Eudora Welty there is only one main character Miss
Phoenix Jackson, who is in barking on a journey that would lead her to the desired
destination. Phoenix's personality would change as she gathered more land with her
persistent walking, passing through many different settings. Although the change in
scenery is blately obvious it is sometimes what we over look, when trying to examine the
characters attitude, or morals in different situations. The attitude change in Miss
Jackson is noticeable as she lumbers through the pines, crossing the stream, and again
while sitting at the doctor's office. 
When Phoenix is walking early in the morning she is amongst the pine trees that seems to
engulf her, she shows her determination as she lumbers along the trail. With the motion
in her step going from side to side in a manner that would sagest the pace that she is
keeping, although is a slow in general, may be a little quicker then she would normally
be maintaining. This would be so that she could return before the sun goes down with the
medicine for her little grandson. She knows this trail very well and walks with
confidence, persistently taping the ground with her cane, possible not even looking at
where it is her feet are landing. Upon the way she stops to scold and warn the foxes, and
other small animals she was visualizing to stay out of her way that she had a far walk
and that she must be getting on her way. She says this with a tone in her voice which I
imagine to be a voice that a older women uses when they mean business and must finish
what they set out to do. Phoenix waves her cane much like someone would at a horse, to
persuade it to continue on the path.
As Phoenix approaches the stream it becomes obvious that the spirit and imagination
inside of her is that of a child. It almost appears that Phoenix has reached the fountain
of youth, which releases the child inside of her. She takes a large first step raising
her knee high walking onto the log that resemble that of a marching band, while holding
the small cane straight out as if to point the direction. This is an image of Phoenix is
one that I would most likely associate with children. She continues to dream, this time
an image of a young man comes before her, most likely being an image of her grandson. She
sits down in a most unusually fashion for a person with their shoes untied, placing
herself down very softly and lady like. Crossing her legs is a way to show maturity, as
little girls do not act in such a way. When the child is handing her piece of cake, that
she would most graciosity accepts, she acknowledges the child and demising them showing
her seniority. After taking a swipe at the piece of cake she gathers herself and continue
down the path.
When sitting in the doctor's office Phoenix display a completely different set of
characteristic from with in her, this one being that she is feeling very awkward and
apologetic. Up to this point she has shown us a different character trait each time she
has encountered something or the scene changes, this will continue as she enters the big
building. When getting into the building she is overcome by the size and elegance, which
the building appears to her. In this building the golden sign, which hangs in the golden
case acts much like a trigger to Phoenix much like the stream did. As she stairs at all
the gold she becomes silenent and still like a deer caught in headlights. As the
attendants ask Phoenix what it is she has come for she continues to stair at the sign as
if she didn't know the language they where speaking. When the nurse enters the room where
Phoenix is sitting she begins to explain to the other nurse the situation, while never
once being interrupted by phoenix to finish giving a description of her purpose. When
Phoenix was asked a question by the staff and did not answer right away she would later
be very apologetic and came up with several reasons for the lack of communication.
The way you will carry yourself through a certain situation is very much affected by what
is surrounding you. A character, in this story Phoenix, would change their attitude or
tendencies ten out of ten time if put but into different scene dealing with the same
issues. Although the change in her attitude cannot be related directly to the scenery it
is one was to classify the changes. Phoenix shows her attitude change as treks out of the
pines over the hill and continuing to follow the path leading her to the doctor's office.