A Worn Path

By Eudora Welty

What emotions does this story evoke in you?

Answer 1:At first it was confusing, you didn’t really now what

was going on. If you read into all the symbols you feel anguish for this women that tries to overcome so much for her grandson that she loves.

“Under her small blackfreckled hand her cane, limbered as a buggy whip, would switch at the brush as if to rouse up any hiding things”(pg.622) What we felt in this passage was that at any moment the fact that her grandson is actually dead will hit her at any moment.

Question 2

What is your reaction to the ending of the story? Would you prefer to know that Phoenix Jackson’s grandson is alive? Why or why not?

• You realize that Phoenix has overcome so much for the one she loves, and would travel a long path for. You don’t know if her grandson is dead or alive. We wouldn’t want to know that her grandson is either or, it lets you use your imagination, and it’s a path that we would all travel for the ones we love.

• “She lifted her free hand, gave a little nod, turned

around, and walked out of the doctor’s office.” (pg.627)

Question 3

Why does Phoenix make her journey?

AWNSER 3

She makes her journey to get her grandson medicine for his throat, ”Yes, Swallowed lye.”(pg.626) On her way there she gets five cent from two people, and with those ten cents she plans to buy a paper windmill for her grandson. A times people put windmills on graves, so is her grandson dead?

• What obstacles does Phoenix Jackson encounter on her journey?

Answer 4

• The Physical aspect of her age• A path that is “worn” out • People that don’t have respect for her

because of her race.• Humiliation and Discrimination• Overall, although she was considered a

citizen she had to go through so much discrimination, and she even felt that she had to go through it with the thorny bush that "never want to let folks pass" (pg.622)

Question 5:

• A) What does the nurse ask Phoenix?

• B) How does Phoenix explain her inability to answer?

• A) The Nurse asks Phoenix how her grandson is doing. “Is his Throat any better”(pg.626)

• B) Phoenix tells her that she forgot for a second why was the reason she made the trip. Then she tells the nurse that she didn’t go to school, after the civil war ended it was to late for her to attend. “I’m an old woman without an education”(pg.626)

Answer #5: Part A&B

Question 6

• What details of the setting help to create a somber, mournful atmosphere?

Answer 6• The whole idea of this elderly women walking

through the forest by herself gives you this horrible feeling that something will happen to her out their. “She walked slowly in the dark pine shadows…”(pg.622) All the animals that were around made you wonder if one was going to pop out of no where and attack her. But all the animals seemed to not bother her at all, “Sleep on, alligators, and blow your bubbles.”(pg.624)

Question 7

• How would you characterize the attitudes of the hunter, the attendant, and the nurse toward Phoenix?

Answer 7

• Although they all sounded consistent to the fact that they where trying to be helpful toward her you couldn't help it but still think that they where discriminating against her. You feel this tone in their voice that they were still being barbaric towards her .

• “Old Phoenix only gave a twitch to her face as if a fly were bothering her. {are you deaf} cried the attendant”(pg.625)

Question 8

• Why do you think Phoenix does not immediately respond to the questions of the nurse and the attendant?

Answer 8

• She probably didn’t answer immediately because she got a glance at the life that she had before of how people just treated her badly. She wanted people to talk to her with respect

Question 9

• What is the significance of the story’s taking place at Christmas time?

Answer 9

• When you think of Christmas it’s a time of happiness, a time to forgive and forget. It’s a time where miracles happen. Christmas is when everyone comes together no matter what race you are, or age, “Please missy will you lace up my shoe?...

Stand still then grandma, said the lady. She put her packages down on the side walk beside her and laced and tied both shoes tightly”(pg.625)

Question 10

• What does Phoenix’s journey symbolize?

Answer 10• Her journey symbolizes her path through life,

different obstacles that we all encounter with. Or this journey could be the recognition that her grandson is indeed dead, not alive. A cycle, or a story that just keeps running through her head. What separates reality from fantasy.

• Or the journey that she took represents the rode that many had taken for civil rights. The abusment that they all suffered, but at the end freedom was won.

“…and when a little boy brought her a plate with a slice of marble cake on it she spoke to him. {That would be acceptable,}”

Question 11

• Do you think the story would be different if the setting were changed? Why or why not?

Answer 11

• If the setting was at the desert she probably wouldn’t have survived her journey, to get her grandson medicine. She most likely would have dehydrated, or because of her age wouldn’t allow her to make it through that weather.

“She left that tree, and had to go through a barbed wire fence…”(pg.623)