Love Conquers All Essay, Research Paper
Love Conquers All
In ?A Worn Path? Eudora Welty?s plot is not all that clear in the beginning of her
short story, but progresses as her character carries on against all of the overwhelming
forces against her. In this short story a black elderly woman, Phoenix Jackson, must
overcome the odds against her as she valiantly travels through many obstacles in order to
contribute to the wellness of her grandson, for whom she is making this trip down ?a
worn path.? It is at this point that all of Welty?s readers? hearts open up to this poor,
elderly woman as she makes an attempt to carry on her love for her grandson by taking a
long journey down a familiar path in order to get medication that seems to help ease his
sickness pains. However, there are many forces against Phoenix that Welty includes in
her story in order to make Phoenix?s adventure end in a victory. Poverty, old age, and
her journey through the woods are all of the odds which Phoenix must overcome.
Poverty is a major hardship that most of us will never have to face, but in
Phoenix?s case, poverty is present everyday in her and her grandson?s life. Since she is in
this state of poverty, Phoenix is not able to enjoy life?s luxuries as others do and must
make do with what she can. As she begins her journey, it becomes clear that she lacks
the money to pay for transportation to and from town; therefore, she starts down her path
carrying a ?thin, small cane made from an umbrella? (132). Although Welty never really
emphasizes what this is used for the reader can assume that she uses it because she does
not have the money to buy the actual cane needed to help her walk properly. Another
conflict dealing with poverty arouses when she feels it necessary to steal from a hunter
she encounters in the woods. While the hunter walks away her sneaky ?fingers slid
down and along the ground under the piece of money with grace and care they would
have in lifting an egg from under a setting hen? (134). Here Welty shows that Phoenix
must do what she has to in order to survive. Even though it may not appear right, her
poverty forces her to act in a way that she only knows best. For instance, when people
have a barrier separating them between something they want, they are going to do what
they can to achieve their goal no matter what stands in their way. In this case Phoenix is
a poor woman and the money catches her eye. Acting on her instinct, she takes what is
not hers and hopes that she can get away with it. However, because of her perseverance
and determination to better the health of her grandson, Phoenix journeys into town to
receive charity that the doctor?s office provides her. This ?soothing medicine? they give
her is the reason why she makes this trip in the first place (136). However, she is looked
upon as a charity case since she has no money to pay for the medication he needs and is
given the medicine for free. All of these examples that Welty has described in ?A Worn
Path? allow her story to develop by making readers think about what she writes. Poverty
is an important issue in today?s society and it makes one think of all the fortunes they
have. In this sense, Welty also makes one fear poverty by the way she addresses it. The
images allow one to feel Phoenix?s pain that comes along with poverty. Joyce Carol
Oates backs up this statement by adding that by ?disciplining her [Welty?s] vision in
order to gain deeper penetration into the dark and lovely realities of the lonely human
spirit and shaping her fiction so that each story should be something achieved…? (362).
Oates simply means that Welty goes beyond normal realities in order to grab the reader?s
attention. Through poverty, Welty takes a worldwide problem and stretches it to a level
in which the person reading her story feels saddened by the power she displays. To be
old, poor, and a surrogate mother is a hard job, and Welty does a wonderful job of
portraying this through the underlying problem of poverty.
Another overpowering element in ?A Worn Path? is Phoenix?s age. Welty writes
that she has ?numberless branching wrinkles? which illustrates that she has many years
behind her (132). It is here that Welty begins painting a portrait in which the reader can
envision scenes from her story. Because of her old age, Phoenix lets her feet do the
walking while her mind runs free and wild. This is where her age seems as though it is a
constant problem. As seen in the movies or in real life, old people often have a problem
with keeping all of their thoughts straight. Not only is it dangerous, but it also adds to the
flare of Welty?s story. Now the odds have gone up against this poor, old woman. Welty
carries on with this image of an old woman traveling a path as if she were sleep walking.
But as she approaches the doctor?s office ? her feet knew to stop,? and she appeared to
have no recollection as to where she is going or what she is doing there (135). As she
enters the office she stares off into space and ?for[gets] why[she] made [her] long trip?
(136). It seems that she has come all of this way and cannot remember a thing, except
the daydreams she floated in and out of on her way there. However, one thing does stand
out: the gold diploma seal in the doctor?s office (135). Here Welty allows Phoenix, an
old woman, to recall the one thing that symbolizes something to her, a victory. Phoenix
may not recollect why she is there, but that certain document lets her know that she is
where she needs to be. It also stands for a prize, her grandson?s medicine. A good
friend of Welty?s adds that ?there are half-states, mixtures of dream and reality, or rapid
shifts between the two worlds? which are ?fact and fantasy? (Vande Kieft 135). Ruth
Vande Kieft also explains that ?A Worn Path? is not the only story in which Welty?s
characters drift between dream and fantasy life (82-92). The odds against Phoenix are
definitely taking their toll upon her. On an earlier page, 133, the author describes one of
her movements relating to a baby. Is Welty trying to imply that Phoenix displays
characteristics of a young child, not only in action but in thoughts as well? Some say that
when someone becomes old, they start to revert back physically as well as mentally. As
Welty shows the effects of old age, it is at this time that the conflicts become very
apparent. This particular conflict is with herself. She is old and cannot stop the
occurrences that take place to her body and mind as she grows older.
Another conflict that contributes to the plot is Phoenix?s journey through the
woods. An obvious factor is the trip to town. Since Phoenix lives out in the country, she
must walk a far distance to encounter any kind of civilization. The title ?A Worn Path?
implies that Phoenix has made this journey many times. Here the reader gets the
impression that these are her marks and that this path is worn because of her. As she
?Thorns, you doing your appointed work. Never want to let folks pass, no sir? (132).
Welty describes this path that Phoenix chooses as a sort of obstacle course. She must
stretch and shrink her body in order to get through the almost impassable obstacles. Even
though the path may be worn, it is as if something is trying to hold her back. Maybe it is
a way of telling her that her grandson may never get better and in actuality the
medication she gets for him may not be working as it seems. Welty insinuates this by the
conversation that takes place between the nurse and Phoenix. The nurse asks Phoenix if
her grandson was any better since her last visit to the doctor?s office for medication
(136). Now the reader can conclude that the medication may never cure him. However,
with her determination and motivation her feet keep on moving. Along with the thorny
bushes, a barbed wire fence and a log over a creek put her in great danger, but Phoenix
continues to proceed with her journey. After all of these setbacks, she then comes face to
face with a white hunter. Welty uses this white hunter as a conflict because it is relevant
to the time the story took place. The reader can assume from looking at the date above
the story that this was a time which racism was a problem. Therefore, the hunter nags
her a while then pulls his gun slowly up to her. Phoenix replies ?I seen plenty go off
closer by, in my day…? (135). What is exactly meant by this? One possibility may be
that Phoenix feels the hunter caught her stealing. Phoenix also gives the impression that
she may have done this before and gotten caught. Why would Welty add this in her
story? It can be assumed that the date again has strong significance. Well, the
possibilities are endless. But, it is clearly seen that these encounters that she faces are
not common in everyday life. What do all of these setbacks add to her story? They offer
the end of the journey to be more courageous on Phoenix?s part and they give the reader a
sense of open-heartedness towards Welty?s character. This journey through the woods
shows Phoenix?s love for her grandson. With all of the hardships on this journey love
conquers all and Ruth Van Kieft states: ?There are no significant barriers to the
expressive love of old Phoenix, and this is reflected also in her sense of familiarity with
nature…? (29). This familiarity allows the reader to feel that Welty?s character has a
deep love for nature. In the story, Welty includes many conversations with animals
during her journey through the woods. Basically Welty?s character appears comfortable
with nature and does not see the journey as a burden, as does the reader, but as an
adventure. Not only does her journey endanger her, but the fact that she is making this
journey for the love of her grandson adds so much more to her effect of the story.
Furthermore, these incidents indicate that Phoenix adapts to the dangers that face her,
and allows the plot to then become clear.
Welty catches the reader?s attention by how real her short story seems. Even
though many people may never experience Phoenix?s problems, the descriptions and
images she uses allows her to create a powerful story in which many feel they can relate
to in some way. Her three major problems, poverty, old age, and some form of a journey,
are all obstacles which all of her readers will one day face as they travel through their
own paths.
Jacobs, Henry E. and Roberts, Edgar V. Literature: An Introduction to Reading
and Writing. 5th ed. new Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1998: 131-137.
Oates, Joyce C. ?Eudora Welty.? Contemporary Literary Criticism. 1973 ed. 361.
Vande Kieft, Ruth M. Eudora Welty. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1987.