A Worn Path – An AnalysisThe short story "A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty is a descriptive story of a grandmother's difficult journey, for a little -son she loves. Her dedication to her grandson and her desire to provide him with a better lifestyle were her motivation to overcome these challenges. During this trip, Phoenix Jackson, the grandmother, fights against old age, nature and reality. Phoenix Jackson was certainly a devoted old lady. She refused to give up, despite all obstacles, to help her grandson. Her grandson was very ill and needed certain medications to survive. After walking miles through wilderness, barbed wire, thorn bushes and being confronted by a white man with a gun, she persisted on her path. She didn't care about the consequences of her trip for herself. His only concern was this little boy, sick at home, waiting for him. At a time when white people had a say over black people, she took a great risk by disobeying the white hunter, who told her "Now go home, Granny" (215). To which she replied, “I absolutely must go to town, sir” (215), and belligerently ignored him. She even risked her life by stealing 5 cents that the man had dropped, all in order to give her grandson a gift. During his grueling journey, Phoenix Jackson had to overcome the difficulties associated with his old age. As she traveled miles, she “moved a little from side to side” (212). The fact that she addresses the animals by telling them: "Keep the little bobwhite quail out from under these feet" (213) is perhaps an example of her senile nature. Another example of her senile appearance is when she sees a little boy bringing her a marble cake; I don't realize it's just an illusion. An example of his determination in the middle of paper....... Perhaps the moral lies beneath the real story, as the grandson's livelihood may not be the only thing at stake in this journey. The woman, being old, can represent death. And the journey is her journey to find life, or preserve what little life she has. If she gives up, she loses this life, which the grandson is the symbol of. Her devotion to her grandson and her love for him may be her motivation. But his dedication to life is another. She achieves her goals by overcoming the struggles that old age and nature have placed against her. In doing so, she has returned to the life she loves, at least until next year, when she walks this worn path again. Works Cited Welty, Eudora. “A worn path.” Literature for composition. Ed. Sylvan Barnet, Morton Berman, William Burto, William E. Cain, Marcia Stubbs.5th ed. New York: Longman, 2000. 212-218