Phoenix Jackson Mind Over Matter By Welty

Essay, Research Paper

Novelist Eudora Welty is often studied and adored by many

readers; her much deserved recognition comes from her brilliant, deeply

compassionate, and lively stories and novels (Ford 36). Like many of her

stories, Eudora Welty’s "A Worn Path" is set in Mississippi. In

"A Worn Path," Welty focuses on an old woman’s journey to Natchez and

on the many obstacles that she encounters along the way. Phoenix is going to

town to get medication for her beloved grandson. But he trip is difficult

because nature and her handicaps are making it hard for her to reach her

destination. Nevertheless, the old woman boldly continues along the equally old

path, struggling every step of the way. Even though Phoenix faces a number of

obstacles, she reaches her destination and triumphs over her physical handicaps

and over nature’s barriers by relying on her inner strengths. Although Phoenix

is nearly blind, she does not let her failing eyesight keep her from reaching

her destination; she relies on her feet to take her where she needs to go.

"Old Phoenix would have been lost had she not distrusted her eyesight and

depended on her feet to know where to take her (162)." The ragged old woman

inches her feet forward with the aid of a makeshift cane, dragging her untied

shoelaces along the icy road. Phoenix’s feet carry her to the top of the hill

and then carefully guide her down the hill. But her eyes fail her as she nears

the bottom of the hill and her dress gets snagged in a thorn bush. "Old

eyes thought you was a pretty little green bush (159)." She carefully frees

herself and continues along the path. When Phoenix nears a fallen tree that lays

over the creek, she closes her eyes and lets her feet guide her across it. Her

feet take her across the fields and lead her out of the swamp and through the

maze. As she makes her way through the corn field, she stumbles across a tall,

dark figure. "Ghost," she said sharply, "who be you the ghost of?

For I have heard of nary death close by (160)." Her eyesight tricks her

into believing that it is a ghost, or perhaps, the Grim Reaper that has come to

take her away. When Phoenix gets no response from the "ghost," she

bravely touches the figure and realizes that it is only a scarecrow. The

relieved woman kicks up her dependable feet and dances with him. Phoenix

acknowledges that it is nature’s job to stall her. However, she makes it clear

that she has no time for the barriers that are being thrown across her path. She

knows that her life is limited and she has no time for obstructions. When she

finds herself snagged on a thorn bush, she talks to it as she patiently frees

herself. "Thorns, you doing your appointed work Never want to let folks

pass-no sir (159)." As Phoenix wobbles along, she comes across a sitting

buzzard and in three simple words she lets him know that he will not dine upon

her. "Who you watching (160)?" She slowly sways past him and continues

her journey, while nature carefully plans the next obstacle. Sure enough, as

Phoenix stands and ponders, a big black dog creeps up behind her. "Old

woman," she said to herself, "that black dog come up out of the weeds

to stall you off (161)." She accepts the fact that the black dog is merely

following nature’s orders. Phoenix’s old body is not as quick as her wit. When

Phoenix is startled by the huge mutt, her mind reacts much faster than her body,

causing her to drop into a weed-cushioned trench. The old woman is discovered by

a young hunter who quickly snatches her out of the ditch. As they converse,

Phoenix catches a glimpse of a shiny nickel that drops out of the hunter’s

pouch. Her mind reacts; her face lights up and she claps her hands. "Look

at that dog! She laughed as if in admiration. He ain’t scared of nobody. He a

big black dog (161)." Knowing that her old body needs plenty of time to

grab the nickel, she uses her wit to shift the hunter’s attention toward the

"fearless" dog. As the hunter sets off to prove his own fearlessness,

Phoenix goes for the coin. "She was slowly bending forward by that time

(162)." She gradually bows and places the coin in her apron. As Jackson

slowly lifts her body, she notices a bird flying above her. "Her lips

moved. God watching me the whole time. I come to stealing (162)." She

realizes that God is watching her sin. The culpable woman boldly faces the man,

ready to admit her guilt. After a few moments, Phoenix concludes that the hunter

is clueless of her thievery so the witty woman subtly confesses to the man:

"I seen plenty go off closer by, in my day, and for less than what I

done," (162)." Phoenix hobbles along, happy about the shiny nickel in

her pocket, yet unsure of why she needs

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