Characters
Long- Questions
1. Describe phoenix Jackson and the
journey she makes to the town of Natchez.
2. What was the purpose of phoenix
Jackson's trip to town? What obstacles did she face on her way?
3. "A Worn Path" is a story of
unconscious heroism of phoenix Jackson. Discuss.
Or,
How does Phoenix Jackson show
unconscious heroism through her journey to town? Why does she undertake this
journey and how does she overcome all the obstacles she comes across on the
way?
Short-Questions
1. Why does phoenix keep talking to
herself? What do her monologues add to the total portrait of her?
2. Describe two obstacles old Phoenix
comes up against on her way to the hospital and how she deals with them.
3. What does old Phoenix do when she is
knocked down by the dog?
4. What is the meaning of the episode in
which Phoenix steals the nickel? Does the act offend our sense of honesty?
Explain your answer.
5. In what way is Phoenix Jackson like a
Phoenix bird?
6. What significance can you attach to
the fact that the journey takes place at Christmas time?
11. A Worn Path
Eudora Wetly
Characters
Phoenix Jackson : a Negro woman, who travel from remote village to town
Grandson : suffering from sore throat
A dog : scared the old lady
A hunter : master of the dog
A nurse : give a nickel and some medicine
A receptionist : in the hospital
A lady : tied the lace of old Phoenix
December : story happen
Hospital : in Natchez city
Medicine, hill, log, field, river
Summary
A black old woman named as Phoenix Jackson is the central character of the story. It was the month of December and she was walking slowly with a cane (stick). She covered her head with a red rag (torn-out cloth). She was speaking to herself as she was tapping her way; it is a kind of soliloquy (speaking oneself) in the story. She talked and addressed the wild animals, insects, birds, trees and bushes. She even addressed the fearful wild animal to go out from her way. As she crossed the pinewoods, she reached in the stream (river) and crossed the bridge and became over-confident that she had not become so much old and had plenty of energy inside her.
After that she had taken a short rest. But in the same time, she visualized a flash of dream when a small boy offered her a cake. She moved her hand in the air. She crossed the way by creeping under the barbed (cutting and pointed) wire. On the way she considered the scarecrow as a ghost and she shouted due to fear and drank water in the spout (tap). Meanwhile, a dog came to attack her and she started to run away but fell into the ditch and unable to come out from it. A white hunter came there and rescued her. She was so much thankful to him because of his unselfish help. She was excited and appreciated him. He had two dogs. They were began to fight and the man went to separate them, but at the same time, a nickel (five cent coin) fell on the ground from his pocket. She silently grabbed it. The white man requested the woman to go back to the home and dominated her as Granny, but the woman was constant in her determination. She did not like that man and his suggestion at all.
Finally, she arrived on the street of the city where she saw lights flashing everywhere and people were walking in the street with attractive gifts in their hands. On the meantime, her shoelace untied so she requested a lady to tie her shoelaces. The lady was a charming lady who helped her in a pleasant way and honored her as Grandma. Ultimately, she reached in a large building which was the big hospital. The nurse and the attendant started to talk with the woman; it seemed that they knew the woman very well. The nurse asked her about her grandson and his illness. But the mother didn’t know anything and forgot everything. She was looked like a wanderer. Finally the woman recalled that she had the grandson who was very sick. The nurse gave her a bottle of medicine. It was the cheerful time of Christmas, so the attendant gave her a nickel. The old woman was thinking to buy a paper wind-mill for her grandson.
Long- Questions
1. Describe phoenix Jackson and the journey she makes to the town of
Natchez.
The main character, Phoenix
Jackson is an old Negro woman. She is old and small. Her head was tied in a red
reg. She carried a stick. Her clothes were all neat and tidy. She looked
straight ahead. Her eyes were blue. Her skin was wrinkled by age. Her short
black curly hair touched her neck. Whenever the medicine of her grandson is
over, she goes to the town. She walks up the hill of pine trees. And then
climbs down the hill of Oak (a big tree) trees. On her way, she sees foxes,
owls, and so other kinds of animal. With frightening, she travels continuously.
She passes through barbed wire fence and walks along the wagon track. She falls
into a ditch. A young white man pulls her out. At last, she gets to the clinic
of the doctor.
2. What was the purpose of phoenix Jackson's trip to town? What obstacles
did she face on her way?
Old Phoenix Jackson was walking along the difficult path. She was murmuring all the time. She has obligation to go to town. Her grandson's throat is not well. He has difficulty to swallow something or breathe. She was worried for the grandson. So her purpose to walks along the difficult worn path to get to the hospital for medicine.
Old Phoenix Jackson walks down through Oaks, a bush catches her dress. Very difficultly and trembling all over she frees herself from the bush. She crosses a log on the stream. She shuts her eyes, lifts her skirt, leveling her cane before her. Again she gets caught in the barbed wire fence. And she comes through the fence at last creeping and crawling. Then she is in a dead cornfield that seems like a maze. There is no path for walking ahead. She scares by a scare-crow in the corn field. Finally she finds a wagon trace with very difficulty. Being tired so much she reaches the town of Natchez.
3. "A Worn Path" is a story of unconscious heroism of phoenix
Jackson. Discuss.
Or,
How does Phoenix Jackson show unconscious heroism through her journey to town? Why does she undertake this journey and how does she overcome all the obstacles she comes across on the way?
The story "A Worn Path" has a character, who is very determined so nothing can make her stop. Being old and weak she gets to the town showing courageous will. But she is very old and small, because of the age. She talks to herself because this is natural to old age. Old people murmurs when they have to face difficulties. She has to go to town for medicine to her grandson's sore throat. On the way, one after another obstacle weakens her confidence. But she always restores her courage. She walks up the hill, with great energy. Most of the old people cannot climb up in the hill. She crosses the log closing eyes and leveling by cane. She shows great courage here. She puzzles seeing scarecrow but she touches it even having fear. She crawls and creeps in the barbed wire fence like on army. She walks long way with the good hope. She faces the attack of dog. She cannot able to fight because of her age, and falls into the ditch. Even falling in the ditch, she has hoped to get out. We love her although she steals hunter's money.
All these difficult circumstances make her a heroine. She does dangerous work unknowingly. So the story is about an unconscious heroism of old Phoenix Jackson.
Short-Questions
1. Why does phoenix keep talking to herself? What do her monologues add
to the total portrait of her?
Old phoenix Jackson keeps talking to oneself. It is natural for her because she is a very old lady. Such an old lady murmurs (whisper, talk softly) to herself naturally. In the story, her monologues are much informative. We learn her personal condition of life. And we learn about her single grandson, her old age. We learn many incidences, her frequent trips to the town for medicine, etc.
2. Describe two obstacles old Phoenix comes up against on her way to
the hospital and how she deals with them.
Phoenix Jackson meets so many
obstacles on her way to the hospital. It is very difficult to cross her, when
she has to cross a log on the stream... She shuts her eyes, lifting her skirt;
she walks on to leveling by the cane (a stick). It's a trial for and after
crossing it. She says, "I am not as old as I thought". Then she
scares seeing a figure in the dead corn field. First, she thinks it’s a man.
When it doesn't move then thinks it's a ghost. But finally she finds it a
scare-crow.
She deals them having a little fear but it doesn't make her weak. She faces it with a great courage.
3. What does old Phoenix do when she is knocked down by the dog?
When old Phoenix is knocked down by the dog, she falls in the ditch. At the bottom of the ditch, she suddenly loses control over her senses. She tries to stand up and come out from the ditch but she fails every time. She feels too tired and weak to stand up. So she gives up hope to come out herself and continuously goes to talking. She says to herself, “Old woman, that black dog comes up out of the woods to fell you off and now there he sitting on his fine tail, smiling at you.” But she never gives up hope to come out and complete her task.
4. What is the meaning of the episode in which Phoenix steals the
nickel? Does the act offend our sense of honesty? Explain your answer.
The episode in which Phoenix steals the nickel in my opinion signifies the fact that she is beyond the philosophy of honesty or dishonesty. She does not steal the nickel for her personal benefit. She lives only for her grandson. She is an old woman living in extreme poverty and misery. She cannot earn, too. It is on her old, weak shoulders that her grandson’s life rests. According to Christianity, all sins are washed out if the guilty person realizes his or her sin and makes an honest confession before god. Phoenix confesses the sin and asks god to forgive her. The act does not at all hurt our feelings and our sense of honesty.
5. In what way is Phoenix Jackson like a Phoenix bird?
Phoenix Jackson is like the bird because she remains the same as the last many years. The bird rose renewed from its ashes. In the same way, old Phoenix overcomes the problem with a renewed energy of a young woman as like the bird, she had risen from the death. She regularly visits the town to get a medicine for her grandson. It is a long journey full of difficulties. It is a climbing task even for a young woman but she completes it with a surprising way.
6. What significance can you attach to the fact that the journey takes
place at Christmas time?
The biggest festival of Christians is Christmas Day. It is the yearly celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. It is the time of charity, love and forgiveness. This is a festival of presents and perfumes. Houses and streets are decorated with colourful electric lights. Everybody is happy. Christmas holds a special significance for children. They feast and celebrate together. All these things are happening in front of her. Phoenix buys a paper windmill for her grandson for the Christmas gift. These all evidences show that the journey takes place in Christmas time.
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