A Worn Path

By Eudora Welty

 

After reading this story the Greek myth the Odyssey came to mind. Odysseus journeyed long and hard to reach his wife after the Trojan War. He could have given up after the many challenges he faced but continued on because he loved his wife and wanted to be with her. Similarly, Phoenix traveled a long time on a journey that many women her age would not be able to do in order to get medicine for her grandson. Welty uses a lot of imagery to convey the difficulty of Phoenix’s journey. For example, her eyes “were blue with age” but she “mounted the log and shut her eyes. Lifting her skirt, leveling her cane fiercely before her, like a festival figure in some parade, she began to march across.” Even though she is almost blind she crosses the log so that she can continue on her journey to get the medicine her grandson needs to survive. She does this so often the nurse knows her by name. Phoenix loves her grandson so much that she is willing to make this difficult journey on a regular basis. She is even willing to face a hunter  with a gun to help her grandson. She is willing to give up her life for him just like Odysseus was willing to face Cyclops and sirens to get home to his wife.