A Long Journey Essay Example

A Worn Path is a story written by Eudora Welty. The story tells about an old lady, named Phoenix Jackson who travels a long way to the city in order to get medicine for her grandson. The story is an example of true love that may overcome any difficulties. The old lady has to come through a long way with a lot of hindrances but she is ready to repeat it as many times as needed for the sake of grandson. It is possible to say that there are three main points in the story. They are: the long journey which may be viewed as a quest, courage and a strong will of the main heroine as well as her true love and devotion to her grandson.
Thus, the story starts with the description of an old Negro woman who was coming along a path through the pinewoods. It is clear that the woman was very old as she could walk only with a cane. Her face was full of wrinkles and her eyes were blue with age. But she continued to move towards the forest despite any difficulties. In fact, she knew that she was going to have a long way as she said: “Out of my way, all you foxes, owls, beetles, jack rabbits, coons and wild animals!. . . Keep out from under these feet, little bob-whites Keep the big wild hogs out of my path. Don't let none of those come running my direction. I got a long way” (Welty). Later on the woman met a lot of obstacles on her path. Thus, her dress was caught by a bush; she marched across the creek, and went through a barbed-wire fence. Her long journey reminds a quest which the main heroine has to overcome in order to reach her goal. And the quest was not an easy one. It is clear that the way to the town was too long for such an old lady. Thus, she says: “I too old. I the oldest people I ever know” (Welty). But despite her age she doesn’t stop as she knows that she has no other choice but to finish her long journey. She was not afraid of a long distance at all and knew that she simply had to move on.
It is also worth mentioning that Phoenix is a brave and strong woman who wasn’t afraid of a long distance or anything else. Her courage may be observed in many episodes, such as walking alone in the forest in December, meeting on her way a black dog and a lot of other animals. Thus, when she met a hunter he was shocked that old women could appear in such gloomy and mysterious surroundings. So, when he asked her where she was from and learnt that Phoenix lived behind the ridge and moved towards the town he simply couldn’t believe it. Thus, he said the following: “Why, that’s too far! That’s as far as I walk when I come out myself, and get something for my trouble” (Welty). These words serve a great example that Phoenix have chosen a long path that seemed to be difficult even for man. In her talk with a hunter it is clear that Phoenix wasn’t afraid of him as well, even when she saw his gun. She was too old to be afraid of anything as she had already seen many things in her life. Therefore, in spite of many difficulties on her way, she fearlessly managed to overcome her long quest and reached the town. Interesting is the fact that when the old lady reached her destination, at first she couldn’t remember the reason why she came. She was determined and knew that she had to come to the town but she completely forgot the reason why she needed to do it. She was too old and had a memory lapse. Only in a talk with a nurse Phoenix remembered that she came there in order to take a medicine for her grandson that was given free to them. Her grandson had problems with his throat that made him difficult to swallow. That is exactly why she went so far. She did it in order to get the soothing medicine for him. This act shows true love and devotion to her grandson. Despite her age, Phoenix was ready to walk hundreds of miles so that her grandson would feel a bit better.
Therefore, another important theme raised by the author in A Worn Path is the theme of undying love. Thus, Phoenix was not afraid of her long path and all kinds of obstacles that she may face on it not only because she was a brave and courageous woman. She did it for the sake of her grandson who was ill. It is clear that she loved him so much that she was ready to overcome any kinds of distances. She felt a responsibility for the boy as he had no one else except Phoenix. Thus, when the old lady was in the clinic she said the following words to the nurse: “We is the only two left in the world” (Welty). So, she was the only one who could take care of her grandson as it is clear from her words that they didn’t have any other relatives. She knew that her little grandson was there alone waiting her to come back and it broke her heart that she couldn’t be with him. At the same time the woman understood that her boy wouldn’t be able to live without the medicine. She also knew that after a little while she would have to leave him again and undergo an extremely long journey in order to get another soothing medicine. Such dedication and love not only cut the heart but also command request. This kind of love can overcome every difficulty. A single devotion is also shown in an episode when the old lady received some money from the nurse. She could spend it on herself and to buy some food but she made completely different decision. She said that she was going to buy her child a little windmill made out of paper as the boy has never seen such things in the world. This episode is really touching and shows a great care. Thus, it is obvious that Phoenix was very poor but she was ready to spend everything that she had in order to make her little boy feel better and happier. This undying love couldn’t be compared with anything else in the world.

Works cited

Welty, Eudora. A worn Path. Mr. Gunnar’s English Classes. Web.16. Mar. 2015. http: // http://www.mrgunnar.net