Phoenix's Strengths Building As The Goal example essay topic

"It was December– a bright frozen day in the early morning. ' It was that day, that "bright' day, that Phoenix Jackson, the main character in Eudora Wetley's "A Worn Path '... walked slowly in the dark pine shadows... ' This practice in contradiction prevails throughout "The Worn Path. ' Wetley utilizes contradiction to show Phoenix's conflict of self versus self while pursuing the ultimate goal of her grandson's well-being. Wetley has demonstrated the parallel in Phoenix's varying patterns of walking and standing. The patterns correspond to her strength or weakness at different points in the journey.

The start of the journey finds Phoenix in a fragile state as illustrated by the quote, "She walked... with the balanced heaviness and lightness of a pendulum in a grandfather clock. ' This quote demonstrates the beginning of the contradictions in Phoenix's gait. Using the terms heavy and light to describe her stride, shows an inconsistency from the start of her journey. She is too feeble to tie her shoes yet, she takes pride in her appearance. An allusion is made to the strength and weakness that lives within this woman.

Her weakness coming from age. Her strength coming from love. When a barrier to her precious grandson's happiness arises, a patch of thorn bushes, Phoenix finds the power to make it through them. She comes out and then becomes weak again as shown by the quote "Finally trembling all over, she stood free, and after a moment dared to stoop for her cane. ' She finds the force to push through the obstacle and then the weakened state resurfaces.

Her love gives her enough strength until the truth of her feebleness arises. Phoenix faces another physical obstacle when she must navigate over a log that has fallen across the creek, to continue her journey. She approaches the creek, closes her eyes– almost as if she is going through a metamorphosis– then. ".. leveling her cane fiercely before her, like a festival figure in some parade... '. .. she began to march across. ' ' The term "march " denotes strength.

Again, Phoenix recruits the strength to push through a barrier. She transforms into a being with sinew and then returns to the feeble, elderly woman. The incongruity abounds, her physicality paralleling an inner struggle. When another difficult situation to maneuver appears and Phoenix is faced with a barb wire, she is described as. ".. a baby trying to climb steps. ' The image of a child playing comes to mind, but immediately following is the quote "But she talked loudly to herself... ' A powerful and grown-up behavior.

This shows that when faced with something that may stand between her and the ultimate goal of getting the boy's medicine she can become whatever she must to overcome the obstacle; the part of her "self' that loves her grandson taking over her weak "self'. Phoenix gets closer to her ultimate goal and her gait changes. Once she makes her way to the worn path of the wagons she says "walk pretty. ' This the easy going' ' and then "she followed the track, swaying through the quiet bare fields... ' Now Phoenix is swaying more like a gentle breeze.

This is opposite to the swaying of a "pendulum' described in the beginning of the story. Phoenix's strengths building, as the goal is within reach. Her grandson's comfort is becoming more attainable. At the ravine Phoenix stops to bend and drink the water.

To bend to a ravine for someone who could not tie her shoes at the start of a journey again denotes the rising of power. A contradiction to the understanding that one would tire more as the journey progressed. Phoenix comes up against another conflict of self in a hunter. The hunter presents a conflict of morals and values. The possibility that this man might hurt her and then she could not return to the boy is evident. "She stood straight and faced him' (the man with the gun).

Standing "straight' and powerful she faces this man with a weapon. The implication is a woman of power, not of age and neglects, as implied in the beginnings of the story. When the hunter drops a nickel she must decide what is more right, to take the nickel and "steal " or not: To have the nickel for the boy or not. She decides to take the nickel; again strength emerges. .".. she was slowly bending forward by that time, further and further forward... ' Her chin was lowered almost to her knees' 's he could do this for the nickel but not for her laces on her shoes... She could do this for the boy but not for herself.

When Phoenix reaches the "paved city' a part of her emerges that is unsure and hesitant. She asks a passerby to lace her shoe stating that she ' can't lace em with a cane'. This weakness from a woman, who has bent to a ravine, crawled through barbed wire, and stood tall against a man with a gun. ' Moving slowly from side to side, she went into the big building.

' The slow movements symbolize a trepidation to enter the building. Phoenix does not want to enter, but must enter to obtain her grandson's medicine. She is again conflicted, and her gait mimics that conflict. Once inside the building she climbs a "tower' of steps, only to arrive at the office with "a fixed and ceremonial stance. ' Her stance is an indication that she feels ill at ease in the office but is willing to do it for the boy. She stands up straight and faces the obstacle, this time in an attendant who is demeaning and rude.

Phoenix stands with power and strength. In the office she sat '... silent, erect, and motionless, just as if she were in armor. ' In fact, her armor is her stance. The armor being referred to is the appearance of strength. Phoenix is uncomfortable there yet, she maintains her strength, because the boy needs his medicine.

Although she is weak, she is strong. A contradiction of how she feels to how she appears is obvious. The attendant who had not been kind to Phoenix offers her a nickel. Phoenix has to struggle with the pride she would relinquish in taking the nickel versus what the nickel could buy for her beloved boy. This conflict parallel is demonstrated when "Phoenix rose carefully and held out her hand. ' She "rose carefully's ignaling that she was not doing this with eagerness and then "held out her hand' as a symbol of asking for something.

The end of the story finds Phoenix with the most strength. To read only the last paragraph, knowing that an "old' and "small' woman is the "she' about whom Wetley was writing, would be impossible. Phoenix talks about the paper windmill she will buy for the boy. She says she will "march herself back where he waiting, holding it straight up in this hand. ' She lifts up her hand, turns around and walks, not sways, no mention of the cane, out of the office. To march back home, where the boy is, will be an entirely different beginning to a journey, then the slow pace of a swaying old woman.

The contradictions Wetley uses are apparent both in each individual conflict and throughout the story. Each conflict has Phoenix gaining strength. Her mounting strength is apparent by her stance or her gait. After the contradiction, Phoenix loses the strength, only for it to resurface again when faced with another encumbrance. The overall story also corresponds to Phoenix's gait. Phoenix begins her journey tired and full of inner conflict.

With the conflicts resolved, she turns and marches "back where he waiting. '.