The Legend of the Pheonix
The Legend of the Pheonix
The Phoenix is a legendary bird who is thought to be God’s servant. Ancient myths say that the Phoenix lives for 500 years and then burns itself to death, only to rise from its ashes as a young Phoenix and live for another 500 years. It is a symbol of immortality and spiritual rebirth. In Eudora Welty’s “A Worn Path,” the main character’s name is Phoenix Jackson. It is not a coincidence that Eudora Welty chooses Phoenix to be the protagonist’s name, for Phoenix Jackson portrays the legendary Phoenix in many ways. Welty’s physical description of Phoenix is as a little old Negro woman who uses an umbrella as a cane, wears a red rag on her head, and walks around with her shoelaces untied. This first impression makes Phoenix appear to be quite frail and futile. Paradoxically, Phoenix happens to be a remarkable human being capable of doing many extraordinary things.
As she begins her journey, she talks to herself and warns, “Out of my way, all you foxes, owls, beetles, jack rabbits, coons and wild animals!...Keep out from under these feet, little bobwhites,” because as she says, “I got a long way.” Phoenix demonstrates a great deal of self-determination. She might be old and appear to be worn out, but the burning desire to make her little grandson smile gives her the will to keep on going. Her path is much like life; it has its ups and downs. She encounters many obstacles along the way but somehow manages to get through them. Trusting her instincts gives her spirit to get through difficult moments. For example, when she gets to the creek and has to get across the log in order to reach the other side, she walks across, swinging her umbrella, “like a festival figure.” “I wasn’t old as I thought,” she says. She does not trust her eyesight in this case, for she closes her eyes as soon as she sets foot on the log. She is confident that her feet will get her across, although her shoelaces are untied. Another case where Phoenix takes a leap of faith is when she runs into the ghostly silhouette in the cotton field. Not knowing what it might be, she shuts her eyes once again and extends her...