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A story full of enticing conflicts and heroic character qualities "A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty, tells the story of an old black women who treks through challenging terrain in order to obtain a life saving medication for her grandson. There are many examples of symbolism found throughout the story that are used to provide the reader with thoughts in which to interpret pertaining to the relating themes that develop.
One of the first examples of symbolism that is shown is the main character's name, "Phoenix". A Phoenix is also the name of a distinct Egyptian mythological bird which symbolizes resurrection. The Egyptian history states that this creature dies every 500 years. When it dies, the bird bursts into flames and is then reborn through its own ashes which begins it's new life cycle. Phoenix's somewhat frequent journeys into town and refusal to give up despite her age represent the continual up-rising of her character which is also a trait of the mythological bird that she symbolizes. To support this comparison, the author also uses symbolisms in the beginning of the story to describe the physical attributes of Phoenix. For example, "...but a golden color ran underneath, and the two knobs of her cheeks were illuminated by a yellow burning under the dark. Under the red rag her hair came down on her neck in the frailest of ringlets, still black, and with an odor like copper." These bright descriptions seem to suggest the same theme of fire and life.
The symbolism of Life is again seen in the following quote, "Her skin had a pattern all its own of numberless branching wrinkles and as though a whole little tree stood in the middle of her forehead..." Trees are usually a symbol of life and is here used to describe her physical features, which again supports her comparison to the Egyptian Mythological Bird of fire and life.
One of the first examples of symbolism that is shown is the main character's name, "Phoenix". A Phoenix is also the name of a distinct Egyptian mythological bird which symbolizes resurrection. The Egyptian history states that this creature dies every 500 years. When it dies, the bird bursts into flames and is then reborn through its own ashes which begins it's new life cycle. Phoenix's somewhat frequent journeys into town and refusal to give up despite her age represent the continual up-rising of her character which is also a trait of the mythological bird that she symbolizes. To support this comparison, the author also uses symbolisms in the beginning of the story to describe the physical attributes of Phoenix. For example, "...but a golden color ran underneath, and the two knobs of her cheeks were illuminated by a yellow burning under the dark. Under the red rag her hair came down on her neck in the frailest of ringlets, still black, and with an odor like copper." These bright descriptions seem to suggest the same theme of fire and life.
The symbolism of Life is again seen in the following quote, "Her skin had a pattern all its own of numberless branching wrinkles and as though a whole little tree stood in the middle of her forehead..." Trees are usually a symbol of life and is here used to describe her physical features, which again supports her comparison to the Egyptian Mythological Bird of fire and life.