A Worn Path

I thought this story had lots of hidden details to it. Phoenix Jackson, an old Negro lady is walking down this path and has many problems along the way, but is always thinking about her grandson. On her path, she run into coons, wild hogs rabbits, beetles, foxes, owls, and wild animals. One statement that caught my eye was in the beginning when the Phoenix says "Seem like there is chains about my feet, time I get this far" (Welty, page 449). I feel that Phoenix was relating back to salvery. She also sees a scarecrow in a corn field. This scarecrow I feel isn't real, but Phoenix, I think, is seeing things along the way refering to slavery and how white people used to scare her. Phoenix says she walking this great path for her grandson to get medicine because he is sick. The story states over and over in the story how old Phoenix is. I think she is just seeing things along the way. She also sees a man that points a gun at her. The man says "Doesn't the gun scare you? and Phoenix says No, sir, I seen plenty go off closer by, in my day, and for less than what I done" (Welty, page 452). As the man points that fun at her, she holds very still and donesn't scare her, almost as if she was ready for something like that to happen. She sees dozens of black children playing around her. Phoenix reaches her destination and then one the nurses ask why she came and asks about her grandson. Phoenix stares silent and says "My grandson. It was my memory had left me. There I sat and forgot why I made my long trip" (Welty, page 454). This is why I believe that she was seeing things and that she was refering to slavery in the things that she describes. The doctor does give her some medicine and then old Phoenix heads back on that worn path home.