Eudora Welty A Worn Path Analysis

In the story “A Worn Path” the author Eudora Welty uses many symbolism that advances the development of the story by going into detail about the harsh conditions she has to travel thru just to get the medicine that her ill grandson needs. While traveling to the medical clinic in Mississippi she encounters unusual situations that “demonstrate great courage and determination when she overcomes every obstacle in her way” (May), even facing a hunter who points a gun at her. When reaching the clinic she was disrespected by the staff and was treated as a “charity case”, but she withstands the humiliation to get her grandson the medication. When heading out on a cold December day she has to walk for about half a day. She demonstrates her fear of the wild animals delaying her travels by talking with them and asking them to keep the wild animals out of her path. She says “Out of my way, all you foxes, owls, beetles, jack rabbits, coons and wild animals!...Keep out from under these feet…” (Welty 1) She doesn’t want to hurt the animals either. It demonstrates the possibilities of what can happen to her on her trip

With all the struggles that she faces as an elderly women just to help her ill grandson feel better, even though the remedy does not last long because she eventually has to make more tips to and from the clinic. She also encounters a “ghost” but turns out being a scarecrow and turns out having a dance with it. She laughs and remarks “My senses is gone. I too old. I the oldest people I ever know. Dance, old scarecrow. While I dance with you” (Welty 2) I conclude that she sometimes gets lonely from traveling alone and has nothing better to do than talk to whatever it is that she