Wednesday, December 5, 2012
"A Worn Path" in the Woods
When you think of forests as potential settings in short stories, what first comes to mind? In other words, what do you associate with the forest as a setting? Moreover, what is the significance of the forest as a setting in Eudora Welty's classic "A Worn Path"? Please respond in 7-10 thoughtful and well-written sentences.
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Hänsel und Gretel is the first thing I think of pertaining to a forest. Both tell a melancholy story with some cheerfulness mixed in. Yet “A Worn Path” has an open ending, but you have a hunch that it will repeat. Forest are also mysterious places which seem endless and seclude you from the beyond at the edges of the forest. As winter arrives, animals tend to hibernate and appear less, but when spring arrives it signifies a new beginning and new births. Its possible that this is set in a forest because it is often difficult for animals to survive the harsh winter. In comparison to the animals, the old woman gets frail with age while they become frail with winter’s arrival. If her grandson did survive he will have to get his medicine himself when she dies and it seems like her death would lessen his struggle for life.
ReplyDeleteTypically in literature forests are frightening and unpredictable places that are full of mystery. When you hear that characters are in the forest, you immediately think something is going to go wrong. In “A Worn Path,” by Eudora Welty, the forest symbolizes a new start as well as a journey. Phoenix Jackson seems quite at home in the forest, but considering she returns quite often, this isn’t surprising. “Something always takes a hold of me on this hill – pleads I should stay,” Phoenix thinks (Welty p. 1). This quote shows how she finds joy in parts of the forest and in her journey. The fact that Phoenix returns consistently for a new journey supports the idea of rebirth. While many things around Phoenix change, she ultimately stays the same. The forest in this story is a paradox because it contradicts typical literature that forests are dark places.
ReplyDeleteI think forests can be very dark and dangerous as a setting, but they can also be full of life. Forests also provide some seclusion and can be very mysterious. Also, it seems like in many stories, going through the forest represents a journey with obstacles. This could be taken literally or metaphorically. Phoenix definitely takes a journey and overcomes obstacles (mostly literal). For example, she has to get untangled from the thorns and get over the fence. She also has the run in with the man with the gun. I think the forest shows how much she needs the medicine because she braves it day after day.
ReplyDeleteGenerally, when stories are set in a forest, there is an atmosphere of hidden misfortunes and innocence being taken advantage of. What I mean by that is in stories such as "Little Red Riding Hood." The story is set in a forest and the innocent little red riding hood is talked by the big bad wolf to her grandmother's house. The wolf is hidden in the woods until red riding hood discovers him posing as her grandmother, The wolf, in this instance, takes advantage of her innocence. Forests represent vast expanses of unknown obstacles and traps. Also, traveling through forests represents a path literally and metaphorically to a certain destination. This idea of a path also brings up the idea that straying from the path can be fatal. This forest setting reinforces the idea that Phoenix is walking to her unseen doom. This idea seems to be abruptly contradicted, however, when the story ends with Phoenix going to buy her grandson a paper wind mill. I think that the lighter ending suggests that there are darker under currents and themes within the story.
ReplyDeleteUsually, when I think of forests being the setting of stories I think of the characters as being isolated or lonely. As I was reading "A Worn Path" I also thought of "Little Red Riding Hood", because of the red rag that Phoenix has throughout the story as well as the fact that she's walking though the woods. I think the significance that "A Worn Path" is set mainly in the woods, is that it shows how Phoenix herself spends a lot of time alone, which she has then dedicated to her grandson. I think that this forest, and the path specifically symbolizes the series of events in her life. Also, the forest could be a metaphor for life in the sense that you can go into it and whatever happens, happens, and there isn't much you can do about it. I think her repeatedly coming and going on this path making it "worn" is a symbol of her denial in some way that she can't do anything to save her grandson.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of forests as a setting in literature, I usually regard them as places of discovery and exploration. I think this is why there are a numerous amount of trials, tests, and other events within the story that are sometimes expected, and other times unexpected. In “The Worn Path,” the forest serves as a place for journeys, and a place for all these trials and tests. It reminds me of the “journey of life” and I think that is what the path represents. How even though we go through the journey of life, it may have a defeated, or semi-unsatisfactory ending.
ReplyDeleteWhen the forest is the setting for a story, it gives me the feeling that the story is going to be dark or contain confusion. In this story, at first I got the feeling that it would be dark. But after reading the whole thing, I believe that the forest was a way to express confusion and uncertainty as Phoenix walks and faces the trials. The forest is perfect for containing trials because of it's confusing nature. When everything looks similar it is hard to know where you are going so you get disoriented.The branches and undergrowth causes a feeling of claustrophobia or uneasiness. All of these feeling cause the reader to sink deeper into the story and understand how the character feels.
ReplyDeleteForest is symbols for many things. Depending on the story and the forest, forest can represent anything from happiness, to isolation, to fear and terror. In this story however, I think the forest represents rebirth. In a forest there are always new plants growing and old plants dying. It is similar to the story. Clocks are mentioned a lot in the story and like clock work the forest waxes and wanes. The grandmother, Phoenix, is in a similar clockwork situation. Like clockwork she visits town to buy medicine for her dead grandson. I do think the story is more than a just a cheerful place though. I think the forest is a dangerous place in this story. In the story the man with the gun tells the grandmother not to enter the forest. He probably did this because it was not a safe place. In all I think the setting of the forest is meant to reinforce the theme of clockwork in the story.
ReplyDeleteIn literature, forests can have two meanings. One might be a feeling of fright, darkness, and unpredictability. However, another might be that of discovery: literally discovering the plants and animals of a forest or discovering one's self. In this story, the forest seems to represent both. Although the woman does have some frightening encounters in the forest, she also does seem to discover more about herself through her journey. Additionally, in a forest, seasonal changes result in loss of leaves and things growing and dying. Phoenix's name is therefore represented in the forest: since a phoenix is a mystical animal that dies and is reborn, the character of Phoenix is represented in or by the forest.
ReplyDeleteSo first off, when I think of forests I usually think of the forests in the north west of the U.S where everything is covered with life and the trees are massive. When I think of a forest as a setting in a short story I think of it as a constant place of new life and rebirth. In this story I think the forest has a big role in the theme of rebirth and new life. This theme is also present in the main character's name which is Phoenix (a symbol of rebirth). Another thing that contributes to the theme of rebirth and new life is the grandson who from what we tell is a small child. I think that the forest could as represent overcoming the unknown. one reason for this is that forests in general are massive and by going through the forest a lot Phoenix is creating her own path and overcoming the unknown of the forest.
ReplyDeleteWell, the first thing that pops into my mind is "don't go into the woods." A dangerous setting that presents hazardous obstacles to any inexperienced person caught within it. But of course, that's a cliché so it's used so often it's bound to pop into my head first. Forests are also sort of mystical places, a place where we can cast off all our science (for a time) and tune in with our more spiritual past. Fairy tales often take place in forests or the fairies live in a forest of some kind. They're usually places we don't know that much about because for the most part, we don't go into them that often unless we're camping or on a hike, and even then there is human influence interfering with the pure nature. I feel like overall that forests are where the unknowns lie, and this is present in the story because no one (aside from phoenix herself) knows why she makes these trips through the forest just to get some medicine and the true status of her grandson
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of a forest in a story I usually think of someone being stranded. The main reason that I think of someone being stranded is because most of the books I read where the character is in the woods is when there is a survival story. But if the story isn't about survival when I think of someone being in the woods I think back in time to a less civilized world. Another part of the forest that I think of is the how its always changing every so slightly in a never ending cycle. Lastly I think that the forest could show a dangerous place where people have to stay alert to survive there is a reason why all the survival stores are based in the woods after all. I think over all that a forest could mean so many different things it just depends on how the other uses it in the story.
ReplyDeleteI usually associate forests with abundant life and peacefulness. Forests seem to be a great place to think or dream because of the lack of civilization. Phoenix might navigate this landscape for leisure. There might be an alternate route (a safer one for her age), but a scenic journey seems more attractive. When she enters the building (hospital?), she doesn't respond to the nurses' questions. Rather than being insane, I believe that she's trying to clear her mind. The forest route allows her to think, but the bustling town gives her mind no freedom to wander. That would explain the title in a contrasting perspective: the "worn path" is her mind, which is constantly being explored. When she can't think (like when the nurses interrogate her), she's quieter. When she has freedom to think, she's louder (such as when she walks through the forest talking to herself). This might hint a bit of mental instability.
ReplyDeleteIn literature and in real life, forests are spooky and ominous places. One never knows what they might find in a forest. Forests are a perfect setting for scary stories to happen because they are generally dark and you can't see much due to all the trees. However, A Worn Path is a much lighter story, but the forests still offers perilous challenges. There are thorn bushes, holes, and a hunter in the forest. Because Old Phoenix is a fearless character, and the story happens at daytime, it has a less scary feel to it, but the forest still proves to be a dangerous place. The forest represents the challenges that Old Phoenix has to face in order to get to town, get medicine for her grandson, and return home.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of forests, I immediately think of fairytales. It's one of the most common settings, but is not often a cheery one. There is the occasional princess raised among the animals, but most of the time it is the vast obstacle that must be passed in order to get to the other side. Its typical use is in a story of a journey, a test. If we were to examine the title, we would notice the word "path." A path implies a set way through something, in this case, the woods, or the journey. A path is not uncharted, it is convenient, and usually safe. The other noticeable part of the title is the word "worn." While path implies that one has previous knowledge of it, worn implies that one has previous experience with it, that they have taken this path before. This is a rather different element to be added to a story with a forest. In most fairytales, the forest is big, mysterious, and often scary. But in this one, despite Phoenix being someone who may be considered "weak", she seems to have no fear. Since this "worn path" is one she has taken before, perhaps the forest is no longer an obstacle, for she has conquered it. The story removes the mystery and fear from this forest, leaving behind an easy way out.
ReplyDeleteIn Literature, the most common forest setting is usually dark, and spooky. The first thing that came to mind when thinking of a forest as a setting was the Edgar Allan Poe Poem- “The Raven”. This poem might be his darkest work, and something about it reminds me of a typical story tale forest. The eeriness just makes the perfect setting in my mind. In the Short story “A Warm Path”, Phoenix Jackson walks the path through the forest many times, but still seems frightened by what may appear, even though she most likely knows of every animal that lives between the trees. I think the significance of the setting being in the forest might be that even if her grandson has died or not, she still makes a risky path to town to get the medicine for him. It seemed to me like she has such an emotional connection to her grandson that she will do anything to try and help his health.
ReplyDeleteI think the forest setting relates to the Phoenix metaphor in that when a Phoenix dies it spontaneously combusts and comes back from the ashes fresh and rebirthed. Similarly, when there is a forest fire, the tall trees and old vegetation dies off and makes room for new trees and new plant life beneath the canopy. I believe the phoenix and forest both symbolize "Out with the old, in with the new" as Mao Zedong would say it. In the story I believe that the grandson had died and Phoenix was subconsciously hoping that if she kept getting his meds years after his death than one day he might be reborn. She is diligently doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, which Albert Einstein would define as insanity. (Two famous quotes today, I'm on a roll.)
ReplyDeleteUsually when I think of forests being the setting of a story I think of loneliness, isolation, lost, and or someplace where something dramatic is going to happened. In some cases I also think of it as a quiet place. As a setting it can be a very bright and friendly place but also could be a very dark and creepy place, I think it really depends on the situation and the tension of the story. But in the short story ‘a worn path’, I think the forest represented how lost and isolated the grandmother and the boy was. Because the grandmother was a at age where anything bad could happened to her health wise, and the kid was sick. They were both in a very hard situation and the one ‘path’ was the only way out of it.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of forests usually I think of places that are a) scary, cold, dark, and hazardous or b) beautiful, joyous, a place where someone can relax and get away from the "real world."It depends on the plot line and characters. Because of the trials Jackson Phoenix goes through while in the forest and the setting, I inferred the forest is a). The author probably used this setting to add to the somewhat somber and dangerous feel to the beginning of the story. I think the significance of the forest as a setting in "A Worn Path" has a religious significance.Maybe the forest is supposed to be similar to the forest Jesus was in when he fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. I noticed that parallel to Jesus in the Biblical story “Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness” Phoenix Jackson is brought food by a “tempter.”
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of forests in relation to short stories, the first thing that comes to mind is mystery. I associate forests with mystery because usually, they are very eerily quiet, and gives the author room to create many metaphors that could be interpreted in different ways. Since the story ends without a clear resolution, this further supports my opinion that the forest setting is very significant. I think the author chose a forest for the setting of this story because in addition to mystery, I think that forests represent adventure. In the story, Phoenix Jackson travels through the forest in order to find medicine for her grandson. Along the way, she is faced with many obstacles she is forced to overcome in order to get the medicine her grandson needs to live. After reading the story, I interpreted Phoenix Jackson as a representation of Christ. Her struggles in the story represent the redemption and rebirth that one must complete in order to be at peace with themselves and God. The forest in the story represents Phoenix's journey to redemption through good deeds (getting the medicine for her grandson) even with the struggles of obstacles along the way.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of stories with forests in them I usually think of them having something to do with struggle or blocking in their journey. Also it has some sort of loneliness or loss/gain. When someone mentions a story about a forest I usually think of Hansel and Gretel. During this story they struggle getting back home through the woods. In "A Worm Path," Phoenix is fighting through the forest to get to the town to buy her sick grandson some medicine. The forest acts like the wiring above the fences of the prisons, keeping her inside. It represents loneliness because she is the only one in the woods. She even gets to the point where she is imagining seeing a boy giving her cake. But the boy isn't there.
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ReplyDeleteForests in my mind represent this dark mysterious obstacle one faces. Sometimes it could even represent a challenge one must face that may determine their fate. In the Worn Path, this eerie forest is not as present as the obstacle that Phoenix faces. While journeying through the woods Phoenix encounters challenges she must overcome before passing through safely. Also the challenge that determines ones fate is played by her grandsons sickness. If she retrieves the medicine in time her grandson may be okay but if not he could be in trouble. In the forest Phoenix encounters harsh terrain as well as a hunter which both test her mental strength to overcome these obstacles. She must face these challenges as her fate is decided.
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