July 2020
61
ISSN 2278 0742
Nature as Inspiring Symbolism in Eudora Welty's "A Worn Path" Santosh Kumar Singh Abstract This article concentrates on the eternal motivational power of nature through Eudora Welty‘s A Worn Path. This becomes possible when an old lady passes through a dilapidated path yet looks enthusiastic step by step. On the one hand, she attempts to fulfill the natural task of continuing one‘s generation whereas on the other, she motivates herself despite getting disturbed by the green shrub, bush and climber revealing their honesty as they are stick to their nature. It further conveys the analogy of nature as it struggles throughout with the same vigour and casts a continuous lesson to remain so in their worldly as well as spiritual life. The psychology hence framed to the struggling human in general and an old woman character Phoenix in particular proves boon of nature in human life. Key Words: Journey, Nature, Psychology, Spiritual, Symbol Introduction Eudora Welty's story "A Worn Path" recounts a difficult journey of an old Negro woman, Phoenix Jackson, for the medicine of her ailing grandson on the eve of Christmas. It zeroes in on her saga—the extraordinary efforts she makes to reach the hospital. About the focus of the narrative, Marilyn Keys asserts: "The story is and may be read as an instance of individual heroic sacrifice, it transcends time and place and shares with the old English Phoenix the most familiar, and the most profound, paradox of Christianity: to lose life is to find it" (350).Taking a cue from Keys' assertion, this essay posits that old Phoenix's saga, which bespeaks her heroic sacrifice, remains fraught with Christian symbolism: it resembles Christ's crucifixion for saving mankind from the only option of damnation. Old Phoenix endures the ordeal Christ-like in order to save the life of her grandson.
Volume 9 Issue 2
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