A Worn Path Elements free essay sample

There are five elements to a story: characterization, theme, setting, plot, and point of view. Each of the elements are a part of every story, but some may play a more important role in the telling of each individual tale. The setting is the most prevalent element in Eudora Welty’s short story, â€Å"A Worn Path. † The setting is more than just the location of the story, but it also sets the social setting as well as the mood or atmosphere. The setting in â€Å"A Worn Path† is significant in that not only does it give the story life it also helps the reader understand Phoenix Jackson’s reasoning as well as giving the reader a vivid description of what the characters are seeing. Eudora Welty gives â€Å"A Worn Path† life not only through her characters, but mainly through her description of the setting. She opens up her story by describing a â€Å"bright frozen day† in December. We will write a custom essay sample on A Worn Path Elements or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The reader soon learns that the main character, Phoenix Jackson, is making her way to town along a path through the pinewoods. The constant imagery and symbolism keeps fresh visualization in the mind of the reader. Throughout the rest of the story, Welty continues to give precise descriptions of every part of the surroundings. As Phoenix Jackson made her way through a field of dead corn, Welty brings the setting to life, as she says, â€Å"It whispered and shook and was taller than her head. † Without the extreme details of what is going on around the characters, the story would be a bore. From the beginning, it was apparent that Phoenix Jackson was not in very good health. Welty describes her as â€Å"very old and small and she walked slowly†¦ she carried a thin, small cane made from an umbrella, and with this she kept tapping the frozen earth in front of her. Phoenix Jackson has made this trip a number of times, and she uses her surroundings to find her way. The setting, the path, can be compared to an old well-known friend helping her get to town to accomplish her goal. The setting also set the time period from which the reader can assume Phoenix Jackson was possibly raised in a time of slavery. The path not only contains inanimate objects but has a human element as well. The social setting is depicted when old Phoenix comes face to face with a gun in the hands a white hunter. The hunter acts as if he is in authority over Phoenix, based on the color of his skin. She shows her lack of fear in her response, â€Å"I’ve seen plenty go off closer by, in my day, and for less than what I done. † The path taken represents one more social challenge in the life of old Phoenix. The narration of â€Å"A Worn Path† is surely not typical. Due to the main character’s lack of eyesight, the setting of the whole story is described in the way Phoenix sees it. For example, when she runs into what happens to be a thorn bush, she says, â€Å"Old eyes thought you was a pretty little green bush. † Welty has done a tremendous job in writing so the reader can actually think and see like Phoenix Jackson. The narrator uses other senses to describe what is in the surroundings rather than just sight. These vivid descriptions give the reader a deeper connection with the story. The setting of this short story paints a vivid picture. It gives â€Å"A Worn Path† life and keeps an interest alive in the reader. Not only does the locational setting have significance in the story, but also the social setting. The social setting helps the reader understand the reasoning of Phoenix Jackson. The reader walks to town along with old Phoenix and sees the path through her eyes. Without this powerful setting, â€Å"A Worn Path† would be just another tale.