...“A Worn Path,” there are many symbolic features that serve to enhance the description of Phoenix Jackson’s journey to town. From the biblical references and birds, to the protagonist’s name, and the windmill, Welty effectively implements a series of symbols to further develop the true meaning behind Jackson’s journey. There are many examples of symbols in “A Worn Path,” that symbolize biblical events. Phoenix says, “…and the good Lord made his snakes to curl up and sleep in the winter. A pleasure I don’t see no two-headed snake coming around that tree, where it come once. It took a while to get by him, back in the summer” (385). The snake symbolizes the serpent among the Garden of Eden who tempts Eden to stray from her intended...
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...10.) The Phoenix, a well known mythical bird, belonged to Egypt. One legend stated that it lived for 500 years, but it faced death by burning itself on a huge fire. However, it was not the end, as The Phoenix came to life again by rising from its ashes. Legend says that the ashes have great significance as it could bring the dead back to life again. Some legends say that the birds cry is a very alluring sound. The reference of Phoenixes has been made several times in most of the historical tales of different cultures. The concept behind the legend of The Phoenix gives us all a lesson about life after death. The Phoenix was a very beautiful creature and its glowing and radiant appearance distinguished it from all other birds. Some people believed...
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...A phoenix I know from watching Days of Our Lives forever means someone that never dies, as in Stefano DiMera no matter how many times and ways that man is killed he always comes back to life. So, in this story the name Phoenix Jackson was chosen rightly fully for her main character in the story “A Worn Path” as a symbolic mythological creature that lives forever; moreover, the fact that after a phoenix is dead for the fifth time they reincarnate and being again (“Phoenix: Symbol Analysis”, n.d.). Phoenix in this story was determined to the end to accomplish her goals with a gran resilience, failure was not an option, no matter how many times she had to try. It was December, it was cold, she had no money, and a long walk in but nothing would...
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...Christina Wright University of Phoenix World Mythology Dr. Lawton November 2, 2011 Foundations of Mythology Short Answers How is the word myth used popularly? For example, what does the statement, “It’s a myth” mean? In contrast, how is the word myth used in the academic context? After considering the definition in your textbooks and course materials, write a definition in your own words. The word myth is used popularly in stories or tales that have been told over periods of time that are usually not completely true, but are told in way to be believed as true ("The white hat," 2010). The statement, “It’s a myth” means or refers to something that is not fully true, but it is claimed to be true. It’s basically like if some random person was to tell you a story that something happened to them that was seen as farfetched, in reality no one really knows if it actually happened or not. In contrast, the word myth in academic context is used as follows; Myths are ancient narratives that attempt to answer the enduring and fundamental human questions such as: How did the universe and world come to be? How did we come to be here? Who are we? What are our proper, necessary, or inescapable roles as we relate to one another and to the world at large? What should our values be? How should we behave or not behave? What are the consequences of behaving and not behaving in such ways (Leonard & McClure, 2004)? My definition of a myth would be a farfetched story that we really do not know...
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...titles, we realize these short stories will take us on a literary journey but what we do not realize are the choices and obstacles the protagonists encounter that adds dimension to the story. The readers’ perceptions about the events are changed by the symbolism surrounding the characters and the conflicts that are presented. “A Worn Path” is a character story told in a third-person point of view about an elderly, colored woman and her journey along a path she has taken many time before. Throughout the story Phoenix is involved in conflict by struggling against nature, social conditions and against her own physical circumstances. From the characters name alone we instantly envision a strong individual, the name implies a mythological creature that it said to be as large as an eagle, with brilliant scarlet and gold plumage. It was said that only one phoenix existed at any one time with a life expectancy of at least 500 years. As the phoenix approached the end of life, it would build a nest, set fire to it and would die in fire to only rise from the ashes and be stronger. Ironically, Phoenix has her hair in a red rag which correlates with the scarlet plumage of the ancient bird. Her name combined with the first two paragraphs deliver a meticulous description of our character: Far out in the country there was an old Negro woman with her head tied in a red rag, coming along a path through the pinewoods. Her name was Phoenix Jackson. She was very old and...
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...The Journey of Life David Hathaway English 125 Anna C. Morrison June 10, 2012 The Journey of Life The journey of “life” that we all take is the most amazing experience that any one of us could have. Every one of us humans has a story to tell about our journey of “life.” Whether it is a story of an experience we once had, a relationship, a decision we had to make, or countless other topics these experiences make up the most amazing journey of “life” that we all make from birth to death. And many of the journeys in life can be a struggle. Eudora Welty’s short story “A Worn Path” is the story of an old woman experiencing a journey in her life with countless struggles along the way. Eudora Welty’s short story “A Warn Path” gives us the journey that an old woman makes out of love for her family and the strong will and determination she has to complete the journey. Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken” is a poem about having to make a hard decision during his journey of life. Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken” gives us the journey on a man who has to make a decision and choose what path he wants to spend the rest of his life down. Both “A Warn Path” and “The Road Not Taken” have one particular theme which is “Journey,” but both pieces of literature have different content, form and style. While the journey is the theme of each of these pieces of literature, each author gives a different perspective of the journey through different meaning. In the poem “The Road Not Taken...
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...Foundations of Mythology HUM105 Foundations of Mythology In the popular context, the word “myth” is generally used to describe urban legends. Urban legends are false stories, told as if they were true, and passed on to others. Myth, in this context, is defined as stories that undergo a series of events sharing characteristics of legends and folktales. These stories, present themselves in our everyday lives through fictional characters, such as Tooth Fairy or Cupid. In an academic setting, the word “myth” is used to describe ancient narratives that attempt to answer the enduring and fundamental human questions such as creation (Leonard & McClure, p. 1, 2004). The word mythology is derived from both Greek words mythos and logos. The academic study of mythology could be described as the logical thinking used to produce mythical thinking; hence mythos forms the structure in which logos is employed. I would describe myths as an unexplainable or unknown actual event created by individuals to make sense of the unknown. Creation is a perfect example of this. Cultures around the world have different Myths. They all share the basic human desire to understand life and its meaning. Claude Lévi-Strauss expresses similar sentiments about myth’s functions when he postulates that myths serve to mediate conflicting or dualistic elements of society and life and conflicting nature of human beings are same around the world. (Leonard & McClure, p. 18, 2004). ...
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...MYTHOLOGY IN MODERN SOCIETY [pic] [pic] [pic] |Mythology is everywhere! Daily you run across instances of words, city names, companies, | |literary allusions - and even planets and constellations - that take their name or borrow | |their theme from myths. Because of your many requests, I've provided a couple of thousand | |excellent examples to help you get started in your research. Remember, you're surrounded | |by mythology in today's society, whether you realize it or not! | Mythological Influence on Modern... |[pic]Companies & Groups |[pic]Planets & Constellations | |[pic] Words & Expressions |[pic]Literary & Pop Culture | [pic]American Cities Named From Mythology [pic] COMPANIES & GROUPS |Mythology is everywhere! There are hundreds of companies, groups and corporations that take their name, logo or theme from ancient mythology. | |I've provided a variety of examples to help you in starting your research. Some are well-known international companies, others are of a more | |local nature. | |Aegis - Zeus and Athena's protective shield; modern group of insurance companies (The Aegis Group). | |Ajax - Greek warrior in the Trojan War, who "cleaned up" in...
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...Foundations of Mythology Name Hum/105 May 23, 2015 Professor University of Phoenix “How is the word myth used popularly? For example, what does the statement, It's a myth mean? In contrast, how is the word myth used in the academic context?” (University of Phoenix, 2012). Myths have been around for thousands of years and are typically passed down from one generation to the next generation. There are many reasons for these myths to be passed along through the many generations of a family. Certain types of myths that are passed down through the generations help to tell a story which others wise would be dismissed or forgotten and even to help teach future generations about the family history. Myths that are passed down through the generations have really not evidence or even truth to them myths or fables are sometimes stories that are made up an example; Santa Clause, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, and Sandman. Many times myths and fables are told to children to get them to behave, scare, or even to get them to use their imagination. Myths or fables are told to help in the explanation for those questions that are difficult to explain the answers too especially to small children that would not be able to fully understand the concept until they are much older. Some questions like where do babies come from? Some parents tell their children about how the stork dropped them off to their mommy and daddy. “Myths are ancient narratives that attempt to answer the enduring and...
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...Robert Frost’s “A Road Not Taken” and Eudora Welty’s “A Worn Path” both focus upon one set theme within each of their writings, that of journey. While these two writers have displayed the same theme there are two different viewpoints that the readers must clearly establish between Frost and Welty. Both of the authors have shown that the particular journey within their writings is one of which that life can have hurdles and hardships that must be dealt with and come to peace with. Both pieces of literature have different characters, context within historical means and symbolism to show each journey in their full light. Journey has a different meaning to each person that experiences it within their life. Many view a journey as a mode to travel to a destination forgets the meaning beyond each step that they have taken. While the focus is upon the destination, people neglect to recognize the whole process that they have undergone. The joy and thrill of voyage allows people to learn both negative and positive things of other cultures and people that one will meet. This allows the person upon the voyage to learn new experiences within life that will be useful throughout the whole of their lifetime. Going upon a journey allows one to broaden their thinking, concepts along with their ideals that can ultimately change whole individual. The theme of journey within literature was and is very well described by many authors and poets that have shown the different aspects of traveling...
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... Reading a story, a poem, or a play introduces you to an imaginary world (Clugston, W.R. (2010). When reading literature we must enter the imaginary world; enter the world the author is creating. The story “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty in 1941 and the poem “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost in 1916 both use the theme of journey to symbolize life decisions. One speaks of a “Path” the other a “Road” the theme that each of these writings share is presented differently throughout the piece of literature. These two pieces of literature symbolize a journey, through using content, form, style, symbolism and imagination, although used differently in many ways they both are symbolizing a journey through life. The theme in a story is a representation of the idea behind the story (Clugston, W.R.(2010). In the pieces of literature I have chosen, the theme is speaking of journeys, one journey for love and the other life, but both having to make life decisions. The authors took different approaches in showing the reader the journey, the life decisions that had to be made. Both works have characters making a journey. In the poem “The Road Not Taken”, the narrator has been traveling and has reached a point where the road divides. The narrator is a traveler. Likewise, in the short story “A Worn Path”, the main character is on a trip to town. She is travelling from home through the pines up the hill and down the valley. In both the poem and the short story, the characters are...
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...Literature Compare and Contrast Introduction to Literature Instructor: Corey King March 9, 2013 Short stories and poems are constructed differently but always each having their own meaning behind them. A number of the short stories of writers we know as novelists--in this country say Cheever, Paul Bowles, Helprin, Oates--are works of art finer than any of their novels. Sometimes a born short story writer tries to write novels and finally succeeds, as Katherine Anne Porter and Eudora Welty did. Every author puts their own underlying message behind them which they attempt to transport to the reader using their own style, characterization and rhythm which is essentially used for the purposes of the narrative. Every poem and short story is created to form ones imagination or personal experience. It is through their imagination that we are able to apply our own, in a way that all it takes is a few words from the poem or the story to allow us to see what the author was seeing at the moment of writing his/her work and even feel his/her emotion, creating a personal connection with the literature. We use our imagination to visualize what the author is portraying in his writing, but at the same time we apply our own imagination to look deeper into the symbolization and the descriptive language that is being used. “A Worn Path,” by Eudora Welty and “The Road Not Taken,” by Robert Frost, are two literary pieces that share the same theme, in which each...
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...affects the lives of people and also changes their beliefs, thoughts and ideals, thus changing them ultimately. Have you ever taken a journey? We have all found ourselves on a journey of some kind or another alone, but what is more important is how we choose to end our journey. The two literary works that I have chosen to compare and contrast are “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty and “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. At first glance the two literary works appear to be about the same thing, but upon deeper reflection we conclude that they are not, as one is written as a short story and the other is written as a poem. The short story speaks of a “path” while the poem speaks of a “road.” The theme that each of these literary works share are presented differently throughout each piece. However, both pieces speak about the paths, roads and choice in life. “A Worn Path” tells the story of Phoenix Jackson, an elderly African American woman who lived in the South. Phoenix’s narrative is about her voyage from her discreet rustic life in the country as she embarks on a journey into the city in order to get medication...
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...Elements of Religious Traditions University of Phoenix REL/134 William Sunday PH.D. 2/26/14 Understanding religion there are many important characteristics, my emphasis here is to describe how religious traditions explain the relationships with the Devine, sacred time, sacred space and the natural world, and with each other. The essential goal for many of the world’s foremost faith traditions is to be love and be loved by God, to be able to live in a relationship with the Devine reconciliation with the ultimate, and union with the beloved. All religious traditions with the Devine are distinct incomparably based on separate beliefs and faith systems. What they all have in common is that they all share the same interest for the deepest level of reality and for the majority of religions the origin or core of everything is mysterious and sacred. The Dao, Devine Parent, Great Spirit, Great Mother, the Absolute, and Allah are only some examples people use to illustrate the Devine. In the Christian faith the Devine is well defined as the Holy Trinity, Holy Spirit, the Father and the Son. In the Christian religion it can seem like there are more Gods than one, but in fact, they believe that God is one. Sacred time, measured to be the starting point connecting eternity and time with the pulse...
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...to possibly no truth to it, and maybe even a story from ancient history. Myths can range from different meanings based on who is telling the myth, the culture, and much more. Below there will be information that will elaborate on the many questions of what a myth is, how it is relevant in contemporary culture and the many belief systems that follow through with Myths. What Is a Myth? The word myth has been used on this earth for as long as we know, and is a popular word that is used to generally to tell a story, event, history, or even to describe a legend of some sort or time. Although many myths may be imaginary as told, they are most certainly acknowledged. There is no proof to many of the myths but they hold significance to many, and many hold dear to their beliefs regarding the myths regardless of its minimal proof to be a fact or not. There are many stories that are told from different cultures that have continued to be told through time, and depending on our culture, and who told these stories they follow and hold great significance to many and some will believe them and others may not. The Most common mythological themes across different cultures especially the seven major cultural groups Africa, the Americas, Northern Europe, the British Isle, Middle East, Greece, Rome, the far East, and the Pacific Islands is creation. Every culture has its myths about pantheons of Gods, good, bad, evil, and reflected in each story they may be different in the way it is told yet...
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