A Worn Path Rhetorical Precis

Kailah Jackson

English II PAP B3

Short Story Analysis

February 10, 2015

Plot: Action of the Story

• Plot shows that undying love and devotion can push you toward a goal.
• In spite of obstacles that may come in the way, with determination you can reach your destination.

Summary:

• An elderly woman travels a long journey into to town to get medicine for her sick grandson.

• She is faced with obstacles to overcome.

• Her old age, physical challenges, and how others viewed her were three of the major causes of her obstacles.
• Other problems pop up as she struggles to get her grandson his medicine. So, according to Foster, this is a quest story

Stages of a Plot

        Exposition: background information to set up story

•    Her grandson swallowed lye and is very sick.
•    Phoenix Jackson travels a long journey on foot to find his medicine.

Rising action: events that create suspense on the way to the climax

• When Phoenix begins to walk through the trail and her dress gets stuck and she has to try and free herself.
• When she starts hallucinating.
• When she gets too tired to continue on any further.

Conflicts: The events or people getting in the way of the protagonists goal.

• Man v society

• Phoenix is excluded from an opportunity for more helpful aid because she’s black.
• Phoenix – age and disability cause people in society to treat her unfair
• White hunter tells her she shouldn’t go into town because she is black
• Her socioeconomic status made society lack respect for her
• How people in the work place treat her

• Man v self

• Her own help issues keep her from her goals
• Her own options about herself slow her down

Climax: The high point of tension

• Technical Climax

• When Phoenix finally makes it to the clinic and it is clear that she won’t be able to get the medicine for her grandson

• Emotional Climax

• Despite the long difficult struggle Phoenix finally arrives in town

Resolution/ Denouncement: satisfaction that goal is completed or not

• Phoenix setting off for her journey home, with the reader knowing that she will have to repeat these actions again.

Characters

Protagonist: the character with a problem to solve – motivating

• Phoenix Jackson
• Grandmother elderly
• Wants to go into town to get medicine for her sickly grandson

Antagonist(s): the character or situation that gets in the way of the protagonists goal.