A Worn Path

"Moving slowly from side to side, she went into the big building and into a tower of steps, where she walked up and around and around until her feet knew to stop." p. 228

I think that this short story was pretty similar to that of "Eveline" when comparing themes. In "A Worn Path" I think the theme was primarily that desire and unspoken promise to do anything for one's family. That is clearly represented in the main character, Phoenix. I believe that Phoenix is an old, senile woman who doesn't really have a great grasp on reality. She believes that her dead grandson is still alive and that she needs to get him medicine for his illness. However, I inferred that the grandson had actually died and she was merely looking over this significant fact. But her intentions were good, all the same. The "worn path" implies that she has taken this journey countless times. It is also later mentioned, as the above quote demonstrates, that her feet knew to stop. That means that, even though she is walking for a hopeless cause, she still receives some satisfaction because she believes that she is doing all that she can to help out a family member in need.Phoenix makes it her duty to help her grandson and will make the journey as many times as needed until he is nursed back to health.