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A Worn Path is generally considered to be one of the most known creative short story works by Eudora Welty. It was first published in 1940 at The Atlantic Monthly and nearly a year later republished in A Curtain of Green. The story was positively accepted by the critics who were i9ntended to find a number of significant themes within the story, which illustrate the motives the author would like to make a stress on.
The story is opened with acquaintance to the main hero – Phoenix Jackson, an old Afro-American lady, who makes a long journey to bring her grandson some medicine from Natchez town drugstore. Her poor eyesight, the long road, which she walked by foot makes the way symbolic to a thorny path. She meets a hunter with a dog, who occasionally drops a nickel, Phoenix picks it up and is not intended to return it. Even under the threat of the gun. Hence the hunter let her to continue her way to the town. Her strange manner of speaking makes the hunter feel that the reason of her such a late visit to the town by foot and in winter is the wish to see Santa Claus. When she finally reaches the drugstore in the town, her memory forgives the old lady and she could not remember the reason she made such a long way. With the help of the nurse and attendant she remembered that the aim of her reason was to bring her grandson some medicine. Several years ago the boy swallowed lye and still has significant problems with his throat. The Nurse gave Mrs. Jackson the medicine and attendant gave her another nickel as it was Christmas time. The old lady decided to buy her boy a small present: “I going to the store and buy my child a little windmill they sells, made out of paper. He going to find it hard to believe there such a thing in the world” (Welty, Eudora, 1940).
Within the pages of the creative work by Eudora Welty we could find a number of significant themes. It goes without saying that strong religious theme is probably the core one within this story. At fist the main hero. Her name is Phoenix, in the mythology of the Ancient Egypt, this name wore the bird, which resurrected after death. Difficult way to the drugstore (poor eyesight of Phoenix Jackson, the cold weather and the long way she made by foot) are direct allegory to the thorny path from the Bible and each of us carries his own Cross looking for the reward in the end. Mrs. Jackson left the house to bring her grandson some medicine to cure his sore throat and the story happens at the Christmas time. She sacrificed herself, to bring relief to the young boy, even she is very old, the weather is cold and she had to go all the way by foot. She demonstrates really Christian will to sacrifice everything for her mate. The close religious connection of the story is also in the fact that the people she meets, white people, who actually did not have much respect to Afro-Americans at that time, they demonstrate sympathy and understanding of her situation. The hunter she met on the way without any doubts could take back his nickel, hence he did not do it understanding in what poor conditions the old lady lives.

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He could be called one of the best examples of the Christian morality in this case, understanding the life conditions of the poor Mrs. Jackson. Another significant demonstration of Christian mercy is illustrated in the drugstore, when nurse, has signed the medicine she gave to Phoenix Jackson as charitable. She helped the old lady to remember the reason of her visit to the drugstore, when her memory left her and as we understand from the context that was not the first time she assisted the old lady and knows her very well. The attendant also demonstrates Christian generosity, presenting the old lady a nickel due the Christmas time.
The story could be related to as one of the best Christmas stories as it illustrates the understanding between two different races, the thorny path of the old lady to make the ill boy feel better and even her intension to make a small gift for her grandson. The whole story is filled by the Christmas time spirit, when nothing bad could happen and all dreams come true. When the whites and the blacks are eager to demonstrate generosity, kindness and understanding to each other, when sick boy would get a present he could hardly expect in this day and his grandmother safely reached the drugstore to take the medicine for him. It goes without saying that this story perfectly reflects the commandments from the Bible, when even confronting side demonstrate understanding and care about the person who is in much poorer condition than they are.

References:
Eudora Welty. A Worn Path. Atlantic Monthly, February 1940.