Self-Sacrifice

In the story The Worn Path by Eudora Welty, a major theme is self-sacrifice. The grandma leaves perfect her life behind in the country to seek help for her grandson Phoenix. In order for Phoenix to get the treatment that he needs, she must make the journey into the city. The distance she travelled is displayed when she describes where she lives as it being "way back yonder, sir, behind the ridge. You can't even see it from here" (Welty, 227). The quote demonstrates how she is giving up her day and her home to make the long travel to get help for Phoenix. The idea of self-sacrifice is also present when she takes care of her grandson. She talks about how her grandson is her life. In order to have made him her life, she had to give up the life that she had before he drank the lye. The grandma is displayed as a very genuine kind person who is willing to give up anything to get the help for her grandson.