Symbolism of Journey

Symbolism of Journey

Introduction

The paper attempts to discuss the concept of journey in two different literary works of two different writers. It highlights the similarities and differences of as to how the authors portray the idea of journey. The selected literary works for the paper are “I used to live here once” and “A worn path”, which were written by Eudora Welty and Jean Rhys respectively. The paper provides an in depth analysis of the literary works of these two authors in a holistic context.

Thesis Statement

“The literary works, I used to live here once” and “A worn path” both portray a similar picture of journey; however, the experiences of the journeys is what is different.”

Discussion

“A Worn Path” was written by Eudora Welty in 1941 during the time of the Second World War. It was the same year in which the United States entered into the war by declaring war on Germany. The poem was written with a rural background. It showed the journey of a woman whose love for her grandson motivates her to take on a path full of perils (Gottschalk, 2000, pp 584 - 589). The story “I used to live here once” was written by Jean Rhys after the two World Wars. Similar to Welty's story, the writer details out the journey of a woman, but in an entirely different context and meaning (Jones, 1963, pp 25 - 30). It lacks the concepts of awareness, courage, determination and resolve that are so much prevalent in Welty's story. It prefers to dwell on loneliness. Rather than the love for a beloved one, the character in “I used to live here once” is shown to demonstrate a love and attachment to her native place (Angier, 1990, pp 184 - 189).

The fundamental theme in the literary works, “I used to live here once” and “A worn path” is the same. It is experience about a journey. The important difference arises in the way the stories portray the nature of the journey. In the short story “A worn Path”, the courageous and determined way is displayed in which an old woman, grandmother acts by bravely facing the perils of a dangerous journey to obtain medicines for her grandson who is sick from having swallowed poison a few years back (Gottschalk, 2000, pp 584 - 589).

The theme of journey is present in “I used to live here once” but it is in a completely different perspective. First and major, Rhys conveys through her own concepts the love for one's native place rather than love for a beloved one as being the reason behind the journey taken. While the grandmother in “A worn path” takers on the journey for her beloved grandson, the character in “I used to live here once” does so out of her love for her native place (Jones, 1963, pp 25 - 30).

Another important difference in the two stories pertains to the awareness of the individual. The grandmother is fully aware that the journey she would ...