A-Worn-Path《熟路》

“AWornPath”Welty,Eudora《熟路》-尤多拉韦尔蒂坎坷之路Setting•TheactiontakesplaceinDecember,circa1940,insouthwesternMississippi.ThescenebeginsinthethewildernessandthenshiftstothecityofNatchez.Characters•PhoenixJackson:Veryoldblackwomanwithpooreyesightwhowalksalongdistancethroughwildernessandfieldstoobtainmedicineforhergrandchild.Sheisthemaincharacter.WhiteHunter:ManwhohelpsPhoenixtoherfeetaftershefallsintoaditch.BlackChildren:ChildrenPhoenixencountersjustbeforeshereachesNatchez.NatchezPedestrian:WomanwhotiesPhoenix'sshoes.Attendant:Receptionistinaphysician'soffice.Nurse:Physician'snurse,whogivesPhoenixmedicineforhergrandchild.GrandsonofPhoenix:Childwhoonceswallowedlye.Herequiresmedicinetotreathisthroat.情节简介•《熟路》的情节是一段旅程，一名孱弱的老妪在寒冷的冬日行走于山径，为的是能进城替患白喉病的小孙子取药。•为了医治孙儿的病，这位老祖母仍然不顾险阻进城取药。菲尼克斯这一路上，穿过了荆棘，湍急的溪流，锋利的铁丝网和迷宫般的田地，但她似乎并没有被困难吓倒，反而很享受她的旅途。plot•AWornPathdescribesthejourneyofanelderlyblackwomannamedPhoenixJacksonwhowalksfromherhometothecityofNatcheztogetmedicineforhersickgrandson.•ThelandscapeasPhoenixperceivesitbecomesaprimaryfocusofthevividlyevokednarrative;natureisdepictedasalternatelybeautifulandasanimpedimenttoPhoenix'sprogress.Asshewalks,shestrugglesagainstintensefatigueandpooreyesight,aswellassuchobstaclesasthornbushesandbarbedwire.Thecombinedeffectsofheroldage,herpoorvision,andherpoeticviewoftheworldheightenthelyricismandsymbolismofthenarrative•Forexample,shemistakesascarecrowforadancingghostuntilshedrawscloseenoughtotouchitsemptysleeve.•Aparticularlytenseepisodeoccurswhensheencountersawhitehunterwhoappearsfriendlyatfirst,butthenmakesacondescendingsuggestionthatsheisprobablygoingtotowntoseeSantaClaus.Whenheinadvertentlydropsanickel,Phoenixdistractshimandmanagestopickitup,feelingthatsheisstealingasshedoesso.Thehuntersuddenlypointshisgunather,andwhilehemayhaveseenherpickupthenickel,itisunclearwhathisactualmotivationisforthisthreateninggesture.Phoenix,however,doesnotappearafraid;thehunterlowershisgunandshemanagestocontinueonherwayunharmedandwithoutreturningthenickel.plot•FinallyreachingtheshiningcityofNatchez,Phoenixentersthebigbuilding—presumablyahospital—whereanursequestionsherabouthergrandson,askingifhehasdied.Phoenixremainsstrangelyquietatfirst,asifdeaftothenurse'squestions.Shethenapologizes,claimingthathermemoryhadsuddenlyfailedher—thatforamoment,shecouldnotrememberwhyshehadmadeherlongjourney.ThestoryconcludeswithPhoenix'sheartfeltdescriptionofhergrandson,whosethroatwasinjuredseveralyearsagowhenheswallowedlye.Shedeclaresthatheisnotdead,receivesthemedicineforhim,alongwithanothernickel,withwhichshedecidestobuyhimaChristmaspresent—alittlewindmill.Theplotofthestory•“Awornpath”byEudoraWeltyisashortstoryaboutanelderlyAfrican-AmericanwomannamedPhoenixJacksonwhoiswalkingthroughthewoodsintotown.Onherwaysheencountersmanydeterrents,likealargedog,barbedwire,andahunterfromwhomshepocketsanickelthathedrops,andaladywhotieshershoesalongwithmanyotherobstacles.HerreasonforgoingtoNatchezistopickupasupplyofmedicineforhergrandson,whoaccidentallyswallowedlyeafewyearsbefore.ItisimpliedthatPheonixJacksonhasdementiaforsheseeshallucinations.Throughnumeroushintsinthestoryitisalsoimpliedthatthemedicinesheispickingupforgrandsonisnotnecessarybecausehergrandsondiedmanyyearsago.Howevershethinksthatheisstillaliveduetoherhallucinations.Shetellsthenurseinthehospitalthatthatthedamagetohisthroatneverfullyheals,andeverysooftenhisthroatwillbegintoswellshut,whichsuggeststhatthegrandsonhasdiedofsuffocation.ItisOldPhoenix'sloveforhergrandsonthatcauseshertofacethetrialofthejourneytotown,everytimeitisnecessary,withnoquestionsasked.Atitsheart,AWornPathisataleofundyingloveanddevotionthatpushesustowardagoal.Theconflict•Everyworkoffictionhassomekindofconflict,andmostobviousoneinAWornPathisPhoenix'sstruggleagainstnatureandthelandscape.TheconflictwiththeofficeattendantservestoshowanothersideofPhoenix,herdignityinthefaceofracialandageConflictWhatemotionsdoesthisstoryevokeinyou?Whatisyourreactiontotheendingofthestory?WouldyouprefertoknowthatPhoenixJackson’sgrandsonisalive?Whyorwhynot?WhydoyouthinkPhoenixdoesnotimmediatelyrespondtothequestionsofthenurseandtheattendant?WhatdoesPhoenix’s’showstrengthanddetermination?•Wecanfindtheanswerfrom“Thepath”infollowingsides:Wecanfindtheanswerfrom“Thepath”infollowingsides:•一、老妪取药之路•《熟路》讲述了这样一个故事：黑人老妪菲尼克斯（PhoenixJackson）长途跋涉到纳齐兹镇上的医院给孙子取药。•二、黑人解放之路•全文从象征意义上来说，代表了黑人遭遇的两个阶段，以美国南北战争为分界线。•三、人类生存之路•转换种族角度解读文本的视角，读者会惊奇地发现，本文中菲尼克斯往复走的路从更高的意义上说是一条人类生存的道路。Style1.SimpleplotProfoundmeaning2.CapturethetypicaldetailsDeepenthenovel'sthemeSimpleplotProfoundmeaning•AWornPathtellsusastorythatanAmericansouthernruralpoorblackwomantravelslongdistances,togotothecityalonetogetmedcineforhergrandson.Theauthorwillmainlylengthisusedtodescribetheheroinehardandlongroadofthecityofphoenix,andherencountersontheway,justthesimpletowardstheendofthearticleintroducesthesceneofthecityandincharityhospital.Theuseofsymbolismmakesthenovelrichconnotation.Oneofthemostintriguingisthenameoftheheroinephoenix.PhoenixintheEnglishmeaningforPhoenix,Phoenixbird.Accordingtotheencycl