Phoenix Jackson, the protagonist of Eudora Welty’s short story “A Worn Path,” is an elderly woman, often interpreted to be in her 80s. While the text does not provide her exact age, her frailty, the challenges she faces on her journey, and her interactions with other characters suggest she is quite advanced in years.
Phoenix undertakes a difficult journey to acquire medicine for her sick grandson, and this quest highlights her age through her physical limitations and the weariness she experiences along the way. Her determination, however, is a testament to her strength and resilience despite her age. The combination of her age and her unwavering spirit serves to illuminate themes of endurance and the deep bonds of family present in the story.