A Worn Path- Response

The title of this story is significant, because later in the story, it says that Phoenix went to that "big building" often for medicine for her sick grandson. She probably walked that same way, from her house to the building (which I am assuming is a hospital). The title being "A Worn Path" could also mean that it is an emotional journey for her. Sitting in the building at the end of the story, Phoenix told the nurse about how every time she made her journey to get the medicine, she had to leave her grandson at home wrapped in quilts and sick. I have a felling that it made her sad to leave him there all alone while she got him the medicine.

A Phoenix is a bird that builds its own pyre and then is reborn from the ashes. Characteristics that can sometimes go with the name are independence, leadership, and taking action. I think Old Phoenix is all of those things, because she took action to help her grandson who was sick. She has independence, because she made sure her grandson was warm and wrapped up in blankets. She made sure he would be OK while she was away, and then she made the long journey by herself all the way to town from where she lived, which was probably in the woods. She was being a leader by being bold and doing whatever she had to do to get to town for the medicine. I noticed that she didn't seem to want to go across the log to the other side, but she did, for she knew that her grandson would not get any better if she didn't.

"[Her cane] made a grave and persistent noise in the still air, that seemed meditative like the chirping of a solitary little bird." Since I know that solitary means alone or done alone, the author is saying that her cane sounds like an independent or lonely bird. I think that I would like to add that it sounds like a persistent solitary bird! I think it means that Phoenix is like a solitary bird, because from what it sounds like, she lives only with her grandson and she is making her journey alone. I think Phoenix is very persistent, and she loves her grandson very much. She is making her journey, in solitary, alone, and she keeps going. That is just like how the bird keeps chirping, a happy sound. Phoenix keeps going, and doesn't falter much.

I noticed that Phoenix had a lot of character. The author did a really good job with that. I really sympathized with her the whole time, because I knew how she felt. Phoenix was the kind of character that I want to say good job too, full-heartedly. She is a good person, determined and willing to do anything to do the right thing. She walks with a cane, which probably means she walks with a limp or something like that. It also says Phoenix was old. So walking all of that way into town was probably not the best thing for her to do. She did it, though, all for someone she loved. That is something to be proud of.

I think the walk back was symbolic because Phoenix was walking the same path home again, the one she had probably walked many times. This time as she walked it, though, she probably felt triumphed or satisfied, because she had the medicine, and her grandson would be OK for a while now that she had it. The way there, I think Phoenix was frustrated once because her skirt caught on some bushes. She told the bushes they could not tear her skirt, because she was off to do something important. On the way back, she probably still didn't want her skirt torn by the bushes, but she was only walking home. So that feeling of determination she still had was calmed and comforted because she had accomplished what she needed to do. She was going home now, and she had the medicine. All she needed to do once she got home was give her grandson his medicine. That's how I would feel.

Finding a Writer's Voice

     I learned in Chapter 20 that plain nouns can be the strongest words to use (right after verbs), if they fit in with your style of writing. According to the author, nouns resonate with emotion.
   
     I was surprised when both pieces of writing stated that it is okay to use the voices of other writers. Although each writer had a slightly different opinion, it seemed, on how to use them. In Finding Your Voice, the author says that you can "borrow" another voice. She states that you can use it if you incorporate it into your own style. But Mr. Zinsser says to "never hesitate to imitate another writer." I may have it wrong, but I think he means that you can use another writer's style entirely. Although he could really be saying the same thing as in the other article. Mr. Zinsser also says that you shouldn't try to mimic styles the wrong way. For example, you should not interpret E.B. White's voice as breezy.
   
     I think I saw both writer's voices in their pieces of writing about voice. Mr. Zinsser seems to write facts and opinions, while the author of Finding Your Voice writes with lots of Idioms and examples that make you understand what she is saying better. So to sum it up, I learned that your voice is how you like to write; if you haven't completely figured out your voice, experimenting with it is good. Slipping in pieces of other voices is good.