Elements of Fiction: Working with Textual Evidence from “A ...



Elements of Fiction: Working with Textual Evidence from “A Worn Path”

Setting:

Use each of the following pieces of textual evidence to identify an aspect of the setting. Star (*) what would require outside research for you to understand.

1. Where does the story take place?

“There ahead was Natchez shining”… “She lives way back off the Natchez Trace” __________________

‘“I never did go to school, I was too old at the Surrender,” she said in a soft voice.’ __________________

“Far out in the country there was an old Negro woman.” __________________

2. When does the story take place?

“It was December—a bright frozen day” __________________

‘”I never did go to school, I was too old at the Surrender,” she said in a soft voice.’ __________________

Characters:

Use each of the following pieces of textual evidence to identify characters. For each quote, fill in the blank. Star (*) the main character.

1. “Her name was ____________ _____________. She was very old and small and she walked slowly in the dark pine shadows.”

2. “A _____ ______ finally came along and found her—a hunter, a young man, with his dog on a chain.”

3. “A ______ came along in the crowd, carrying an armful of red-, green- and silver-wrapped ________; she gave off perfume like red roses in hot summer, and Phoenix stopped her.”

4. ‘“A charity case, I suppose said the ________________ who sat at the desk before her.”’

5. ‘“Oh, that’s just old Aunt Phoenix,” she [______________] said. “She doesn’t come for herself—she has a little grandson. She makes these trips just as regular as clockwork.”’

6. “We is the only two left in the world. He suffer and it don’t seem to put him back at all. He [______________] got a sweet look. He is going to last.”

Plot:

Use each of the following pieces of textual evidence to recreate the plot of “A Worn Path.” Begin by identifying what happens first and what happens last in the story. Then, fill in the middle in order. Star (*) the climax of the overall conflict.

A) “now down through oaks”

B) “had to go through a barbed-wire fence”

C) “track crossed a swampy part…alligators”

D) “log was laid across a creek… ‘now comes the trial’”

E) “Phoenix rose carefully and held out her hand. She received the nickel and then fished her nickel out of her pocket.”—“I going to the store and buy my child a little windmill they sells, made out of paper”---Then her slow step began on the stairs, going down.”

F) “a little boy brought her a plate with a slice of marble cake”

G) “coming along a path through the pinewoods… The path ran up a hill.”

H) “Are you deaf”—“Oh, that’s just Old Phoenix”--“At last there came a flicker and then a flame of comprehension across her face, and she spoke. “My grandson. It was my memory had left me. There I sat and forgot why I had made my long trip.”

I) “man dancing in the field…ghost…you scarecrow”

J) “bush caught her dress”

K) “a black dog with a lolling tongue came out of the weeds… when he came at her she only hit him a little with her cane. Over she went in the ditch.”

L) “A white man finally came along and found her… he laughed and lifted his gun and pointed it at Phoenix”

Learning Focused Concept: Literary Elements

Directions: Return to the student learning map for the unit and answer the essential questions using the fictional story “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty. Cite specific examples from the text to support your answer.

Setting:

1. How does the setting influence the characters and action?

Characters:

2. How does the author use characterization to effectively develop the characters?

Plot:

3. What conflicts (both internal and external) affect the characters’ action and the overall meaning of the text?

Student Plot Manipulatives for “A Worn Path”

A) “now down through oaks”

B) “had to go through a barbed-wire fence”

C) “track crossed a swampy part…alligators”

D) “log was laid across a creek… ‘now comes the trial’”

E) “Phoenix rose carefully and held out her hand. She received the nickel and then fished her nickel out of her pocket.”—“I going to the store and buy my child a little windmill they sells, made out of paper”---Then her slow step began on the stairs, going down.”

F) “a little boy brought her a plate with a slice of marble cake”

G) “coming along a path through the pinewoods… The path ran up a hill.”

H) “Are you deaf”—“Oh, that’s just Old Phoenix”--“At last there came a flicker and then a flame of comprehension across her face, and she spoke. “My grandson. It was my memory had left me. There I sat and forgot why I had made my long trip.”

I) “man dancing in the field…ghost…you scarecrow”

J) “bush caught her dress”

K) “a black dog with a lolling tongue came out of the weeds… when he came at her she only hit him a little with her cane. Over she went in the ditch.”

L) “A white man finally came along and found her… he laughed and lifted his gun and pointed it at Phoenix”

Name ___________________________________________

|Elements of Fiction: (title) |

|Elements |Textual Evidence |

| | | |

|Setting |Where: | |

| |Rural American South (Mississippi?) |‘“It’s Christmas time, Grandma,” said the Attendant.’ |

| | | |

| | |‘”I never did go to school, I was too old at the Surrender,” she said in a soft voice.’ |

| | | |

| | |“Far out in the country there was an old Negro woman.” |

| | | |

| | |“There ahead was Natchez shining” (Mississippi) “She lives way back off the Natchez Trace” |

| | | |

| | | |

| |When: |“It was December—a bright frozen day” |

| |December, within a lifetime of Civil | |

| |War |‘”I never did go to school, I was too old at the Surrender,” she said in a soft voice.’ |

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

|Characters |Main: | |

| |Phoenix Jackson |“Her name was Phoenix Jackson. She was very old and small and she walked slowly in the dark pine |

| | |shadows.” |

| | | |

| |Supporting: | |

| |Hunter, Woman with Packages, |“A white man finally came along and found her—a hunter, a young man, with his dog on a chain.” |

| |Attendant, Nurse, Grandson | |

| | |“A lady came along in the crowd, carrying an armful of red-, green- and silver-wrapped presents; she|

| | |gave off perfume life red roses in hot summer, and Phoenix stopped her.” |

| | | |

| | |‘“A charity case, I suppose said the attendant who sat at the desk before her.”’ |

| | | |

| | |‘“Oh, that’s just old Aunt Phoenix,” she said. “She doesn’t come for herself—she has a little |

| | |grandson. She makes these trips just as regular as clockwork.”’ |

| | | |

| | |“Throat never heals…Swallowed Lye.” |

| | |“We is the only two left in the world. He suffer and it don’t seem to put him back at all. He got |

| | |a sweet look. He is going to last.” |

| | | |

| | | |

|Plot |Exposition (first four paragraphs) | |

| | | |

| |Conflict: Phoenix’s struggles to get| |

| |physical, social and psychological |“I bound to go to town” |

| |struggles to get medicine for her | |

| |grandson. |“path ran up a hill” |

| | | |

| |Turning Points: |“now down through oaks” |

| |Conflicts through journey | |

| | |“bush caught her dress” |

| | | |

| | |“log was laid across a creek… ‘now comes the trial’” |

| | | |

| | |“a little boy brought her a plate with a slice of marble cake” |

| | | |

| | |“had to go through a barbed-wire fence” |

| | | |

| | |“man dancing in the field…ghost…you scarecrow” |

| | | |

| | |“track crossed a swampy part” |

| | | |

| | |“a black dog with a lolling tongue came out of the weeds… when he came at her she only hit him a |

| | |little with her cane. Over she went in the ditch.” |

| | | |

| | |“A white man finally came along and found her… he laughed and lifted his gun and pointed it at |

| | |Phoenix” |

| |Climax: Arrival at doctor’s office | |

| |(mind fail) |“Are you deaf”—“Oh, that’s just Old Phoenix”--“At last there came a flicker and then a flame of |

| | |comprehension across her face, and she spoke. “My grandson. It was my memory had left me. There I|

| | |sat and forgot why I had made my long trip.” |

| | | |

| |Resolution: | |

| |tricks attendant into nickel, returns|“Phoenix rose carefully and held out her hand. She received the nickel and then fished her nickel |

| |with gift to grandson, steps down |out of her pocket.”—“I going to the store and buy my child a little windmill they sells, made out of|

| |stairs |paper”---Then her slow step began on the stairs, going down.” |

|Theme |Central Idea(s): | |

| |Sacrifice | |

| |Determination | |

| |Aging | |

| |Prejudice | |

| |Poverty | |

| | | |

| |Theme Statement: | |

| | | |

|POV |Third Person Limited |Phoenix Jackson |

| | | |

| | |“At last there came a flicker and then a flame of comprehension across her face, and she spoke. “My|

| | |grandson. It was my memory had left me. There I sat and forgot why I had made my long trip.” |

| | | |

-----------------------

1. _____

2. _____

3. _____

4. _____

5. _____

6. _____

7. _____

8. _____

9. _____

10. _____

11. _____

12. _____

Focus Standard:

RSL #1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text

RSL #3: Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).

Focus Standard:

RSL #1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text

RSL #3: Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).

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