Pheonix Jackson

Phoenix Jackson

One could view Phoenix Jackson as an old granny who might be a little crazy in the head. Another could describe Phoenix as a frail elderly woman who has lived through a lot of life's history. Either accusation could probably be proven true to a certain degree. Phoenix Jackson carries those traits along with many more. Phoenix Jackson was a free-spirited, caring, and gentle elderly Negro woman who lived only to save her grandson's life.

Phoenix Jackson was a tough woman for her age. Living only with her sick grandson, Phoenix had little company and no other companions. Therefore, she suffered from being lonely. Living far away from any services of a town, Phoenix would make the difficult journey to the closest town whenever her grandson ran out of his medicine. She was so determined to help her grandson that nothing else really mattered.

Phoenix Jackson had a vivid description painted for herself by the author. Phoenix was a small and frail elderly Negro woman. She wore a red rag tied upon her head holding up her yet black, curly hair that fell into ringlets. Upon her, she wore a long and dark striped dress with an equally long apron over the top of it. Upon her feet were untied tennis shoes. She always carried her thin and small cane with her, which was actually an umbrella. Her old eyes were blue with age, and her skin had become a pattern of numberless branching wrinkles. By being able to create a vivid picture of Phoenix, the author has allowed a connection between her character and the reader where the reader can now comprehend Phoenix as a real person to understand and relate to.

Being as old as she is, Phoenix is very determined to make this journey yet again to the town where she can retrieve her grandson's medicine. First off, she is making this journey in the middle of winter with no proper clothing, shoes, or equipment. She goes on this journey fully aware that if something would happen to her, no one possible would find her. This journey is not on a set path where people travel daily, yet a worn path made her own. Phoenix's body is worn and giving away, yet time again she hikes herself up the hill, crosses the creek, crawls under the barbed wire fence, and puts up with the criticism the hunter piles upon her. By these moves, the author has proven to us how determined and driven this woman is to make the journey to town for her grandson whom she lives to love and care for.

Phoenix Jackson has a bubbly personality and loves to chat. One reason for her ongoing chitchat could be her loneliness. Only living with her young grandson for out from town, she has no one to communicate or socialize with. Phoenix openly communicates with the forest animals through warnings. "Out of my way all you foxes, owls, beetles, jackrabbits, coons, and wild animals!" She warns them not to cross paths with her. Through the maze of corn, Phoenix mistakes a scarecrow for a ghost. After realizing her mix up she starts talking to it. "You Scarecrow. I ought to be shut up for good. My sense is gone. I too old. I the oldest people I ever know. Dance old scarecrow, while I dance with you." She chats with the scarecrow as if it were a real person. The author is showing Phoenix's willingness to find companions or at the very least, acquaintances to talk with. Throughout the