"She did not dare to close her eyes, and when a little boy brought her a plate with a slice of marble-cake on it she spoke to him. 'That would be acceptable,' she said. But when she went to take it there was just her own hand in the air," (15).
While I realize the state of the grandson is obviously unknown and completely unrelated to the overall analysis of the story, I do believe that it does have great implications on the story (Why else would they mention him in such detail?).
Let me start out with my theme of choice. People must go to great distances for their family, even if it makes them uncomfortable.
Over the bridges and through the woods, to some random nurse who she forgets Phoenix goes?
Back to the analysis. This idea may seem unconventional, but it should make sense when I am all the way through. See that random person with cake mentioned in my quote? Yeah, I believe that is the "grandson" (probably just some random person she has to keep her company though) who Phoenix has to go get the medicine for. Welty may have called Phoenix "alive," but she lives a life that contradicts any idea that she is healthy... or sane? No one would walk so far, get to the pharmacy office, and then forget what they went for unless everything was a figment of the imagination.
Analysis Max.
So why would the author not want us to know about the grandson? Many of the better details we receive about the grandson are from the nurse's questioning. It does not matter what type of disease Phoenix could have, but the fact is that she is clearly a forgetful old lady. If Phoenix does not remember much about her grandson, then it makes sense that we also get no great details of the grandson who may or may not be dead.
Basically, this blog was my round about thinking process on why the grandson is important to the story, despite the fact that nothing was ever said about him.
Well played, Welty. Well played.
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