o The Natchez Trace - old highway that runs from Nashville, Tennessee, to Natchez, Mississippi. By 1800 it was the busiest in the American South.
o Phoenix lives “a way back off the Old Natchez Trace,” which indicates that the journey—compounded by the fact that it is December—is difficult for her.
o The obstacles she faces underscore how deeply she cares and sacrifices for her grandson. At the end, when we are told she “began on the stairs, going down” it indicates that she is faced with a return journey as laborious as the one she has just completed. She is also between 80-100 years old which further magnifies the intensity of her journey and the tragic situation of her grandson’s dependence on her.
o However, the fact that she set it during December could also symbolize the time of the year when love and giving are the strongest
o Phoenix lives “a way back off the Old Natchez Trace,” which indicates that the journey—compounded by the fact that it is December—is difficult for her.
o The obstacles she faces underscore how deeply she cares and sacrifices for her grandson. At the end, when we are told she “began on the stairs, going down” it indicates that she is faced with a return journey as laborious as the one she has just completed. She is also between 80-100 years old which further magnifies the intensity of her journey and the tragic situation of her grandson’s dependence on her.
o However, the fact that she set it during December could also symbolize the time of the year when love and giving are the strongest