Characterization of Phoenix?

Phoenix Jackson is named after the mythological bird that rises renewed from the ashes of a fire, as well as the city in which author Eudora Welty was born and died. She is an elderly black grandmother, who uses a cane made from umbrella to maintain her balance, while she walks in unlaced shoes. While Phoenix's character might seem far removed from the mythological stories, she, none-the-less, proves herself to be a force to be reckoned with. Phoenix is determined and tenacious.