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Interpretation

Dead Men`s Path - Chinua Achebe

527 / ~1½ sternsternsternsternstern_0.5 Sebastian G. . 2012
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Interpretation
Literaturwissenschaft

Stromberg-Gymnasium, Vaihingen/Enz

Frau Wihan, 2012

Sebastian G. ©
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ID# 20626







Dead Men's Path – Chinua Achebe

Interpretation


The story „Dead Men's Path“, written by Chinua Achebe is about a native's decision after getting a new job as a headmaster in a missionary school. It takes place in Nigeria in lain1949. The man named Michael Obi has been colonized and influenced by western people in the past, so that he has „wonderful ideas“ (p.109 l.6) for an efficient and effective school system and wants to put them into practise.

Therefore he decided to close little path on the school compound, along which, as the village people think, the souls of dead and unborn people are walking. But in the end those natives punish him by destroying the fence and its surroundings which Michael usually wanted to use to impress the white supervisor.

I suggest that even in this case, the fundamental contrast between modernization and tradition, a coexisting would have worked better for all the involved people instead of showing ignorance.

First of all you have to recognize that the problems dealt with in the sotry are the typical problems in time of colonialism: The natives' religious beliefs have to compete against the colonizer's rationalism. On the one side we have Michael Obi standing for the western mindset while the priest tries to defend the native's traditions.

Moreover Michael has an additional base problem: One the one hand he's very excited and enthusiastic to have that new job in the leading position of a missionary school. On the other hand the reason for this is rather based in his interest of making career instead of his wish to help the natives (p.110 l.3 „We shall make a good job out of it, shall we?“)

Here you can see where the failure of trying to get to coexistence began: He could have easily bring his traditional mindset into harmony with new thought-patterns. Consequently the situation of to accepting the priest (p.112 ll.36-37 „ .is to eradicate such beliefs as that“ / p.112 l.28 „ .whole idea is just fanatic“) would never have happened.

Instead Michael rejects to show tolerance but forces his aims of a perfect system in a very straight way (p.110 l.37 – p.111 l.1 „A high Standard of teaching was insisted upon“). Apparently this leads to bad results for both parties.

Making compromises are a much more efficient and eventually more effective way to reach you own aims. For instance, he could have simply built the path around the compound. With this action every involved person is happier than after the decision Michael preferred.

Concerning the argument above, no one would then care for the other's principles anymore (p.102 l.32 „Let the hawk pearch and let the eagle pearch“)

It gives hope, happiness and finally a sense to their lifes. Compromisses are the way to an easy solution!


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