Dead Man's Path, Live Man's Blunder Lyndsey Call 12th Grade

Chinua Achebe, author of “Dead Men’s Path,” was born in a village in eastern Nigeria; because he was a the son of a missionary, he had a Christian upbringing. He was educated in England at the London University but finished his schooling at University College of Ibadan. After Achebe returned home, he saw Nigeria freeing itself from the control of England as the country won its independence. Experiencing these two colliding worlds in his formative years most likely influenced his story, since primary conflict in “Dead Men’s Path” is the strife between competing worldviews. The story is set in a small village which is contested territory throughout, as the headmaster struggles with the villagers over matters of control. The story's being set in a small village is vital because small communities are more likely to hold onto traditional values than larger, more progressive areas. Michael Obi’s attempts, similar to those of centuries of Christian missionaries in history, to revolutionize the village set everyone back further than before he arrived. He goes against the formidable beast of tradition without the proper tools or attitude, and loses spectacularly. In his exploration of symbolism, point of view, and characterization,...