Theme of lifeless man s way by chinua achebe

Chinua Achebe

This history by Chinua Achebe presents the turmoil between world-views and worth systems. The setting of Dead Guys Path occurs in Nigeria in 49. It is on the subject of a man named Michael Obi who is the new, enthusiastic and wholehearted headmaster of a deprived and underprivileged school. This story is exploring the effects of European customs and beliefs in traditional Africa culture.

Jordan Obi may be the new headmaster of Ndume Central College. The Objective authorities chosen him pertaining to the job because they were searching for a young and energetic person to administer it. Michael is a twenty-six-year-old committed man. His wife, known as Nancy, is usually slightly egotistical but nevertheless, extremely kind and considerate to her husband: For a few moments she became skeptical regarding the new university, but it was only for a few minutes. Her tiny personal misfortune could blind her with her husbands cheerful prospects. Eileen is a very ardent person with many ideas that can help convert the school. This individual believes in the modernization and transformation of old morals. He has been afflicted by Euro customs. The phrase infected is utilized, as it may had been thought of a negative thing then, in Photography equipment culture, to trust in modern methods: In their two years of married life the lady had become totally infected by simply his passion for contemporary methods. Jordan had two aims for the school: A top standard of education to get the children, as well as for the school being reconstructed into a place of beauty. He also decided what kind of teachers ought to be employed with the school. He chose that every teachers should be young and single. He thought that this method, all the professors would put all their time work and energy within their job and not be diverted by various other commitments and individuals. His better half Nancy was against this idea as the girl wanted the teachers to get married so that other spouses could covet her position and she would set the method in anything. This is an important example of Michaels wifes self-centeredness. Michael was able to transform the school gardens into a place of beauty. One day whilst he was admiring his function, he saw an old female walking along a disused path that ran throughout the school substance.

This irritated Michael and he asked one part of his personnel about it. He found out that this path is definitely apparently very important and blessed as it connects the community shrine for the cemetery. Michael jordan was very selfless right now and chose to close throughout the path, as with a few times a white inspector will be coming to visit the college.

Michael sensed that the institution couldnt provide as a through fare. Shortly the path was closed and blocked off with barbed wire. Some days after the community priest asked the headmaster. The clergyman talked with Michael for some time. He wished Michael to reopen the way. You find the impression from the priest that he is an extremely frail and elderly person who doesnt wish to start off an argument, yet merely receive his opinion and thoughts across to Michael. The priest assumed that the route was very sacred because our dead relatives go away by it, and our forefathers visit us by it.

This is the example of traditionalist values: the path is old and sacred and goes back a long time, it can be of great importance to the community as it is a web link from the useless relatives for the village shrine. Michael responds to the priest with a pleased smile in the face. This individual tells the priest which the whole notion of a dead mans path, is exactly what he could be teaching the youngsters not to have confidence in. Michael feels that the entire idea of a dead mans footpath is completely fictional, imaginary and fantastic. The priest responds by sharing with Michael a lot of words of wisdom: Allow the hawk perch and let the eagle perch. This is basically saying if you do what I say, we need to be in peace. The path does zero harm, you carry on with the school and then let the path become reopened. The priest after that leaves Eileen alone. I really believe he does this as he would like for Eileen to think about what this individual has just said. A few times later a lady died at the time of birth to a child. A diviner that is a (spiritualist) prescribes weighty sacrifices to propitiate ancestors insulted by the fence.

This, therefore , means that the diviner is angry that the path has been sealed, and blames the loss of life of the ladies on the closing of the course. The diviner believes that ancestors and dead individuals have been insulted by the blocking of their route. Thus, Michaels modernized institution is taken down plus the gardens happen to be trampled after. The inspector then arrived at visit and wrote a very mean survey about the school and the circumstance between the institution and the town.

This story shows us how modernization can conflict with traditionalist values. The closure from the path schisme with the landscapes of the persons and the clergyman. The story symbolizes how traditionalism and modernization take part in the storyline and how they adapted towards the culture.