Modernity Vs. Tradition In Dead Men's Path

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Modernity Vs. Tradition in Dead Men’s Path In “Dead Men’s Path” modernity is faced against tradition in several different ways. We see this happen throughout the story in several minor occurrences and one major occurrence. At the very beginning of the story Michael Obi is appointed headmaster of Ndume Central School. At first glance this may seem like nothing more than a man being appointed to a job. If you look at the details with more attention and in regard to modernity vs. tradition you will see a man, Michael Obi, who comes with a secondary school education and narrows views of the less educated being put in charge of an unprogressive school. This is the first occurrence of modernity vs. tradition in which Obi’s modern methods are faced against the otherwise lackluster traditional school. The second occurrence of modernity vs. tradition is in relation to Nancy, Obi’s wife, remodeling the grounds. She turned the school grounds into her own backyard turning it from what it had been into her dream-gardens. She planted hibiscus and hedges; separating the school from the traditional villages that surrounded it. The biggest occurrence of all appears at the end of the story. Obi is faced against the priest of a nearby village for closing a ritualistic path that lead from the village across the school grounds to the villagers burial ground. Mr. Obi believes the villagers beliefs are foolish and shouldn’t be taught to the children. The priest says “let the hawk perch and let the eagle perch” in an attempt to reach a compromise with the headmaster, but Mr. Obi is arrogant and refuses to reopen the path. Two days later a villager dies in childbed and the villagers destroy the school grounds. The supervisor comes to inspect the school and writes a bad report about the headmaster and his “misguided zeal”. Sometimes the modern way may seem the way to go because it is the

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