Geist's Writing Portfolio

Reading Log

FROM: Geist Hu (04/04/07 8:09 AM GMT -06:00)
SUBJECT: My reading log for Dead Men's Path

What amazed me the most after reading "Dead Men's Path" is the way the conflict is solved finally. It seemed that the story hadn't ended yet but when I checked the following page, which tells the ending of another story, I found out that all the problems were "solved" though no conclusion to the conflict was made.

I believe the conflict in the story is more a crash between new believes and tradition than a generation gap. Obi stands for people in the new age who can get good education and become a little bit skeptical. To them some old tradition is part of superstition so it's time to tear those old belives down just like Obi plans to do. He regards their traditional ceremony as "pagan ritual". He made up his mind to "eradicate such beliefs" such as that dead men can return to their home .But finally his dream garden is destroyed by the angry "uncivilized" villigers.

It's hard to define Obi's belief right or wrong just like we can't tell whether theism (or atheism) is good or bad. Obi's religion is not only Christianity but also science. He makes a fetish of science and ignores the traditions. In my opinion, that's the main reason for his failure.

People living in today's shifting world should learn to gain new knowledge and pay respect to tradition at the same time. Knowledge can make a better life but tradition is the base of our lifestyle and lifestyle philosophy. Or we may end up just like unlucky Obi.

27.5.07 12:19