What Is The Symbol for The Path?
Draft Three

    During the evolution of human beings, our ancestors gained knowledge about the world around them and established some simple believes to explain some problems about the universe. With the waves of time beating against the shore of history, old believes were proved unscientific or even ridiculous and at the same time we get new ones. But in most cases some of those old theories have already become an inevitable part of the base of our life philosophy and what is more, a symbol for certain culture or tradition. We accept them unconsciously though we know they are unscientific. So it is hard and unilateral to simply define old believes to be superstitions.

    But that is what Michael Obi did in Chinua Achebe’s story “Dead Men’s Path”. Achebe completed this story seven-year earlier than his motherland Nigeria gained her independence in 1960. British colonists have been controlling Nigeria since the turn of the twentieth century. In “Dead Men’s Path”, Obi is appointed headmaster of a local school and he has made good effort to do a great job. For a better view, he shuts an old path between the village and the burial place, known as the dead men’s path, and that finally leads to a “tribal war” (54) and Obi’s own failure. He accomplishes all he plans to do and what an enthusiastic headmaster should do except for paying respect to the local tribal religion, which is also his tribal religion. Obi is a living example of those young locals who put a faith in the modern world and care no more about their tribal culture. The path Obi has closed can be considered as a symbol for the old tradition and culture, which is abandoned but still connects our modern life with the history.

    At the first time the path is mentioned, Achebe uses some special description to create an especial image of the old path. Obi sees “an old woman from the village” (53) who “hobbles right across the compound” (53) through an old path which was located in the beautifully-decorated garden. It is the first time that Obi sees the path. Nevertheless it is not Obi’s first day to work in the school compound. The path is “almost disused” (53) with some “faint signs” (53) left. Lying in the garden of beauty and new age, the path is distinct in every sense.

    Achebe’s description reveals that the path does not belong to this age. The location of the path makes some senses. It connects the village shrine with the place of burial. The path is a bridge connecting the days in memory and the days we are living. It is a window to the past.

    However the path is forgotten and left in a whole new world that no longer belongs to it. The surrounding environment makes it so different. The word “almost disused” (53) reveals the present state of the path. Fewer people now remember its existence, keep it and, what is the most important, respect it. We inherit our tradition from our ancestor just like the priest’s words “we follow the practices of our fathers” (54). But some well-educated youths no longer regard it as a treasure and legacy. The dialog between Obi and the priest strengthens this point. To make a reply to the priest’s request for reopening the path, Obi uses a disrespectful tone as:

“The whole purpose of our school is to eradicate just such beliefs as that. Dead men do not require footpaths. The whole idea is just fantastic. Out duty is to teach your children to laugh at such ideas.” (54)

Obi is “satisfied” to see that all the reasons the priest can give is connected with religion and tradition. The word “satisfied” can prove that Obi pays no attention and respect to them. He is waiting for the priest to say so because he believes if he provides some “scientific” facts the priest will have no word to say and retreat. The author characterized Obi as a typical example for some young Nigerian. They pay a tribute to the modern education and western culture however they don’t care about things that concern their “out-of-date” culture any longer. It is a trend that the old will be away and the new will rise. So the fate of some old things is inevitable. The path also can’t escape from the doom of being neglected or even being abandoned.

    But the path doesn’t disappear though it is confessed to be “hardly used” (53). The existence of the path is a signal, meaning the existence of Igbo culture. It still connects the days we are living in with the days of the past. Old traditions are less mentioned. Nigerian people may gain new knowledge. The priest is right. “Let the hawk perch and let the eagle perch.” (54) There is not a doomed fatal war between the old and the new believes. Obi could have let the path stay what it was. But he didn’t. If one wants to reject the old culture compellingly, it may reactively give you punishment. One cannot stand without base under his feet. Maybe it is hard to realize its function now but this does not mean it does not work anymore. For the villagers, although the path is hardly used, “it appears to be very important to them.” When it is shut, the villagers hold a violent protest.