Modernization Versus Tradition

In the story "Dead Men's Path" Chinua Achebe describe the controversy between tradition and modernization in the school of Ndume. Michael Obi is the main character of this story. He is confronted with the villagers and their resistance to change. All the characters go through different changes according to their belief. The theme between the main character and the rest of the characters is controversial. Because Michael is aims with intellectual arrogance, and the villagers with resistance to change, they are not capable of finding a common field to solve their problems.

Michael Obi who is an energetic 26 years old married man, found himself promoted as a headmaster of the school of Ndume in January 1949. Michael could not expect a better promotion." He accepted this responsibility with enthusiasm. He had many wonderful ideas and this was an opportunity to put them into practice."(165). He is eager for change and he knew that the school of Ndume really needed someone like him. He is a zealot about modernization who is willing to do everything he can to change the school. Michael wants to put his whole life into work, for that reason, he wants a better quality of teaching and a new design of the school compound. His wife Nancy is also willing to help with the design of the compound.

Nancy is a young woman who has been married to Michael for two years. She "had become completely infected by his passion for modern methods." (166). The influence of her husband's belief of new ways has impacted her also. Nancy wants to "set the fashion in everything." She views herself as someone who will be envy by others wives, and, an eventual "Queen of the school." (166). Though, as the same time she is a little worry about the marital status of the others women of the school. When she address her concern of the presence of many single women in the school, her husband told her that it "is a good thing." (166). They will put all of their effort into this school to make it a better school. Between Obi and his wife, they decided to change the old school of Ndume into a new school.

Ndume Central School is an old and unprogressive institution according to the Mission Authorities. It "was backward in every sense of the word." (166). The school lacks of a good teaching skills and the compounds was old fashion as well. The passage that made the school teaching a failure clear is "these superannuated people in the teaching field who would be better employed as traders in the Otnisha market." (166). Furthermore it is also used by the villagers as a path to the cemetery. Michael and his wife put all their life and energy into the school to change it. They have two goals, a high standard of teaching and a beautiful garden. They put themselves into serious work planting flowers and redesigning the school compound. When the rainy season comes, their hard work has paid off. Plants and flowers have bloomed. "Beautiful hibiscus and allamanda hedges in brilliant red and yellow marked out he carefully tended school compound from the rank neighborhood bushes." (166).The couple was happy to see the fruit of their hard work. Unfortunately it was stopped by the appearance of an old woman from the village who was crossing the path. Obi, still, shocked by the scene took his concern to one of his teacher for an explanation.

Unfortunately, the intellectual arrogance of Michael Obi does not facilitate his task of renovating the school. Obi did not allow the villagers to discuss the issue. He did not address the villagers in the diplomatic way. One of his teachers told him in a humble way, that the foot path used by the villagers "appears to be very important to them. It connects the village shrine with their place of burial." His answer was "And what that got to do with the school?". (167). This question shows