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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
This 3 page paper discusses the way in which the characters in "Dead Men's Path" by Chinua Achebe and "Woman Hollering Creek" by Sandra Cisneros respond to outside influences. Bibliography lists 2 sources.
Page Count:
3 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_HVResOut.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
the West, and enriched our understanding of Africa and its traditions. The strength of those traditions and the misery that results when they are not respected is the theme of
Achebes very short story, Dead Mens Path. In this tale, Michael Obi and his wife Nancy arrive in a small village to take over Ndume Central School. The school is
"unprogressive," run down, the grounds barren, and the teaching methods outmoded. The Obis are obsessed with the idea of being modern and progressive; they have nothing but contempt for anything
they think is old-fashioned, and that includes the village traditions. Because of their insensitivity to the villagers needs and beliefs, they block the ancestral path that cuts across the school
grounds. Three days after Michael closes the path, the village priest comes to him and explains that what hes done is wrong: "... this path was here before you were
born and before your father was born. The whole life of this village depends on it. Our dead relatives depart by it and our ancestors visit us by it. But
most important, it is the path of children coming in to be born ..." (Achebe, p. 271). Michael scoffs at this, telling the priest that this is just the kind
of superstition that he is there to stamp out. He suggests that the villagers build a new path skirting the school grounds; he remarks condescendingly that he doubts if it
will inconvenience the ancestors that much (Achebe). The priest responds that he believes that both the hawk and the eagle should be allowed to perch undisturbed; in other words, there
is no reason to change whats always been done. Michael refuses and the priest leaves. Two days later a young woman dies in childbirth; the following day, Michael wakes up
...