Summary

A young man named Michael Obi was appointed headmaster of Ndume Central School. Encounters a
conflict with the nearby village. Obi put up barbwire to block the path from and to the village. The path
was a path to the burial grounds. Later on in the story, the Hardens and hedges are destroyed by the
villagers. Michael is then fired.

Main Characters

Michael Obi-newly appointed headmaster, Nancy Obi-Michael's wife, Old Priest-old priest of the village

The Path

-Runs through the school compound

-Sacred to the villagers

-Link the villagers, dead ancestors, and the unborn, Religious

Theme

Do not allow your hard work and ambition ruin your success

More symbols/ Omens

Shortly after the closing of the path, which the villagers believe is a bridge for children coming into the
world, a woman dies from childbirth

. The inspector gives the headmaster a bad report, due to the "tribal-war situation" that surrounds him,
which he caused by closing the path

Plot: About Social Realism. There is a new headmaster of the School (Michael Obi) and he made changes
to the school by blocking the Men's Path" which is considered sacred by the villagers. The new
headmaster Seems indifferent with the customs of the villagers, so he ignore the request of the priest to
reopen the path. In the end. the Supervisor still gave Michael Obi a bad report upon inspection, and
questioned Obi's

What Does the Title Say?

According to the story the basic use of the path is it connects the village shrine with their place of burial.

The villagers use it to visit the graves of their loved ones.mJanuary, 1949 in Ndume Central School, a
rural village in Southeast Nigeria Ndume School - always

The Flowers

The new flowers added to the garden are a symbol of the new culture they are trying to make the villagers
practice, but as the flowers are damaged one can understand that their attempts to change the natives
failed and had many flaws that the villagers took advantage of.

Michael Obi
Michael Obi represents the British colonizers and how they try to change the culture of the villagers by
educating them "the right way"

"The whole purpose of our school," he said finally, "is to eradicate just such beliefs as that. Dead men do
not require footpaths. The whole idea is just fantastic. Our duty is to teach your children to laugh at such
ideas."

The Priest

The priest represents the natives of the country, he is their voice and his character shows that he would
like to keep the traditions of the village without causing trouble.

"What you say may be true," replied the priest, "but we follow the practices of our fathers. If you reopen
the path, we shall have nothing to quarrel about."

Modern the ambition and ideal of Obi and his wife frailty

Heavy Sticks, Barbed Wire let the hawk perch and let the eagle perch (184p)

African proverb; let others believe what they believe even if you don't agree

Plot

About Social Realism. There is a new headmaster of the School (Michael Obi) and he made changes to
the school by blocking the Men's Path" which is considered sacred by th villagers. The new headmaster
Seems indifference with the customs of the villagers, So he ignore the request of the priest to reopen the
path. In the end. the Supervisor still gave Michael Obi a bad report upon inspection, and questioned Obi's
changes and leadership.

What Does The Title Say?

According to the story the basic use of the path is it connects the village shrine with their place of burial.
The villagers use it to visit

the graves of their loved ones.

January, 1949 in Ndume Central School, a rural village in Southeast Nigeria

Ndume School – always

Irony

Obi Working hard ruin of his work Example.

Obi accepted this responsibility with enthusiasm. (p.183) He had many wonderful ideas and this was an
opportunity to put them into practice. (p.183) Mr. Obi put his whole life into the work. (p.183 line11)

2) Passion of modernization misguided zeal

the white Supervisor came to inspect the school and wrote a nasty report on the

state of the premises but more seriously about the "tribal war situation developing

between the school and the village, arising in part from the misguided zeal of the

new headmaster. (p.185)

The mission authorities decided to send a young men and energetic man to run it