Achebe “Africanizes” the English language by the use of Igbo names and expressions, Pidgin English, Igbo

songs and proverbs.

Rao writes: “The use of idioms lends Achebe’s language and style a native flavor and force. Besides
giving us a close and convincing picture of a society in transition, this technique helps his characters
sound natural while speaking an alien tongue14.” Achebe’s English gets further “Africanized” by the use
of Pidgin English, Igbo songs and proverbs.

The use of proverbs as stylistic devices has also been a key area in African literature. Most of Achebe’s
literary works are laced with local proverbs which have greatly been emulated in the writing of
contemporary literature.

When Queen Elizabeth II paid a visit to Nigeria in the mid-1950s, several elements of politics and
imperial domination were highlighted and it created a firm base through which Chinua would address his
forthcoming works of literature.

One of the key messages or theme developments in Chinua Achebe’s writings is the cultural identity of
the Igbo people who seem to represent the rest of the population. Indigenous way of living is depicted in
a variety of ways attempting to highlight how important or influential this traditional life is.

Right from the mythical and legendary aspects of the Igbo people of Nigeria, Achebe draws the attention
of his readership with well woven folk tales which he uses to shed light on both the traditional and
contemporary societal values.

The way the characters talk is important. For example, Obi sometimes uses excessively formal language
such as “eradicate” or “thoroughfare”, which shows his need to portray himself as an educated man and
his perceived superiority over others.

“Dead Men's Path” by Chinua Achebe was set in Nigeria in 1949. It is a story about the clash of two sets
of values; this story presents the conflict between world-views and value systems.

“Dead Men's Path” by Chinua Achebe was set in Nigeria in 1949. It is a story about the clash of two sets
of values; this story presents the conflict between world-views and value systems.

Moreover Achebe’s use of detail; such as the barbed wire that blocks the path and the comments of the
Supervisor (who is, ironically, white) that Michael has precipitated a “tribal-war situation” may be
Achebe’s clever yet controversial way of telling us that the conflict between established tribal customs
and “modern methods,” so trivial here, may in fact lie behind the devastating civil wars and tribal
genocide that have plagued Africa since the end of the colonial period.
the theme of culture conflict 

This concision has enabled him to cover a vast range of African situations in the twentieth century, from
the years preceding the first crises engendered by white colonization to the genocides perpetrated by
African political leaders against their own peoples in th quien e last years of the century.
En su obra, Achebe toca temas que se relacionan directamente con la situación de su país y la cultura
Igbo, su cultura. Así, en sus escritos ha representado situaciones africanas reales, como las crisis que
surgieron de la colonización, la cristianización forzada, y la Guerra Civil de Nigeria en los últimos años del
siglo. En esta historia corta de Mujeres en la guerra, se tratan los temas de la tradición, identidad,
conflicto cultural, y la occidentalización. El personaje principal, Michael Obi, es un hombre joven que,
junto a su esposa Nancy busca generar grandes cambios y modernizar una escuela rural como el nuevo
director. Según Obi, la escuela está atrasada, y necesita dejar atrás las tradiciones y creencias del pueblo
para que la educación pueda progresar. Esto implica la desaparición de un sendero que atraviesa la
escuela, lo que genera conflicto entre Obi y los pobladores, pues es un sendero sagrado para ellos que
representa su cultura y sus creencias. Achebe refleja a través de esta trama la realidad africana de esos
años, pues había un conflicto entre la cultura nigeriana, sus tradiciones, y la occidentalización
establecida por la colonización europea, que es lo que representa el personaje de Obi con sus ganas de
dejar atrás el sistema cultural del pueblo y reemplazarlo con sus ideas modernas.

Como se ha mencionado, Michael Obi es un hombre joven de no más de 30 años (aunque aparente
más), energético, entusiasta y franco. Asimismo, la manera en la que los personajes se expresan es
importante. Por ejemplo, hay momentos específicos en lo que Obi usa un lenguaje sumamente formal,
con palabras como eradicate o thoroughfare, con la intención de percibirse como un hombre con alto
nivel de educación y superior a los demás. Su esposa, Nancy, comparte su interés por un estilo de vida
moderno y sueña con crear hermosos jardines en el recinto escolar. Además, está orgullosa de ser
esposa un hombre tan prestigioso y educado como Obi.

ya que el personaje de Obi y el conflicto que generó frente a la cultura nigeriana y sus convicciones.

Three days later, the village priest of Ani (the goddess of morality who rules the underworld in
the local Igbo religion)

Hence, it is crucial to have a full knowledge of the Igbo social customs, traditions, and cultural milieu
of its people to be able to have a full measure of the appreciation of the novel