Dead

Man’s
Path
Farahdina Srikandi ()
Restu Putri Hutabalian (2203520020)
 Theme
Cultural Conflict
 Character's and characteristics
● MS. Michael Obi

Michael Obi is protagonist of the story and Nancy Obi’s

husband. As the new headmaster of the Ndume Central
School, most of his time is spent antagonizing the
village community for their use of a prohibited path that
runs through the school grounds, worrying about the
school’s appearance, and wondering whether or not the
Missionary Authority, the colonial organization that
appointed him headmaster, will be pleased with the way
he has modernized the school.
● Nancy Obi
Michael Obi’s wife. Like her husband, Nancy Obi is
excited by his promotion and by the opportunity to make
the Ndume Central School a place of modernity with
beautiful gardens.
● White Supervisor

● Village Priest The Supervisor believes was the catalyst for the “tribal-
war situation” that has come about between the school
and the village.
An elderly religious authority in the village and one of
Michael Obi’s major critics. He makes the most ardent
case against Obi’s prohibitions on the village
community’s ancestral traditions, noting that access to
the path that runs through the school grounds is crucial
to the community.
 Settings

Place Time Situations

• Ndume Central • January 1949 • Joyful
School 1
• Tribal war
 Plot
The plot used in this short story is a forward plot.

● Ms. Michael Obi was appointed as headmaster of Ndume 1 Central School in January 1949
which was a school that wasn't progressing. He was very exited and wanted to express his ideas
at the school with his wife. (Introduction)
● The begin when Mr. Obi sees an old woman talking through the flower-beds to get to the other
side of the school. (The beginning of the conflict)
● Mr. Obi refuses to open the path so the priest leaves. Later in the story a villager woman dies in
child birth, the villagers blame the death on the closed path. (Towards conflict)
● The villagers destroy the school as a sacrifice for the death of the woman and child in her womb,
and to appease their ancestors. (Climax)
● 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. (Resolution/ending)
 Point Of View
The POV used in this short story is a third person
perspective, using the character’s name.
 Language Style
The language style used in this short
story is fable figurative.

“let the hawk perch and let the eagle

perch”
 Symbolism

The main symbol in this short story is the Path itself.

The path represents beliefs and traditions that the
villagers follow.
 Summary
Michael Obi becomes the headmaster of the Ndume Central School. He is
portrayed as an extremely intolerant man who wishes to eradicate traditional
beliefs and customs while simultaneously promoting "modern methods.
Michael Obi’s ambition is fulfilled when, at age twenty-six, he is appointed to
whip into shape an unprogressive secondary school. Energetic, young, and
idealistic as he is, Obi hopes to clean up the educational mission field and
speed up its Christianizing mission. Already outspoken in his denigration of
“the narrow views” and ways of “superannuated people in the teaching field,”
he expects to make a good job of this grand opportunity.
 Message
Dealing with cultural differences, relates to
new and old, modern and ancient, today
and yesterday. We must respect the ethnic
culture o an area, but don't let anyone feel
disadvantaged. We have to respect the old
ethnic or cultural culture, so we ale have to
accept any new cultural breakthroughs or
ideologies, be more logical and not harm
anyone.
Thank You
