Essay Draft Two

Anita Wang
May 22, 2007
Draft Two

Title

In the time when the British gained the control of Nigeria, what conflict may exist and how people reacted to that? Chinua Achebe tried to discuss this topic with his own understandings and experiences. In the story Dead Men’s Path by Achebe, Michael Obi, a young and enthusiastic British headmaster, intended to abolish the dead men’s path without villagers’ agreement finally ended in the tribal war. Many people say it is the result of culture clash. But actually, I think it is Obi’s “Superior Feelings”, not the culture clash that result in his failure.

Many people say that Michael Obi’s failure was inevitable because it is related to the culture clash. But actually, if we take a deeper insight into the story, maybe we should take a second thought.

 “It had always been an unprogressive school, so the Mission authorities decided to send a young and energetic man to run it.”(52) “He was outspoken in his condemnation of the narrow views of these older and often less-educated ones.” (52) “Ndume School was backward in every sense of the word.” (53)These are the comparisons between these two positions. The villagers are labeled “unenlightened” and Obi is kind of the representative of “modern knowledge” at that time. The divergence in opinion reveals the culture clash lying between two positions. So, while the villagers lay more emphasize on the tradition or ancestral heritage, Obi pays more attention to the more practical things, he simply did not believe villagers’ religion and regarded that as something ridiculous. And here comes the conflict between western advanced civilization and villagers’ beliefs. Yes, culture difference does contribute to the “CONFILCT” between villagers and Obi, but what I want to say is that conflict is not equal to the failure. How Obi responded to such differences in belief was really the key point.

Culture clash is a very normal thing when a country gained control of another for the stronger country usually tries to replace the “Loser” country’s culture with its own in order to consolidate and prolong its dominance. And in the process of this “merging” or “substituting”, conflicts often arouse. But on the other hand, such process is not always regarded as something “evil” because it could usually bring some new ideas and knowledge to both sides. History has told us that such tasks were not impossible to accomplish. Then, the key point was HOW to make this process go through. So, if Obi’s aggressive attitude and impolite behavior had been changed, maybe failure would not have knocked his door.

 “The whole purpose of our school 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.” (54)

From these sentences, we could see how confident Obi was. He was telling that abolishing the dead men’s path was the “Absolutely” and “Only” true thing with no doubt. He said it so firmly, so confidently, giving the priest no other place to negotiate. Yes, in fact, he was saying “you are still unenlightened and I know more truth than you guys do I am absolutely the right one and I came with the duty to correct you, to enlighten you. What you should do is just following me with your mouths shut.” These words are not only the symbol of Obi’s extreme confidence. The way he talked best reveals his attitude towards the whole event. Obi put himself in such a superior position, so his words are full of arrogance rudeness. The mis-position-setting created the discordance in the negotiation. Negotiation without equality was doomed to fail.

Obi also made laugh at the villagers’ ancestors. “I would suggest you constructing another path, skirting our premises. I do suppose the ancestors will find the little detour too burdensome.” (54)He said dead men did not need path but now he said dead men would not mind the detour. In every single culture, making fun of other peoples’ ancestor is always wrong and very impolite. But obi did it, the “advanced” Obi did it, and the “unenlightened” villager priest did not do so. That was not the problem of culture clash, but some moral criteria. Culture clash is just an excuse.

Unfortunately, Obi’s intention finally ended in the furious tribal war. “The beautiful hedges were torn up not just near the path but right round the school, the flowers trampled to death and one of the school buildings pulled down.” (54) Is it because that the villagers are born to be so violent? “Well I don't know,” replied the other with a shrug of the shoulders. “But I remember there was a big row some time ago when we attempt to close it.”(53) Why just a big row last time but a terrible mess this time? Why villagers behaved so fiercely this time? What really made them so angry this time for the same event? Yes, this time the new “HEAD” was so rude and even made laugh at them, leaving no respect to them. The villagers felt humiliated and hurt in emotion. Obi’s words perhaps created or deepened villagers’ feelings that they were “inferior”, being looked down upon and their country was in the control of another. So they finally came to feel that the only to protect that path and guard their respect was to use violence. And so there comes the so called “tribal war.” Is this still something about the culture clash? I do not think so. It is about the human’s feelings and emotion; it is about angry raised by arrogance and humiliation; it is not about the culture clash.

The conflict between two positions is inevitable but what will happen if Obi changed his aggressive behaviors? If he had showed more care and understanding to the villagers, villagers would regard him “approachable” and willing to communicate with him. (In fact the villagers’ representative---priest came to talk to Obi but Obi just blew the negotiation away.) If Obi had been willing to regard the villagers’ position equal to his position, the tense atmosphere might be alleviated. And only under such environment will it be possible for Obi to realize his dream which is running school well and let villagers accept his views. Stable environment is the basic requirement and Obi missed that very unluckily.

Changing others’ religion or belief is no easy task which requires long term communication, conciliation and respect to each other. As an “advanced” teacher even in Obi’s own country, there is no reason that Obi did not know this. Then why he did not do so this time? What on earth blinded him? Yes, his “superior” feelings. It is such feelings that bring his arrogance, his over-confidence and his rude behaviors. “Why? They will give all their time and energy to the school.”(53) “I was thinking what a grand opportunity we’ve got at last to show these people how a school should be run.”(53) We have no doubt about Obi’s passion to the education career but this time we should admit that his “superior” feeling has blocked his way towards the success.

Some people may wonder is it possible that it’s the culture clash that brings these superior feeling.

Actually not true. Let’s see where these superior feelings come.

a.       Michael Obi’ hopes were fulfilled much earlier than he had expected. He was appointed headmaster of Ndume Central School in January 1949.”(52)

b.       “He was outspoken in his condemnation of the narrow views of these older and often less-educated ones.” (52)

c.       It was Britain that gained control of Nigeria that time and Obi was British.

These are where Obi’s superior feelings come from. And they are not the offspring of the cultural clash. Obi was promoted much earlier than he had expected. And he thought he was more capable than other ones in his field. These two things let him feel so confident in his ability. The inequality in power between the two countries may be the direct source of his superior feelings. Obi was eager to see his achievement, so he was so aggressive; he was confident in his ability and belief, so he was arrogant. These three factors developed the “superior” feelings which misguided Obi.

Many time we found ourselves failed with good starting point and so did Obi. Obi failed because he did not deal with the conflict in the right way. His “absolutely right” attitude intensified the conflict and let him do something going against some moral bottom lines. I think Obi would learn a lot from this time’s failure.

Work Cited
Chinua Achbe. “Dead Men’s Path.” 1953. Rpt. in “The International Story”. Page 52-54

20.6.07 11:15