ENGL 1100 - Lecture Notes on Dead Men’s Path by Chinua Achebe - Literary Interp PDF

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Download ENGL 1100 - Lecture Notes on Dead Men’s Path by Chinua Achebe - Literary Interp PDF

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Dead Men’s Path by Chinua Achebe Story of an Hour literal meaning plural - men’s meaning the ancestor’s path path the dead ancestor’s used to go the village village shrine to the place of burial (Paragraph 14) #1 * Our dead relatives depend on it, ancestors visit us, path of unborn children Page 201, Paragraph 22 Ancestors fill the little detour burdensome? Page 202 Symbolism Background Achebe is writing when African countries are being given independence by the British After WWII realized that they had been taking over countries just like Germany was doing, some had to fight for their freedom, some powers like French/England agreed to give them up majority of people in power in Africa are European they bought European technology, traits then they went back home, so they had to figure out how to run their country Are they going to go back to running the country like it was before, just like the Europeans, or a mix of the two styles? He was a political writer Priest is doing the things the African way Obi (Michael/Nancy) = doing things the European way modern and delightful outspoken in his condemnation (Paragraph 1) he represents the modern Michael chosen b/c he is young and energetic decide to improve through modern methods like a stepping stone in his career #2 * he took a dead end path to improve his career he killed his career by his actions they genuinely wanted to help through modern ways he thought he knew what was best duty to teach children to laugh (Page 201, Paragraph 24) says to the priest Story about how Africa should govern itself If black Africa, just bully through the European way, it will be a disaster they fought among each other

#3* we get this one b/c we know the author’s intent and where he was writing What Michael did by imposing modern ways is a disaster and if they just do it the american way bad things will happen Africans who think we should destroy tradition will destroy the country Idea is to get people to think about what they are choosing they didn’t see the whole picture The voice of Achebe is the voice of the priest Famous African Proverb “Let the hawk perch and let the eagle perch” (Page 201, Paragraph 25) says they can both get along, neither is higher in the food chain two entities are equal, leave each other only, let people believe what they want to Audience = Africans who would now the end of the proverb The rest of the quote is “because you never know what the hawk might do to the nest of the eagle” this is the way the priest is warning him if you don’t open the path, something bad will happen Obi didn’t get it b/c he has turned his bad on tradition, even though that’s how he grew up represents Africans negating African traditions Achebe comes from Ibo Tribe Michael Obi is backward from the Ibo he should understand his heritage and move forward When Africans disregard their heritage, bad things happen...