Dead Men’s Path

Michael Obi can be seen as a tragic hero whose fatal flaw of hubris led to his downfall. Do you agree with this understanding of the character? Why or why not?

Colonialism often uses binaries to understand and control the colonized Other. This can be seen, for example, in Obi’s attitude toward the local religious beliefs. Identify and discuss some examples of this in the story. How does the story instill counterpoints to this idea?

Michael and his wife, Nancy Obi, have two aims for the new school: Instill a high level of learning and beautify the compounds. How are these two ideas related and part of the same colonial project?