31 pages • 1 hour read
Dead Men’s Path
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Summary: “Dead Men’s Path”
Recipient of the Man Booker International Prize in 2007 for his literary career, Nigerian writer and critic Chinua Achebe is known as the “Father of Modern African Literature.” His short story “Dead Men’s Path” raises issues central to many works of postcolonial writing such as modernity versus tradition, urban versus rural life, and Christianity versus Indigenous religion, as well as the overall effects of European colonization on life in his native Nigeria. Originally published in 1953 while Achebe was still an undergraduate, the story later also appears in a collection of short stories entitled Girls at War (1972). Although an early work that predates his most renowned novel Things Fall Apart (1958) by several years, the themes and conflicts of this story are ones Achebe grappled with throughout his career. The story also points more broadly to the human condition, the dangers of hubris, and the need for cultural tolerance and respect.
This guide refers to the 2010 Anchor Canada publication of Chinua Achebe’s short story collection Girls at War: And Other Stories.
The story opens with an unnamed, omniscient narrator introducing the setting and main character of the story. It is January 1949, and a young Nigerian man, Unlock all 31 pages of this Study Guide Plus, gain access to 8,900+ more expert-written Study Guides. Including features:
Related Titles
By Chinua Achebe
