Narrator. A narrator is one who tells a story. Of particular interest is the reliability of the narrator. As you read, decide whether or not the narrator of “Dead Men’s Path” is reliable. In other words, can you trust everything that he says?
Foreshadowing. Foreshadowing is the act of presenting materials that hint at events to occur later in a story. Look for examples of foreshadowing in the
selection.
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“Dead Men’s Path” is the story of a “progressive” African headmaster (principal) who takes on a new job in a village where the people are superstitious and cling to traditional tribal ways. The story addresses the cultural conflicts between “new” British ideas and “old” African customs. “Dead Men’s Path” was published in Chinua Achebe’s short story collection Girls at War (1972).
World History Connection. “Dead Men’s Path” takes place in 1949 during the period when Great Britain ruled Nigeria. British intervention in Nigeria dates to the eighteenth century when the British displaced the Portuguese as leaders of the slave trade there. After the British parliament banned slavery in 1807, the British began making treaties with African tribal leaders to gain control of the territory. By 1906 Britain controlled all of Nigeria. The Colonial Office adopted the system of indirect rule, with traditional leaders continuing in power while owing allegiance to the colonial authority. Nigeria gained its independence from Great Britain in 1960. Chinua Achebe summarizes postcolonial consciousness in Nigeria: “It would be foolish to pretend that we have fully recovered from the traumatic effects of our first confrontation with Europe. . . ."
As you read, make a cluster chart like the one below, listing examples of foreshadowing in “Dead Men’s Path.”
What customs are important in your culture?
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