Chinua Achebe’s “The Voter” and “Dead Men’s Path” are two beautiful stories,
where the writer embroidered the conflicts between the modern and the traditional culture
of the society. Roof and Michael Obi are the two main characters of the stories. Michael
seems to follow the modern society. On the other hand, Roof respects both the modern
and the traditional society. Although there are exquisite similarities in the characters of
Roof and Michael Obi, there are also distinctions, which allow each person to stand on
his own, and face the problem of the modern and the traditional belief in a different way.
By rejecting the traditional value or conforming the norm of both the traditional and
modern value, Roof and Obi represent their individuality.
Both Michael Obi and Roof face the new challenges of a changing society, with
enthusiasm. Michael Obi, who is in his twenties, is the pioneer of the modern society. He
has passion for “modern methods” (71). His dream came true much earlier than he
expected. He gets a job as headmaster of Ndume Central School because the Mission
authorities decided to send a young and energetic man” (70), to lead it. As soon as he gets
the job, he starts making plans about the school’s prosperity. He decides to establish a
high standard of teaching. He also plans to make the school better place by beautifying it
(72). He is ready to dedicate all his time and energy to the school which manifests his
enthusiasm. Likewise, Roof is another example of a young and restless person. Even
though he has skills for bicycle repairing, he accepts a new challenge as an election
campaigner (14). Instead of having fear for a new job, he is optimistic about it. According
to the villagers’ point of view, he became, “a real expert” in election campaigning at all
levels- village, local government or national” (14). An energetic and enthusiastic
mentality helps both Obi and Roof to keep up their good work.
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Even though they share some of the same values, they are different from each
other regarding flexibility. Obi is less flexible than Roof, when it comes to rules and
regulations. As a school headmaster, he is very strict with the school policy, which
doesn’t include allowing the villagers walk through the school compound (74). One
evening he sees “an old lady from the village hobble right across the compound” (72).
After discovering this incident, he takes immediate action by planting sticks “closely
across the path at the two places where it entered and left” (73). When a teacher tries to
tell him what happened a few years ago when they closed the road, Obi says, “ ‘That was
some time ago. But it will not be used again’” (72). When a respected village priest tries
to convince him, he sticks to his position by saying, “ ‘we cannot allow people to make a
highway of our school compound’ ” (73). In Obi’s point of view, a rule is a rule, and he
doesn’t intend to break it at any cost. On the contrary, Roof is pretty flexible when it
comes to his own interests. Roof works for “PAP”, a political party, and shows his
loyalty of the group from time to time. When the opposing “POP” leader visits him and
offers him money, he changes his mind very quickly (18). As soon as he notices the
money, he forgets about the loyalty. His eyes “never left the red notes on the floor” (18).
He also starts dreaming about, “The cocoa farmer harvesting his crops” (18). This
scenario shows how easily he sells himself to the other group. Thus it proves how flexible
he can be when he has an interest in it.
As a modern age person, Obi doesn’t show respect for tradition. On the other
hand, Roof acts as a modern person and also has a tremendous belief in tradition. Obi
values “modern methods” and mocks the “old and superannuated” people of the society
(71). He doesn’t show any compassion or mercy for the old traditional people. When the
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priest tries to convince him about using the path, he says, “ ‘The whole life of the village
depends on it, and our ancestors visit by it…it is the path of children coming in to be
born’ ” (73). Instead of respecting the belief of the villagers, Obi makes fun of it, by
saying their duty is to teach “children to laugh at such ideas” (73). His disrespectful
manner is the reason for the disgraceful situation of the school. Since he closes the path
for the villagers and shows disrespect to their sacred belief, villagers take their revenge
by pulling down one of the school buildings, tearing up the beautiful hedges of the school
compound. When the Supervisor visits the school, he gives a bad report about Obi,
including the “tribal war situation” between Obi and the villagers (74). He intends to do
good but winds up losing everything. On the other hand, Roof has a belief in modern as
well as traditional values. When he swears by “iyi” to vote for “POP”, He decides he will
not betray it. He beliefs “iyi” takes note, if someone doesn’t do as he swears he will do
(18). At last, he has to stick to his decision. He folds the paper and tears it in two pieces,
and puts one half in each box which doesn’t count as a vote (21). He has his satisfaction
that he abides by the traditional and modern belief. As a result, he continued to be a good
person in everyone’s eye including his own.
Both Michael Obi and Roof face the new challenges of the changing society
where Obi intends to do well but ends up messing up and loses his reputation. On the
other hand, Roof shows his smartness by merging with both modern and traditional
cultures of the society, and also earns respect in peoples’ eyes. Obi’s arrogance about
modern believes doesn’t help him to be a successful person. Roof succeeds because of his
ability to adjust between modern and traditional values.
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