Symbolism

Symbols play an important part in Chinua Achebe’s short story “Dead Man’s Path”. The use of symbol is meant to illustrate the main conflict between modernity and tradition, and how people cannot impose modernity on others without respecting their beliefs first.

The footpath is the most important element of the story and it symbolizes tradition and the preservation of it. The fact that the footpath passes through the school could hint at the footpath having been there before the school and the garden. At the same time, it could also mean that tradition and modernity could coexist, if one does not try to overwhelm the other. By denying the villagers access to the footpath, Obi symbolically denies them their traditions. 

In the same way, Nancy’s garden...