Chinua Achebe's short story "The sacrificial Egg" illustrates the life of a young African native Julius Obi, and the arising conflicts between two cultures. This short story takes place in a very small village in Africa, called Umuru in the mid 1900's. This young African Native, although no native of Umuru finds himself trapped between his own culture, beliefs and the westernized culture. Although Julius has embraced the western culture, after certain events he eventually finds himself coming back to his own beliefs. Achebe, uses these two very different cultures to demonstrate the clash it produces in this young men's life and, how no matter how hard he has embraced the western culture he was always going to go back to his own beliefs. …show more content…

Kitikpa was an evil deity. "Ma explained to him very gently that he should no longer come to see them "until this thing is over, by the power of Jehovah." Ma although westernized does not put aside her beliefs. The other character is the Chief Clerk. "The next morning, at the office the Chief clerk, a son of the soil spoke bitterly about last night's provocation of Kitikpa by the headstrong youngsters who has launched the noisy fleet footed mask in defiance of their elders…"The Chief clerk also shows how he respects the traditions and beliefs of this town.

Julius, on the other hand has being westernized to the point where he doesn't really believe in Kitikpa, or anything related to his own culture. After going for a walk with Janet, he decides to go along the bank of the river. "Being educated he was not afraid of whom he might meet, so he went to the bank of the river and just walked up and down it." During his walk he soon hears a gong. "He immediately set out for home, half-walking and half-running, for night-masks were not matter of superstition; they were real." This shows how suddenly Julius, although westernized finds himself face to face with this culture he had decided to put aside. While running, Julius finds himself stepping on to something and realizes that he has stepped onto this egg, this egg that was brought for offering. Soon enough Julius finds himself onto the ground hiding