What I always say is: let the hawk perch and let the eagle perch'" (Achebe). What the priest means is that he is willing to accept Obi's new traditions, so long as they do not interrupt his old ones. When Obi refuses and the school is partially destroyed, tradition wins, and blind denial loses.
Tradition also wins in "The Lottery," though the outcome is far from happy. The lottery of the title selects one person from the town every year to be stoned to death by the other townspeople. Only one line is ever given as a practical explanation for this; a sing-songy rhyme that suggests it is for a good corn harvest. None of the townspeople described are farmers, and in general it seems like the people do this only because it's what they've always done, out of blind adherence to tradition. A few times it is briefly suggested that the lottery might not be necessary, but it never grows into a serious conversation: "Some places have already quit lotteries.' Mrs. Adams said. 'Nothing but trouble in that,' Old Man Warner said stoutly" (Jackson). No reason is given why stopping would be bad, just as little reason is given for it being good. Tessie Hutchinson begins complaining it's unfair as soon as her husband draws the...
No one ever offers an explanation other than that she should be quiet and play fair. This tradition is as blind as Obi's response to tradition; without truly listening and adapting, tradition creates something almost evil.
Communities, given time, will build traditions, and in turn these traditions will help build the community. The people who participate in shared traditions strengthen the bonds between them, and in addition reinforce boundaries against outsiders. There is evidence of both of these aspects in both stories; Obi is first accepted by the priest in "Dead Man's Path" and then taught a lesson; the town n "The Lottery" is first drawn together by common experience, then against Tessie Hutchinson. The difference between the two sides of tradition lies in communication; had Obi been willing to communicate and adapt with the traditions of the village, there would have been no conflict. Like wise, if the townspeople had listened to Tessie Hutchinson and others who broached the subject of ending the lottery, the town could grow past such an inhuman practice. All in all, tradition may be very important, but an open mind is even more so.
