danger of a single story

para 1

p - Adiche is aware of the incredible power stories hold, and is in herself proud that she is a person that gets to wield them

e - this point can be explored with the direct juxtaposition and journey she shows as she ‘would like to start’ then ‘end with this thought’

a - the juxtaposition of the two quotes with ‘start’ and ‘end’ shows the journey the author and the audience went through with this story, this lets the listeners think about what they just listened to giving a form of power to the story.

e - ‘i am a story teller’

a - The use of the personal pronoun could show her pride in her stories giving a sense of power, this line was repeated throughout the whole speech also representing her pride in her work.

Para 2

p - However, Adiche is also aware of the dangers of stories, particularly in that they often reduce people to flat stereotypes. Adiche is in particular critical of American stereotypes of African countries, which she portrays as demeaning and dangerous – perhaps reflective of her own experience as an African author who has had to justify her existence to others.  

E - she asked if she could listen to what she called my “tribal music”  
A - the classic stereotype of young black women – highlights the racial difference between black and white – though humorous, this anecdote emphasises that the white

E- no possibility...no possibility...no possibilty’  

a - the repetition of no possibility emphasises that because of stereotypes, there was no possibility for adiche to connect with her roommate, robbing them of connection and emphasising the danger and difference between them

• E - “they talked alot about the weather”
  

• a - suggests she viewed white people as upper class and intellectual – while she was different to the “normal” person, emphasises segregation of white and black people, and how she wants to end it through her Story

Para 3

p- Despite this, Adiche does have empathy for those who have stereotyped, as she acknowledges that she too has stereotyped others, suggesting that she believes it is everyone’s responsibility to fight

• stereotypes, including her own – reflecting the personal and persuasive of the speech
  

  e- Fide’s basket’
  

• A- The anecdote emphasises how Adiche herself defined Fide by a single story, emphasising her own guilt  
  

  e- people who were fleecing the healthcare system...that sort of thing’

  a - the list emphasises all the cruel and ignorant stereotypes Adiche herself had Mexican people, emphasising she is just as guilty, and the burden is hers to bear too

Para 4

p- Adiche finishes by recognising that while stories have an immense power that is dangerous, when we use them in a positive way and come together, they can provide us with genuine hope and goodness.

• e- ‘stories can also be used to empower and humanize’
  

  A- the adjectives show the positive benefits of how stories can give humans the correct morals to treat others with diverse backgrounds with respect by as to ‘humanize’ while also keeping in mind our own backgrounds as to ‘empower’ ourselves with story  
  

  e- ‘a kind of paradise is gained’
  

  a- heavenly imagery shows how that when we work together to defeat stereotypes, we gain pure heaven and joy