Danger of a single story - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

'I'm a storyteller.' ( STRUCTURE )

Declaritive sentence, writer is justifying her reasons as to why she is saying what the bad impact of stories can be if it is not done properly. The writer is not saying that stories are so called ' evil' however showing its power.

' My mother says that I started reading at the age of two, although I think four is probably closer to the truth.' ( LANGUAGE )

Anecdote - Already shows to the reader that stories are always 2 sided and there is not only one perspective to be looked at.

' all my characters were white and blue-eyed, they played in the snow, they ate apples, and they talked a lot about the weather, how lovely it was that the sun had come out ' ( STRUCTURE)

Long sentence - highlights to the reader how different the characters in the books she was reading to the writer herself. A different perspective in her writing.

' Now, this despite the fact that I lived in Nigeria. I had never been outside Nigeria. We didn't have snow, we ate mangoes, and we never talked about the weather, because there was no need to...'

(STRUCTURE)

Juxtaposition with the previous quote
- as it broadened the writers perspective of the world, however, it also shows the impact that stories can have on us. It can create bias and a single perspective on society + the world we live in

' How impressionable and vulnerable ' ( LANGUAGE )

Emotive language - what the true impact of stories can be and what the danger of it is. It can make us lonely and vulnerable-making us victims of an unrealistic and plastic world with fake standards+ expectations

' girls with skin the colour of chocolate, whose kinky hair could not form ponytails, could also exist in literature. '

( LANGUAGE )

Simple vivid imagery - highlighting the difference between the writer and them. also, her shock and surprise when girls like her appeared in literature as she was also a victim of bias created from stories meaning she only thought one standard of beauty existed in stories.

+ Creates comfort for the reader who has a similar
background or appearance to this description

' They stirred my imagination. They opened up new worlds for me.' ( LANGUAGE )

Metaphor - How significant ( powerful) stories can be and what the positive impact can be on the reader. can be used as an escape. The writers perspective has changed because of reading. Expanded her horizon.

+ ' New words ' when Europeans discovered America. books and stories introduce her to new places and cultures. It is like she is experiencing a new world.

' I was startled. ' ( STRUCTURE )

Short sentence - mirrors her shock as well as surprise, shows the writer was once guilty of having bias ( prejudice) towards something due to stories.

Giving comfort to the reader as she is suggesting we are all guilty of it and that its not just you, also creating a bond/relationship with her readers

when fide's family could make something beautuful, her own ' single story ' was wrong

'' tribal music'', and was consequently very disappointed when I produced my tape of Mariah Carey.' ( LANGUAGE )

Humour and anecdote - highlights how ridiculous it is to sometimes believe in all the stories we hear, Again highlights the bias that can be created and its negative impact

' She assumed that I did not know how to use a stove.'

( STRUCTURE )

Simple sentence + juxtaposition with previous quote

Suggests how impactful this moment was in her series of anecdotes and her story

change of tone + now is serious about her message and what the significance of it really is, additionally showing that even she is a victim of being in ' a single story ' and what it's like to be stereotyped.

comforting the reader again showing that everyone does it

' no possibility of Africans being similar to her in any way, no possibility of feelings more complex than pity, no possibility of a connection as human equals...

( STRUCTURE )

Anaphora and triadic structure - suggests ' there is no hope ' for it to get better and for changes to be made in our society

negative bias + connotation

the significance of stories again, how important they can really be. expressing the writer's frustration and view

The writer also has a ' fixed mindset ' due to her experience with stories. things will not get better

use of ' no possibility' conveys how there is no chance of her views ever changing or being influenced. believed these ' single stories ' for too long also emphasises how hard it is to overcome the negative impact of stories.

' There were endless stories of Mexicans as people who were fleeing the healthcare system, sneaking across the border, being arrested at the border, that sort of thing. '

( LANGUAGE )

present tense + use of bias - in present tense suggesting that it is only ' what Mexicans do ' - all the writer believed in because of how this group of people is portrayed through the media. the writer also was a victim of the dangers of stories

' show a people as one thing, as only one thing, over and over again, and that is what they become ' ( LANGUAGE )

Repetition - can suggest that the writer is ' over ' emphasising her point on the impact stories can have on people

' Stories matter. Many stories matter.' (LANGUAGE)

Repetition - emphasises the importance of stories as it can help us learn about people and cultures, additionally how to live our life and manage situations

however emphasises the danger of them too because of how influential they can be in ones perspective

' Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign o, but stories can also be used to empower and to humanise. Stories can break the dignity of a people, but stories can also repair that broken dignity '

(LANGUAGE AND STRUCTURE)

Metaphor and antithesis ( juxtaposition in a sentence - a good point and a bad point, justifies it suggesting to the reader that stories should be approached with caution. highlights the power

not criticising all stories, just some as she is recognising the positive power the right story can have. A beautiful outcome where a ' kind of paradise ' can be gained or an outcome where the dignity of people can be broken and their perspectives can only be one-sided

' and a kind of paradise was regained. ' ( LANGUAGE )

Religious imagery - books can be as powerful as religion however more respect is needed for literature

'we regain a kind of paradise '

Religious imagery again ( REPETITION )- comforting the reader what the positive impact can be, everyone's responsibility to make sure books are used properly so bias is not created. Ending the text on a high note further emphasising what the reward can be if stories were used properly and people weren't biased toward each over.

' going to work, rolling up tortillas in the marketplace, smoking, laughing. ' ( LANGUAGE )

Asyndetic list ( list with commas ) - showing how the writer misjudged the mexicans, how she is like everyone else and everyone is guilty of this. shows how influential the media is and how one side of the story can change your view. normal activites

' sneaking ', ' fleecing ' and ' arrested ' ( LANGUAGE )

Negative verbs - how the media can influence us, highlights the bias that the media/ news can also have then influencing our point of view on a group of people, topic, culture or religion

first person perspective

uses her own experiences and ideas to provide and showcase how dangerous stories can be and what the impact can have on us. gives the idea that only seeing one side of a story can create prejudice with others and ignorance on topics we really don't know much about.