The Danger of a Single Story

Adichie’s perspective throughout the text

She is trying to convey the fallacy of western media’s portrayal of others, and how that single story does not make up the entire population that it describes

Adichie’s use of lists to emphasise her point

“All my characters were white and blue-eyes, they played in the snow, they ate apples, and they talked about the weather”

Adichie’s use of metaphors to highlight western influence

“They stirred my imagination”

“They opened up new worlds for me”

Adichie’s use of short paragraphs to leave the audience to reflect on their shared susceptibility to ignorance

“She assumed that I did not know how to use a stove”

Adichie’s repeated use of short sentences to improve her credibility and underline her message

“I’m a storyteller”

“Stories matter”

“Many stories matter”

Adichie’s use of anecdotes to show the strong presence of a single story in her past

Fide, her roommate

Adichie’s use of juxtaposition to show the affect of a single story

“A beautifully patterned basket… It had not occurred to me that anybody in his family could actually make something. All I had heard about them was how poor they were”

Adichie’s use of collective pronouns to contrast reality with the single, unrelateable perspective of others

“We didn’t have snow, we ate mangoes, and we never talked about the weather”

Adichie’s use of plosive alliteration to portray her anger towards stereotypes

“a kind of patronizing, well-meaning pity”

Adichie’s use of emotive language to create a serious tone, encouraging reflection amongst the audience

“What this demonstrates, I think, is how impressionable and vulnerable we are in the face of a story, particularly as children”

Adichie’s use of a chronological structure to highlight the presence of a single story throughout her life

The story begins with Adichie’s early reading and youthful writing, ending with her visit to Mexico