“The Danger Of a Single Story” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, grew up on a university campus in eastern Nigeria. Adichie an early reader and writer at a young age, reading British and American children’s books. She was very influenced by these British and American children’s books, writing and drawing stories with characters who were white, blonde hair, blue eyes; different weathers and foods/drinks. Adichie explaining how stories have an impactful influence to people’s perspective, especially children Adichie says. Adichie learned the existence of African books, she learned that people like her can exist in literature; not knowing she can exist in literature was a negative, but opened her to more then a single story. Adichie thought of “poor” as not being able to do anything. Adichie’s American roommate thought of her as African, and the African stereotypes; Not just her roommate, but the U.S thought the same. Adichie seeing Mexicans as one thing, “immigrants”, because of media coverage; Adichie in Guadalajara, seeing it was just normal people living. Adichie saying stories are defined by “power”, to make it the “definitive” story. Adichie saying a single story creates stereotypes, which they not untrue, but incomplete. Stories can break but repair, reject single story and realize there is never one story, Adichie.
The speech done by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie of “The Danger Of a Single Story” was special, an important and impactful speech of denying a single story. I agree with Adichie on how the danger of a single story can be very strong in everything of a person, understanding, thinking, etc. I can relate to Adichie’s speech because I have seen many times people seeing others as different from them, or just fixed in one certain way. The danger of single story in today is the same as before, but maybe more damaging. Given false stories and separating everyone in understanding/communicating with each other in different levels. The stories we hear of the world, social media, or anywhere is not always the full story. I believe Professor Barnes assigned this reading to show how powerful literature/stories are. To make us learn how to use this power in a good impactful way. The last reason is bringing collective humanity to everyone.
2 thoughts on “Anthony Contreras, Conversation 2”
Hey, i agree with this post and how it explained that this story is about Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and how she grew up on a university campus in Nigeria, reading British and American children’s books. she was most definitely influenced by these stories and learned that people like her can exist in literature which kind of made me shocked as well . and adds how Adichie thought of “poor” as not being able to do anything, this really helps me understand how in the story it can explain real perspective of people because it says that her American roommate thought of her as African. She also saw Mexicans as one thing, “immigrants”, and said stories are defined by “power”. and he had a great point when he said “Stories can break but repair, reject single stories, and realize there is never one story”.
Yes, single stories are not a light subject, people integrate their ideas and beliefs with every aspect in their life. in this era of social medias, one-sided stories have gone rampant.
When Chimamanda stereotyped Mexicans as “immigrants” she realized that she had fallen for the same trap that others fell for, which confirms the danger of one-sided story in this era is bigger.