The Danger Of A Single Story Given By Chimamanda Adichie

In the speech of The Danger of a single story given by Chimamanda Adichie the aspect of stereotypes is very prominent. It talks about the power that media has on the world due to the constant use of stereotypes, and the misconception individuals carry with them about the world. Chimamanda uses a variety of anecdotes throughout the speech to make a powerful statement and demonstrates her side of the world-wide issue. In the speech Adichie operates with the Big 5 to add emphasis on the issue revolving The Danger of a Single Story.

The purpose of the speech provided by Chimamanda Adichie is to portray the various impacts a single story can have on both an individual and a society. This is because of the usage of stereotypes provided by the

For instance, the aspect of a ‘single story’ is a metaphor by itself, and it is present throughout the entirety of the speech. It convinced the audience of the negative effects of cultural ignorance and stereotyping. A single story is a metaphor for the dangers of stereotyping, the negative impacts it has on individuals and the common misconception given by the media. There is also the use of Historical Allusion. Adichie refers to John Locke when he referred to African Americans as “beasts who have no houses” and “people who have no heads”. This allows the audience to realize the power of stereotypes and misconceptions, how they were present back then and how they are present now. Adichie also successfully employs the use of repetition throughout her speech. Throughout her speech she repeatedly talks about the various ways African’s are mistreated throughout society. At minute 4:50 she talks about her roommates misconception towards Africans “ Her default position… was kind of patronizing, mell-meaning pity”. On minute 12:16 she talks about her cousin and how “he died because he could not get adequate healthcare” and in minute 13:26 she talks about the “5000 people [that] apply for one job vacancy in Nigeria”. Overall, the use of stylistic devices is very effective, aiding the portrayal of the

The speech given by Adichie is given with a lot of passion as it is a subject and issue that she strongly believes in, an issue that needs to be solved “stories can break the dignity of a person, but stories can also repair that broken dignity”. Her message is sent throughout the entire speech with a powerful voice and a determined mindset, knowing that she can be the reason of a positive change towards the negative aspects of a single story.

All things considered, the speech of Chimamanda Adichie is very powerful. It points out the issues that media can bring, such as stereotyping an entire ethnicity, religion and nationality. This widens the perspective of many individuals as it allows them to see the ‘true’ world and all the different aspects the world is made