The Danger Of A Single Story By Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, gives a compelling speech, The Danger of a Single Story, which discusses the issues of single stories we unknowingly believe. Single stories are stories that we have read or been taught, which have unintended consequences in portraying and perpetuating stereotypes of others. Adichie appeals to her audience using logos, ethos, and pathos effectively by explaining how common it is for us to have these single perspectives, as well as demonstrate how susceptible we are in believing them as the only truth. Through the use of figurative devices in the anecdotes she offers, Adichie persuades us to be conscious about fostering stereotypes by asking us to reject the single story narratives and actively pursue
It is clear that she is comparing a single story to the same likeness as a stereotype. She cleverly uses the term “single story” as a euphemism since it sounds more pleasant than the word “stereotype” which carries a negative connotation. When used in the title, The Dangers of a Single Story, the speech sounds more inviting, engaging, and less pessimistic than a title like, The Dangers of Stereotyping. Using this logic, Adichie proceeds to give examples of stereotypes disguised as personal
She references works by John Lok, who in 1561, described Africans as “beasts who have no houses…people without heads, having their mouth and eyes in their breasts” and Rudyard Kipling who described them as “half devil, half child” (Adichie, 2009). She mentions these quotes to illustrate the point to her audience that Africans have been depicted in a certain negative image in literature for centuries. The single stories heard in present day are not newly constructed but mere variations of stereotypes that already