The Danger of a Single Story

Ideas
The non-fiction piece discusses the negative impact of society and stereotyping. Adichie
discusses some of the issues that she faced when she left for America and how she came to terms
with other people’s ignorance.

The piece is focused on ensuring communities listen to each other:

‘Stories matter. Many stories matter. Stories have been used to dispossess and to 75

malign, but stories can also be used to empower and to humanize. Stories can break the dignity
of a people, but stories can also repair that broken dignity.’

Context
Adichie was born in Nigeria. She went to University first in Nigeria, before leaving to attend
University in the States. She often writes about her childhood and real events. She is a non-
fiction and story writer.

Author’s purpose
In 2009, Adichie attended TED talks and it was here that she completed a speech. It was later
translated into 45 languages. Adichie discusses identity and ensuring that every voice is heard.
TED talks are events when the audience can hear discussion about different topics. It is a way of
having your voice heard.

Language
Rhetoric

As it was originally a speech, there are many different examples of language devices that are
present due to spoken language.

Extended Metaphor

An extended metaphor is a metaphor that occurs throughout the entire piece. It represents a wider
issue but the metaphor does not occur only once. It is more consistent/.

The story is an extended metaphor for the cultural ignorance that she encountered in America.
She understands that she has only one voice but the incidents that occur must happen to all:
‘when we reject the single story, when we realize that there is never a single story about any
place, we regain a kind of paradise.’

Historical Figures

Throughout the piece, she mentions important historical figures. This includes ‘Alice Walker’

Repetition

She continually mentions ‘African women’ and this emphasises her battle with the American
society and the ignorance that she encounters.

Structure
It is important to recognize this as a speech, rather than a newspaper article. Adichie aims to
inform the audience of her story and outlines that it is only one story and one voice. She has a
central argument that we should not stereotype and we should aim to understand each other.

As a simple structure, the story begins in Nigeria, before it moves to America, moving again to
Mexico later on.