Name: Ben Bethers

Period: 4

“The Danger of a Single Story”

1. On what topics might you have a single story?

You might have a single story on the perspective of one country in a war, the other country’s perspective may
be left out and demonized such as in WWI. Additionally, a single story may be a danger in political ads or
arguments between siblings.

2. What stories do you tell about yourself? Which ones make you who you are?

I may tell many single stories about myself, others probably do too. It is human nature, or at least teenage
nature, to try and make people see only the best parts of your life or personality. These are all over the place,
like in social media. However, I also tell stories of my experiences in my life that may not show me in the best
life. Most stories I tell about myself make me who I am because all of them, regardless of whether or not they
are single stories, are part of my own experiences.

3. According to Adichie, what is the danger of a single story?

The danger of a single story, Adichie states, is that when a story only tells part of the truth or only part of the
story from one or only a couple of perspectives, stereotypes, or incomplete stories, can be created. She also
says that single stories emphasize how we are different from each other rather than how we are similar to
each other.

4. What is the connection between power and stories? How does this text deal with human rights?

One of the main connections between power and stories is that stories can be told in such a way that they
discount other stories or perspectives that make people think in such a way that power can be given or taken
away from a group, like how many terrorists stereotypes that prevent many immigrants from coming to
America or other countries. Additionally, an example couple are political ads that use single stories to support
one candidate while condemning opponents. She said in her talk, Adichie said that power is the ability to tell
stories in a way that demeans other people or can make people think in a certain mindset.

5. How can we learn more perspectives and hear more stories?

One way we can learn about new perspectives and hear more stories is to look for them. Most people in
America alone have access to the internet, which has many stories on it. We can look up a subject and find
potentially hundreds or thousands of different stories or perspectives just surrounding that one subject. If we
are willing to look for these stories, there is much knowledge to be attained.

General Notes
- She gained many experiences from being from Africa in that many people made assumptions before
even knowing her about what her customs were
- She started a non-profit to build and refurbish libraries and to spread literature around Africa
- The danger of a single story is that it creates stereotypes
- Stereotypes are not always untrue, just often incomplete
- Power is the ability to tell stories in such a way that makes people think in a certain way
- Stories can repair and break wounds, to empower and disempower, and to dehumanize and humanize,
they are very powerful
- Stories about a group should hat least have the perspective of that group involved in the story
- When you tell one thing about a thing or a group over and over again, that group or thing will become
that one thing
- Regardless of the stereotypes, Adichie explains that people in Africa could and still did have many joyful
experiences
- Even Adichie herself fell into the danger of a singular story in the case of Mexico and immigration, she
heard that Mexicans were only trying to escape their country because of how crime riddled and
dangerous it was, but when she went there she saw, even though she didn’t expect to see it, happy
people