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Keilah Scott

Shuv Raj Rana Bhat

Introductory Composition: Writing as Inquiry

26 October 2023

Rhetorical Analysis: The Danger of a Single Story

Introduction/Claim

From the moment we step into the world, assumptions are woven into the fabric of our

daily interactions. Whether it's the way we dress, the language we speak, or the places we come

from, assumptions are made about us even before we utter a word. These assumptions, often

based on stereotypes and preconceived notions, can shape the way others perceive us, impacting

our personal and professional lives. In this age of increasing diversity and cultural exchange, it’s

important that we do our best to be open minded and accepting of everyone we meet. In her TED

Talk “The Danger of a Single Story” Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie claims that you shouldn’t

make assumptions about people based on a singular opinion you have of them.

Rhetorical Situation

“The Danger of a Single Story” is a TED Talk given in 2009. The speaker, Chimamanda

Ngozi Adichie, is a renowned Nigerian author known for her novels and essays exploring themes

of identity, culture, and storytelling. Her personal experiences and expertise in literature give her

credibility on the topic of the danger of single narratives. Her main purpose is to raise awareness

about the consequences of relying on single narratives and stereotypes to understand other
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cultures and individuals. She aims to inspire her audience to be more critical of the stories they

encounter, seek multiple perspectives, and appreciate the complexity of human experiences. She

also hopes to encourage a more diverse and inclusive representation of cultures in literature,

media, and everyday conversations. In order for the audience to receive her intended message,

they would have to be open-minded individuals who are especially empathetic, because in my

opinion, pathos is her strongest argument. Adichie's primary audience is the TED talk attendees

and the broader online TED audience, which consists of a diverse and educated demographic

interested in a wide range of topics. Her secondary audience includes individuals interested in

literature, culture, identity, diversity, and the power of storytelling. Many of us in class have seen

this particular TED Talk multiple times, so I’d say students are a secondary audience as well. Her

speech suits the audience well, because the way she speaks and her use of humor are very

impactful. The same effect might not have been achieved if the audience was simply reading a

transcript.

Ethos

Adichie establishes Ethos in her TED Talk through the use of credentials, personal

experience, and research. She is a well-known and respected author, having published around 24

books. This lends her authority as a speaker and expert on the topic of storytelling and

stereotypes. She uses personal anecdotes and experiences to show that she is not a perfect

person, and has been on both sides of the single story. For example, she talks about her childhood

in Nigeria, and her house worker, Fide, whom she only thought of as poor due to what she was

told by her mother. She pitied him for this, until she visited his home. She realized that, yes,

Fide’s family was poor, but they were also hardworking. On the other hand, she was surprised
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that her roommate in university assumed that she didn’t know how to use a stove, had a type of

tribal music, and didn’t know english as her first language. Her ability to be honest and admit her

mistakes while also showing how harmful it is on the other side of the assumptions makes her

relatable and authentic. Adichie also references many historical and types of literature through

her speech. She uses John Locke’s misconceptions about Africans as “beasts who have no

houses” as an example of having a singular point of view, and admits to trying to write similar

stories to those of the British when she was younger. Her use of these proves that she’s very

knowledgeable on the subject.

Pathos

Adichie appeals to Pathos by telling personal stories, humanizing others, and inspiring

hope to connect with her audience. She mentions that when she left home to come to college in

the United States, she was struck by how many stories she heard of Africa, of famine and

disease. She also mentions how her professor thought one of her stories was not “authentically

African”. Her personal experience of encountering stereotypes and the impact they had on her

creates empathy and understanding among the audience while also highlighting the emotional

impact of a single story narrative. Adichie talks about when she visited Guadalajara, Mexico.

She was surprised to see them going to work, smoking, laughing, and going about their lives. She

felt shame immediately after, and realized that she herself had given into the single story she was

told about Mexicans. That they were sneaking across the border and fleecing the healthcare

system. This is just one example of how she humanizes people who have been subjected to

stereotypes, allowing the audience to feel their humanity and empathize with their struggles.
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Logos

Adichie uses logical reasoning, evidence, and rational arguments rather than statistics and

data to support her argument. For example, She says “Show a people as one thing, as only one

thing, over and over again, and that is what they truly become.” This example uses logical

reasoning and evidence to support the argument about the dangers of single narratives and the

impact they have on people and societies. “The problem with stereotypes is not that they are

untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story.” Here, she uses

logic to explain the problem with stereotypes. She also talks about the common misconception

that Africa is a single country. In reality, Africa is a continent made up of 50 countries, and the

narrative of a single story reduces this vast and diverse continent to a single, narrow perspective.

This statement is a logical appeal that shows the inadequacy of stereotypes.

Modes

In "The Danger of a Single Story" TED talk, multiple modes are used to convey

Adichie’s message and engage the audience. She primarily uses the verbal mode through spoken

language. She delivers her speech in English and relies on her words to convey her message and

share her personal stories and insights. Her gestures and body language also play a role. Her

facial expressions, hand movements, and posture convey emotion and emphasis. They add depth

to her message and make her speech engaging. The spatial mode is used in the video's set and

stage design. The speaker stands on the TED stage in a dimly lit room, with the spotlight focused

on her. This spatial arrangement allows her to visually connect with her audience. The
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combination of modes makes the content more memorable. Viewers are more likely to remember

the core message because it is presented through multiple sensory channels.

Conclusion/Overall Persuasiveness

In "The Danger of a Single Story," Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie uses the three rhetorical

appeals to convey her message about the perils of reducing individuals and cultures to a single

narrative or stereotype. Her talk is emotionally engaging, intellectually stimulating, and delivered

with the credibility that comes from her personal experiences and expertise as a writer. In my

opinion, Pathos was her strongest appeal because of her use of personal experiences. What is

most memorable about Adichie’s TED Talk is her closing thought. “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.”