Danger of a single story Flashcards
(3 cards)
Topic sentences for a danger of a single story
-Adichie explores how single stories are often formed through limited or biased sources such as literature and the media
-The structure of the speech - moving from personal experiences to broader global issues - helps build a persuasive argument about the universal impact of narrow narratives.
-Adichie reflects on how her own views were challenged as she admits to holding a single story
Quotes for biased media
Danger of a single story
“If all I knew about Africa were from popular images”
-conditional clause⭐️ “if”
—>introduces a hypothetical scenario
—>allowing her to explore the limitations of having a narrow perspective
—>invites the audience to effect on their own perspectives
-vague language⭐️
—> the reference to “popular images” is deliberately vague and general to suggest mass media and the stereotypes that come with it
—>”popular” hints at the widespread influence of images especially in western culture
“I had been so immersed in the media coverage”
-past perfect tense⭐️”I had been”
—> indicates reflective reconstruction as she looks back at a period in her life where she was fooled by countless identical stories
-broad term⭐️ “media coverage”
—>invokes a whole ecosystem of misleading information
—> which highlights how one story can be broadcast across multiple services, underscoring the idea of a single story
-verb⭐️ “immersed”
—>becomes a metaphor for being surrounded and suffocated by a single stream of narratives
Quotes for global issues
“She had felt sorry for me even before she saw me”
-emotive language ⭐️
—>conveys pity which is patronising and is a reductive emotion
—>implies the roommate is superior because of her
background
-irony⭐️
—>makes the reader question how you can feel sorry for someone you have never met
—>highlighting the irrational nature of the stereotype
—>hints at prejudice disguised as compassion
“How impressionable and vulnerable we are in the face of a story”
-emotive language⭐️
—>highlighting the emotional and psychological impact of stories
—>adjectives suggest susceptibility to harm
—>underlines how quickly someone can be influenced
-personification⭐️
—>treats the story as a powerful force
—>suggests the stories can confront, challenge or overwhelm people
-cautionary tone⭐️
—>acts as a warning to bring about change and resistance to the idea of a single story
