The Danger of a
Single Story

Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice — and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding. 

Watch:

Listen carefully as Chimamanda Ngozi ​Adichie talks about the dangers of a single story  (time 19:16).

Answer & Submit through Canvas:

After watching Chimamanda Adichie's talk, answer ONE question from EACH of the three sections below. ​ Be sure to incorporate quotes.
  • Each question should be 150-250 words
  • Each question should use at least one quote from the Tedtalk (include a timestamp)
  • ​The question you pick from Section Two should quote the Tedtalk AND the text you choose.

Section 1: My Self

Section 2: The Text

Section 3: The World
  1. What does this TEDtalk remind me of in my life? 
  2. What is this similar to in my life? 
  3. How is this different from my life? 
  4. Has something like this ever happened to me?
  5. How does this relate to my life?
  6. What were my feelings when I watched the TEDtalk?
  1. What does this remind me of in another book I’ve read? 
  2. How is this TEDtalk similar to other things I’ve read? 
  3. How is this different from other books I’ve read?
  4. Have I read about something like this before?​
  5. How can Adichie's single story idea be combined with Yassmin's explanation of unconscious bias (Web Unit 1) to provide a better understanding of intercultural communication? 
  1. What does this TEDtalk remind me of in the real world?
  2. How is this TEDtalk similar to things that happen in the real world? 
  3. How is this different from things that happen in the real world? 
  4. How did this TEDtalk relate to the world around me?