The Danger of a Single Story

What single stories has Adichie encountered as a Nigerian woman? What single stories has Adichie believed about others?

How do different people react when their single stories about others are challenged or complicated? Cite examples from the speech.

How does a single story affect the people that story is about? Cite examples from the speech.

Compare the experience of watching Adichie present her speech to the experience of reading it. Discuss the rhetorical techniques Adichie uses to engage an audience of listeners rather than readers.

Have you ever felt other people judge you by a stereotype? Explain.

Have you ever caught yourself believing a single story about a place or group of people, as Adichie realized she had when she visited Mexico? Explain.

Discuss the role of media in creating single stories. How do depictions of groups of people (or the lack of representation of groups of people) create a single story? How does the media reinforce single stories in subtle ways? What efforts could media producers make to avoid presenting a single story? Research different initiatives.

In discussing single stories about Africa, Adichie refers to images of catastrophe and poverty. Imagine you are the president of a charitable organization. What measures could you take to ensure that fundraising materials communicate needs while also communicating the dignity and diversity of the people you seek to help?