The Danger Of A Single Story By Adichie Summary

The world is filled with prejudice. In “The Danger of a Single Story”, Chimamanda Adichie utilizes her personal experiences to inform her audience of the consequences of preconceived opinions that lack steady reasoning. Adichie’s first account of stereotypes occurred when she was young. Growing up reading foreign books lead her to believe all literature had to be a certain way. She thought that someone like her, someone who shared her experiences could not exist in literature. Later in life she saw more and more stereotypes. For instance, her college roommate profiled her based on an “average African” stereotype. Adichie urges her listeners to reject the single story and understand that no story had a single side to begin with. Once we realize this, in the words of Adichie, “we regain a kind of paradise.” …show more content…
Often times at school, and even within my own home, I am introduced to biased speculations about immigrants. Even though I myself am an immigrant. I have encountered many false statements about things unfamiliar to me and I usually accepted them as the truth. After hearing a single story repeatedly, it would become cemented into my mind. It took me awhile to become more open-minded towards people from other countries as well as different ideas. The more people I met from different cultures and the more perspectives I heard allowed me to break the stereotypes that were implemented into my head as a child. I was then able to create a better and more educated understanding. This video also got me to think about what stereotypes have been formed about me and my culture. One stereotype I’ve heard before about people of my race is that “all brown people smell like curry.” Though this is untrue, and it did not really offend me, I can understand how making assumptions can be rude and