MENTOR TEXT:
THE DANGER OF
A SINGLE STORY
What is the author’s message and how
does it connect to the framework of ideas?
• Adichie emphasizes the profound impact and danger of reducing individuals or
cultures to a single narrative. This oversimplification leads to stereotypes and
misconceptions, failing to acknowledge the complex, multifaceted nature of human
experience.
• The speech connects deeply with the framework of "personal journeys" by
illustrating how singular narratives can distort our understanding of others' lives and
histories, advocating for the inclusion of multiple perspectives to truly understand
and appreciate the diversity of human experiences.
What is the purpose of this text?
Elaborate on the purpose: what is it explaining?
Does it have more than one purpose?
• To argue against the single story perspective and reflect on its consequences.
Adichie combines explanation of the concept with personal anecdotes to express
the significance of diverse stories.
• She uses her personal journey and reflections to argue against the simplification of
people's stories, demonstrating the multifaceted nature of identities and cultures.
Who is the audience? How does it appeal
to the audience?
• A global audience, including readers and viewers interested in literature, culture, and
social justice, as well as anyone interested in the power of storytelling.
• Adichie appeals to her audience by sharing relatable, personal stories that illustrate
the universal impact of stories and by challenging listeners to reconsider their own
perceptions and biases.
Identify the key vocabulary. Explain its purpose
and how it would appeal to the audience
• Examples: Stereotypes, authenticity, narratives, multicultural, identity.
• Purpose and Appeal: The vocabulary challenges listeners to critically analyse their
own biases and understandings. It's used to dissect complex social issues and
make the discussion accessible and relatable.
What language features are adopted by the
author? How does it support the purpose and
appeal to audience?
• Features: Anecdotal evidence, rhetorical questions, inclusive language, humor.
• Support and Appeal: These features engage the audience, making complex
concepts relatable and encouraging self-reflection. Humor, especially, helps in
disarming potential defensiveness and opens the audience to deeper engagement.
What structural features have been utilised?
How does engage the audience and support
the purpose of the text?
• Features: The speech is structured around personal stories that lead to broader
insights, interwoven with rhetorical questions that engage the audience directly.
• Engagement and Support: This structure effectively builds a case for the dangers of
a single story, using personal anecdotes to illustrate broader societal issues, thus
making the abstract concept tangible and impactful.
Reflecting on your own personal journey, how
do you personally connect to the piece? Was
there something that you wanted to try and
replicate in your own writing?
• Perhaps you were also influenced by stories in your childhood that shaped your
worldview in a certain way, or maybe you've experienced being the subject of a
single story in others' eyes.