Blog #6: The Danger of a Single Story
By: Sam Whitty
Chimamanda
Ngozi Adichie is the Nigerian author of Americanah and other
prize winning publications. As a child, she was introduced to reading at a
young age, but the books that she read were mostly foreign. She found it
difficult to read any African literature because it was scarce. As a result,
her easily misled, young mind was thought that literature as a rule must be
foreign. Because she had no representation of herself in children's literature,
she assumed that a Nigerian girl could not exist in a book. In this way, she
was like the billions of people that are given a single story to base their
assumptions and opinions on. This single story can alienate and undermine an
entire population, creating stereotypes that govern what can and cannot exist
in the world.
The dangers of a single story are clear. Single stories
hurt the people about whom they tell. They create a false narrative that
constantly conflicts with reality. An example of a single story that Adichie
gives is how Americans are told that Africa is a poor continent. We are led to
believe that no person in Africa has clean water to drink or food to eat. The
entire continent is full of poverty and desperation. In reality, many
people in Africa are thriving. Instead of telling kids to eat their food
because poor people in Africa are starving, parents could be telling their
children that poor kids in America are starving. The statement would be just as
accurate. With these kinds of comments, Africa is given a label that is not
necessarily true, and a stereotype is born.
When
Adichie says that she does not know what African authenticity was, she is
referring to when she received criticism of her book with an African
protagonist. Adichie grew up in Nigeria, and treated the characters like the people
she grew up with. They had thoughts, fears, and interests just like every other
human being. To her professor, this was different than any story about Africa
that he had heard before. Although the book was authentic because it came from
an African voice, it did not fit the narrative of Africa that is blasted in
every American’s ears that Africans are always suffering. This is how a single
story that may be true for some can block out other authentic stories that are
equally factual.
Language
has the power to give perspective and meaning to the world around us. In a
murder trial, the jury depends on lawyers to interpret evidence and facts in
order to decide whether the defendant is guilty. The lawyers must use their
language to frame the incidents that took place in such a way that it appears
the defendant is guilty or not guilty. Many times, it is not the evidence that
informs a jury’s decision whether to convict somebody of a crime but rather how
a lawyer explains the evidence. Even concrete eyewitness testimony can be misjudged
by a jury due to the manner in which a witness said something. Just as a jury
can convict an innocent person, society can condemn a culture to the prison of
a stereotype, needing only language to do so.
In
Malawi, many other women have fallen victim to a single story just like Adichie.
While there have been numerous efforts to improve women’s rights in the
country, women are consistently worse off compared to men. Women are much more
likely to have a lower paying job, with women making up 75% of the agricultural
labor force and producing 70% of household food (2). Furthermore, Women’s
representation in Malawi’s parliament is only 16.4%. This is a result of women
being less likely than men to complete secondary school. Possibly the worst truth
that women face is domestic abuse. It is estimate that 42% of women experience
spousal violence in their lifetime. Change must happen in Malawi to help these
women, and one way to do that is to change the single story about women.
Instead of being weak and subordinate, we need to emphasize stories that
empower women. Only then can women thrive in Malawi.
Works Cited
[Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Speaks at Harvard]. (2018, May 24). The Harvard Crimson. https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2018/5/24/adichie-college-class-day-address/
Malawi. (n.d.). UN Women | Africa. Retrieved December 14, 2020, from https://africa.unwomen.org/en/where-we-are/eastern-and-southern-africa/malawi
TED (2009, October 7). The Danger of a Single Story. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Ihs241zeg
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