The Power of a Single Story by Carlie Wilson

Earlier in the unit we learned about the power of a single story. I really relate with this topic because like all of us, I have experienced the influences of a single story. As explained in Chimamanda Adichie’s Ted Talk, the most interesting part about a single story is that it can be experienced from two perspectives. You could either be the one to assume something about someone or something, or someone could assume something about you. Either way, our society can learn the value of understanding each other through first hand experiences and communication.

When I first moved back from South Africa many people around me had come up with some single stories of their own. I had to constantly explain to people that South Africa wasn’t a place full of poor people and dirt roads with wandering lions. Whenever I would come home from school and explain the ignorant comments made by other students to my mother, she would remind me that if I had never had the opportunity to live there, my understanding of Africa would be just as incorrect as the people around me.

When asked about what it was like there, people would often respond with, “So, you didn’t ride to school on the back of an elephant?”. Or “Did you learn to speak African?” Just last year I was asked “How was it over there?”. Before I could respond, another girl who had never been to South Africa before responded “People who need us. I understood that although they may have been joking and that they weren’t responsible for their false knowledge, comments like these were offensive. I rode to school on a bus just like any other American student. I also went to the mall and to the movies on weekend. . My life was very similar to how it is now. I think that it is very cool how teenagers around the world can relate to each other in more ways than we think possible. What we see on the news and other media sources has caused division among our society.

I too am guilty of falling into the trap of the single story. Before moving to South Africa I remember dreading it. I told my mother that I didn’t want to go because I wasn’t ready to give up air conditioning and good food. However, my biggest concern as a third grader was whether or not Santa Claus even travelled to Africa, because from what I had seen, it didn’t seem like it at all. When we had actually arrived in South Africa, all of my concerns had proven to be irrelevant. From then on I had made it my goal to not make assumptions about something I knew nothing about.

I really appreciate Chimamanda Adichie’s Ted Talk because it will help to change our society to become more connected instead of divided by only what we know to be true.