The discourse community that I am writing about for unit one essay is the catholic church discourse community. I chose this discourse community in particular because I’m a part of it and I wanted to share my experience. This discourse community that I chose also follows the rules that John Swales proposed. I will be sharing what a typical day is like and the common goals we all have. Technically I’ve been apart of this community ever since I was born because I’m Catholic, however, I never felt connected as much to this discourse community up until three years ago. I’m thinking about analyzing the word “faith” for my essay because this word connects to my discourse community since it’s about having faith in the religion and it also excludes/includes some people. Ultimately, these essays about our discourse community that we’re a part of can help us understand each others perspectives and learn the communities that are available to participate/interact.

1. In my opinion, a “single story” is a story that is being told based off a group of people with a similar background or perspective. A single story is written by one perspective so not everyone will be able to relate to it. Stereotypes and many false perceptions are created with single stories. A single story is a metaphor for the stereotypes that are being created about different groups and countries that people come from.
2. Many of the stories that I read growing up were fictional and revolved around animals. Animals portrayed as animals and animals portrayed like people. When I did read stories with people and characters, many different races were included. I don’t remember reading any single-stories like Adichie described.
3. Modern technology can definitely contribute to these single-stories. With today’s technology, people can share their opinions online about these single-stories. Since single-stories create false perceptions and stereotypes, people from all around the world can help clear up it up with their own experience and background.
4. I feel that the issues that were spoken about in these two pieces are overlapping issues of identity. Adichie speaks about how growing up she has always read “single-stories”, stories that were based off of one perspective of a larger group. She never related to the stories she read that many others may have. With Mohamed, his school teacher corrected and taught him the “correct” way of saying his own name. Both of Adichie and Mohamed experienced cultural ignorance. Adichie read books with all the characters “white and blue-eyed” and did things she never did like speak about the weather or playing in snow. Mohamed should have been able to say his own name the way his parents do without having other people correct him on something that doesn’t need to be corrected.

A single-story is a story told from one perspective. Single-story produces stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is that they are false, and you can’t base your opinions on one perspective. By listening to one perspective you risk misunderstanding a certain topic. A metaphor is a comparison between two things without using the words like or as.

The types of stories I read growing up were fairytales and fictional books like Percy Jackson’s “The Lightning Thief.” I enjoyed reading the Percy Jackson series because the fictional world was uniquely designed. Percy Jackson’s life was unraveled when he realized he was the son of the Greek god Poseidon. At the training ground for the children of the gods, Percy learns to harness his divine powers and prepare for the adventure of life: to prevent a feud between the Olympians from erupting into a destructive war on Earth and to save his mother from the clutches of Hades, the god of the underworld. The trope for this book is that it involves magical powers that do not exist. The author portrayed this story from one perspective which makes it a single-story. The story was told from Percy’s perspective but they could have made the story more interesting if they switched to other perspectives. The other demi-gods were just as interesting and if they focused on a cast instead of a single person the series could have been on par with books like Harry Potter. Regardless of that, I enjoyed reading the Percy Jackson series.

Modern Technology does contribute to single-stories. For example, the media supports one side instead of presents both sides of a news story. They influence the public to pick sides such as the Democratic party or the Republican party. People are biased towards because it is the only side of information they know. Multimedia platforms make getting information easier but it also makes the public lazy. Most people will base their opinions on one perspective and won’t look at other perspectives. These two articles talk about overlapping problems of identity since it’s about the identity crisis and how they feel insecure in their skin.

 

In your own words, what is a single story? What is it a metaphor for?

“Single Story” is a stereotype- which is formed when we describe or form a perception about individuals, countries or groups by only relying on generalization when we meet them. It allows people to define individuals or situations from a specific perspective, thereby creating differences rather than showing similarities. Single story can be dangerous as it makes one story to be the only story, also prevents people to connect authentically with other people. I believe the process of understanding and researching people should not be a one-time process, rather it should be a culture of continual learning.

 

What type of stories did you have to read growing up? What were the characters/plots/tropes like? Were they guilty of portraying a single-story such as Adichie describes?

Growing up in India, I mainly read fictional stories. I was fortunate enough to be exposed to all kinds of narratives. The content in the books was diverse according to Indian standards. Although, I have to admit we were mainly exposed to Indian and British authors. We were taught old English books written by William Shakespeare like the Merchant of Venice in our English classes and then it was balanced by reading books written by Indian authors in our second language classes.

 

Do you think modern technology somehow contributes to these single-stories? If so, how?

I agree and disagree both at the same time with this question. Technology has grown drastically in the last decade, it is altering self-identity from being internally to externally driven.  In today’s world, the self- identity portrayed is to serve its own best interest rather than serving what is best for us. It is an identity projected on us by popular culture, which is usually not a reflection on us. On the contrary, modern technology has made single stories more diverse.  It is helping us to gain outside knowledge and also to know both sides of the stories rather than being confide with a single thought. It is helping us gain knowledge about almost everything going around the world. The technology is helping to create awareness of the deep reaching context of the ongoing issues around the world.

 

Are these two pieces speaking about overlapping issues of identity, or separate issues?

Both the issues discussed are overlapping issues of identity. In today’s society, people make assumptions based on their own perception about you, which are often baseless. An individual is often judged with their appearance, name, accent and so on. Both articles point out the inhumane and ignorant behavior of society towards each other.

 

Bonus-What is the significance, or stories, surrounding your own name?

The piece written by Mohamad Hassan resonates with me deeply. My first name is Anindita. When I moved to the US five years back, since the first day of college I have been told my name is too hard to pronounce and is there any easier way to pronounce it. The sad part is they would not even bother or take the initiative to pronounce it and so they would anglicize my name to Annie.

 

1. To me a simple story is oversimplifying your perception of someone or something to make sense of a complex situation that one doesn’t quite understand. There’s an example that perfectly describes this in the Ted talk “ The Danger of a single story” where Adiche only saw Fide and his family as poor and couldn’t grasp the idea that a poor person like Fide’s brother could make something like the woven blanket. A single story reduces people to one dimensional. A metaphor is comparing two things that have nothing to do with each other. For example “ her cheeks were red like tomato’s”. 
2. Growing up I read a lot of fictional books like R.L Stine series, Cam Jansen etc.Though looking back a lot of movies and children’s books always had the evil villain who I believe we’re just misunderstood. Their stories were never explained and they were just a part of the plot to make the protagonist this hero that the audience loved. 
3. I do think modern technology does contribute to these single stories because anything can be put on the internet and taken out of context or not explained enough. There’s so many sides to a story or a person and the media for example does not do justice explaining. So many negative stereotypes are portrayed that make a fool out of a community. 
4. These two pieces do speak about overlapping issues of identity as Adiche talks about how people have perceptions based on what they’ve heard or seen that contribute to a single story and negative stereotypes. Similarly, Hassan talks about dealing with the negative connotation around his name because of what people presume about Muslims that he would purposely pronounce it wrong to try and avoid it.
5. Bonus: I’m Albanian and my name is Jennifer which always confused me as to why I have such an American name considering my parents are immigrants who arrived in America a year before I was born. When I asked my parents why they didn’t give me an Albanian name they told me it was because they wanted me to fit in with everybody else and so that nobody would have a hard time pronouncing  my name like people do to theirs.

1. In your own words, what is a single story? What is it a metaphor for?

My understanding of a single story is quite literally being unaware of the full story. A single story is being told one perspective of anything, and whether it is true or not, you are ignorant to the full picture. For example, as in Adichie’s talk, when you are told one story, one version of a person’s culture, and have no other references, that is what you believe is the full reality. An example being Adichie’s roommate thinking she didn’t know how to use a stove. Many times, if you’ve only heard a single-story, you are still ignorant of what the people of the story are really like.

1. What type of stories did you have to read growing up? What were the characters/plots/tropes like? Were they guilty of portraying a single-story such as Adichie describes?

As I grew up, I read many types of literature because I love to read, something my parents inculcated in me from very young. I read literature in Spanish, and English. I began to enjoy the history genre, although at first I was interested in fiction. I was surprised in first grade when I was taught about Native Americans and Cristopher Columbus. On my own, I had read through the encyclopedia at home regarding this encounter. I read about the mistreatment towards the indigenous people. I don’t even remember too well what I read, but the illustrations remain clearer. In school, though, Columbus was seen as a hero. So I began to understand that every story will be told from the perspective of the author, and I found some stories to be as Adichie describes, “single-stories,” many times told to favor the author and their people.

1. Do you think modern technology somehow contributes to these single-stories? If so, how?

I think modern technology has opened up more opportunities to share our stories. Modern technology can help debunk false single- stories, or add to true ones. Just the other day I saw a video about the people of a different culture than mine. I enjoyed it because I have not been able to travel to their homeland, or have any interaction with them personally. However, I appreciated that the video did not portray them in a patronizing way. It was just showing their story, their daily life, and I could see what aspects of our lifestyles were similar, or not. If more people share their story on these modern platforms, then we will contribute to eliminating single-stories.

1. Are these two pieces speaking about overlapping issues of identity, or separate issues?

I would say that the issues in the videos overlap. Mohamed was told he was pronouncing his own name wrong! My parents gave me a name that would be easy to pronounce and write in English, although they didn’t speak the language, so that hopefully I had equal opportunities. Why does this overlap to single-stories? The reason is that when you have limited or no knowledge of other people, it is easy to make mistakes that in your mind are right, because you have only heard a single-story, that is your only resource of information that you go back to. That includes the news, books, and even music sometimes. Adichie had mistakenly seen Mexican people as they were portrayed on her news, but she understood later that you can not judge from that single-story.

Bonus: What is the significance, or stories, surrounding your own name?

As I mentioned before, my name was supposed to help me assimilate. I was born about a year after my parents settled down here, and I understand that beginnings are very hard. My dad thought spelling my name as Stephanie, would be easier to understand in school, etc. Still, I am always called Estefani at home, and when my dad texts me he writes my name as some weird combination of Estefani and Stephanie. Of course, Estefani is just Stephanie in Spanish, but when I think about how I got my first name I remember how my parents thought about it so much, because some people’s words or actions are influenced by their single-stories, and it isn’t always fun to be on the receiving end.

Throughout the years growing up in a Puerto Rican household with parents who were raised by  my proud grandparents who were natives of an island that was conquered, colonialized and striped from their culture was so confusing. First,  I was taught at home that my roots and rich culture was from a small little Island in the lesser Antilles with rich food, music and history yet, at school I was constantly taught that Puerto Rico was a colony with no culture or flag. while many confused individuals did not know that Puerto Ricans were American Citizens. I was so confused and always wanted to read books that I can relate to on so many levels. What upset me most throughout my youth is that my family from Puerto Rico constantly called me “Gringo” similar to Mohamed I constantly needed to culturally define my identity and remind my family in the Island that I was not a Gringo and I always found it strange that they would pronounce my name differently.

In the presentation by Chimananda Nazi Adichie where she spoke about Single Story and how damaging that can be for young people educationally, culturally, and for survival. It is a metaphor for bias and one-sided where you only vision that in America all people are white. Well throughout history that is the way Americans, historians and writers have portrayed characters in educationally driven books. Learning at school I grew to dislike the stories in  McGraw Hill. Most of the stories I read like Anne of Green Gables, Harry Potter, Maniac Magee had characters that I could not or most likely would never be able to relate to.  I even took advantage of the point question the reasoning behind having to  read Romeo and Juliet, or Sophocles when in reality I wanted to read stories like 145th Street, or Monster. Why did I have to read stories that I couldn’t relate to instead of reading books that I can relate to.  Especially learning about Christopher Columbus and the fact that he was portrayed as a hero when in reality he was a  villain. The speaker shouts out in volume how important it is for people throughout the world to learn both sides and see that there is beauty in all cultures and that we had more in common culturally than differences.

“Single Story” are dangerous stereotypes which can lead to ignorance and poor judgements of character. Like in Mohamed Learning my name, the fact that people are so feeble minded and culturally misinformed on what a middle eastern person should look like is the reason why we need to be exposed to different literature and cultures throughout the world. It is imperative that we read stories of the great things that occur in other cultures;  instead young minds are being taught to feel sorry for other people, and view them differently. The speaker goes on to explain how on many occasions she has been guilty of Single Story. She goes on to explain how she viewed the people of Mexico so differently and the young boy who helped with chores at her house without out knowing both sides. My mom always explained to me that one must always see things from both perspectives and then pass judgement and as readers we are vulnerable to the writers when characterizing people from different cultures and countries.

It is evident that both stories are overlapping issues on cultural and racial inequalities throughout the world.  All of the issues discussed in both videos are serious and dangerous and puts us in a vulnerable state.  The underlying issue is that people tend to quickly stereotype, or judge people based on what they have learned or the perception of them.  For example; What should a Latino to look like?, What should a Middle Easterner look like? The issue is that many have this Single Story which makes Whites in particular,  draw assumptions without realizing that they are being culturally offensive.

To conclude,  I want to say that reading When I was Puerto Rican, In the Castle of My Skin, Monster, and 145th Street I learned to relate and learn life lessons without being vulnerable.  I’m glad for those teachers who chose books that we can relate to and learn valuable lessons from.

 

 

A single story is a story people have heard or know and are biased towards because it is the only side of information they know of.  People are convinced to only listen to one side of stories and base those stories on others. One story is metaphorically talking about stereotypical views. 

The stories I grew up reading I remember books like Franklin and Mr.Falker. Franklin had a series of books that showed mostly lifestyle representation of majority white family living and how kids should be as an American. Similarly with Mr.Falker which shows how the American kid should see their teacher and mostly shows through majority white kids of the time. These writers were portraying single stories of white majority American children who have everything and different living compared to the average minority. 

I do think modern technology has contributed to the expansive portrayal of single-stories however, the same technology if used properly can also give us more access to read and understand different perspectives of people, places and objects. The multimedia platforms allow communication through distances which allows information to be shared. This is great however, the low to average iq people only take in information they want to hear whether it is the truth or not. This is where one must be unbiased and understand as many views of topics which requires one self to take interpretations with a grain of salt and requires a general deep thought process. Which some average to high iq people can do. 

These two pieces of work strongly overlap issues of identity. Adichie talked about how she went through identity issues because of how others perceived her based on stereotypical views. She was a victim of one story people listen to and fell into the dilemma of following their ideals or confronting the truth that will be hard to believe for others as they fell into the trap of one story view. While Hassan at young age was forced to change the pronunciation of his name to fit the American way of saying his name. He went through a one story view of people who think they know better when those people have not seen his story or understood to properly pronounce Hassan’s name.