You are required to show your ability to argue a controversial issue by taking one position and persuading your readers with convincing evidence that your position is more valid than that of the other side. You need to draw on your abilities to succinctly and accurately summarize two writers’ points of view and to make connections between the readings and your own ideas and experiences. Both Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “The Danger of a Single Story” and Evelyn Alsultany’s “Los Intersticios: Recasting Moving Selves” explore the dangers of stereotyping and/or oversimplifying based on specific aspects of social background. (Social background can encompass aspects of identity, such as race, class, gender, nationality, sexuality, disability, and religion.) Both Adichie and Alsultany argue that these stereotypes or oversimplifications can lead to dehumanization and disconnection. Write an essay in which you use Adichie’s and Alsutany’s arguments to explore how and why single stories and stereotypes are so insidious and damaging. Analyze examples from their essays and reflect on your personal experiences and contemporary culture in this essay.
For this essay, write at least six paragraphs: an introduction, at least four body paragraphs, and a conclusion, and a minimum of five typed, double-spaced pages before the Works Cited page in length. Please read the directions below on structure carefully.
Essay Structure:
1. Introduction (1 paragraph): First, grab your reader’s attention in an intriguing way with a detailed anecdote, set of questions, metaphor, etc., usually 5-7 sentences; consider how the topic of stereotyping shows up today in what you have experienced or witnessed, current events, and/or popular culture.
for other creative hook ideas. Then include background information briefly introducing both of the two texts so that a reader unfamiliar with your sources can get situated; share the full names of both authors, the titles of their articles/lectures, and the overall main idea of each text Finally, end the introduction with a one-sentence thesis statement that states reasons that single stories and/or stereotyping are especially insidious and damaging according to Adichie and Alsultany. In other words, why is stereotyping problematic according to these authors? Confirm that your thesis directly and fully answers the prompt question.
Example thesis template:
Adichie and Alsultany argue that stereotyping causes damage through ____, _____, _____, and _____.
2./3./4./5. Body Paragraphs (minimum 4 body paragraphs – missing a required paragraph can earn your essay a non-passing grade): Each of your four body paragraphs should contain the following elements:
A. A clear organizing principle: How will you differentiate each body paragraph so that each one focuses on only one type of damage or one specific reason single stories are damaging without overlapping? Will you use chronology, logic, degree (least damaging to most damaging), etc.?
To organize your four body paragraphs, consider focusing on one of the following options (these are ideas, not required):
i. Four different types of personal damage, such as mental, physical, social, and financial, or
ii. Four different types of demographic damage, such as gender, sexuality, race, and religion, or
iii. Four different types of relationship damage, such as self, family, friends, and romantic partners, or
iv. Four different types of life experience damage, such as home, job, school, and religious community.
B. A topic sentence pointing out a specific issue/reason related to the prompt:
Example topic sentence template to start your body paragraphs:
According to Adichie and/or Alsultany, stereotypes damage ____ through _____.
C. 1-2 personal/cultural examples per body paragraph and at least two quotes from Adichie and at least two quotes from Alsultany somewhere in your essay.
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D. Clear analysis/explanation of the evidence to tie back to your thesis and paragraph topic.
6. Conclusion (1 paragraph): First, briefly restate your thesis. Second, synthesize the ideas from your sources and your personal experience. Consider what you learned from reflecting on stereotypes with the help of Adichie and Alsultany as well as what you hope your readers will gain. Why does this matter to you? Where does stereotyping show up in our society, and what can be done to change this widespread problem?
. Remember that each essay for this course must follow MLA format and be typed and double spaced in a Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx), black ink on white paper, aligned left, size 12-point font, Times New Roman style, one-inch margins, and tab-indented paragraphs.
