"Single Story" Essay

The Full Side of the “Single Story”

One side of the story creates a “single story” that often takes full priority over the other side.  African obtains the “single story” of poverty, and those in dire need of savior through media and past history. We overlook the culture of this continent, and just associate it with a morose image including barbaric, unintelligent, and staving people. The media also tries to define beauty as a specific image, instead of achievement, charity, or intelligence. Achebe sets out to show the other side of the “single story” that displays Africa as a continent full of barbaric, unintelligent, and starving people, while the Dove Beauty Campaign sets out to show the other side of the “single story” that reveals the truth behind the media’s image of beauty, and encourages others to look beyond just the surface. .

Although most think of the single story of Africa as barbaric, Achebe uses Okonkwo to present a civilization that completes the other side of the story. Okonkwo’s fear of appearing weak, and his ability to think with his fists rather than his brain helps the reader grasp the truly complex tribe that surrounds him. One year, Okonkwo beats his wife during Peace Week, “and that was also the year Okonkwo broke the peace, and was punished, as was the custom, by Ezeani, the priest of the earth goddess” (Achebe, 22). Even though we expect the Ibo people to act barbaric and uncivilized and ignore Okonkwo beating his wife, they actually have a whole week dedicated to being caring and peaceful, and punish those who break it. Achebe has Okonkwo act in an inhumane way in order to portray an image of peace that surrounds him. [The tribe] also mentions how, “age was respected among his people, but achievement was revered” (8). Achebe uses Okonkwo’s fear of appearing like his unsuccessful father to express the importance of achievement and titles, and the worry of being considered weak, or unsuccessful.

Additionally, compared to Okonkwo’s inability to rationalize his thoughts, the intelligent Ibo and Mbanta people rationalize to make the correct choices for not only themselves, but for the future generations. In a Mbanta tribe meeting, one of the oldest members of the tribe mentions how “[he] fear[s] for [the] young people because [they] do not understand how strong is the bond of kinship” (167). The member of the tribe worries that the youth of the tribe does not understand the strong bonds of human relations. The ability and complexity the tribe’s people have to find and express a problem, and work to fix it, remains overlooked, and replaced with the “single story” of unintelligence and simplicity.

Finally, the people often portray Africans as starving, and in poverty. Achebe uses Okonkwo’s wealth, and yam growing success to show the other side of the story. During festivals and feasts, the tribe serves numerous courses that included meat and yams, and “the meat was shared so that every member of the umunna had a portion” (166). The tribes make sure everyone eats, and not starving contrary to common belief. However, even though the tribe contains a complex and fascinating background, the white men who spends time with them “[choses] the title of the book, after much thought: The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger” (152). Achebe wants to show that even though the tribe presents a whole different story, the missionaries cannot put the stereotypes they hear aside, which keeps them from learning the truth about the different tribes. Achebe uses Okonkwo and the tribes to complete the story of Africa.

            Similar to how Achebe tries to complete the story of Africa, the Dove Beauty Campaign tries to complete the story of beauty by showing what remains overlooked. Just like how Achebe uses Okonkwo to represent the extreme stereotypes, the Dove Beauty Campaign shows how commercials use extreme methods through Photoshop to make the models look perfect, and represent the image most associate with beauty. The Dove Beauty Campaign sets out to expose the truth behind the unrealistic image of beauty the media portrays by showing how the companies manipulate the photos. Just like the white men who visit the tribes, we accept the appearance on the surface, and do not challenge ourselves to look beyond what others say.

Furthermore, the Dove Campaign captures how the media affects us. To obtain the perfect image we get presented with, women and girls sometimes develop unhealthy eating patterns, an obsession with exercise, or plastic surgery. Ads surround us with words or phrases such as “diet” or “become a better you,” which creates us to focus on our insecurities, and diminished our self-confidence. As the Internet and television become more prominent in our lives, girls at a younger age see these images, and develop body image issues at a younger age. The media’s image of beauty portrayed causes us to point out or flaws, instead of embracing all we have to offer.

            In conclusion, Achebe tries to complete the “single story” of Things Fall Apart by portraying a society full of civilized, well-fed, and complex people, and the Dove Beauty campaign strives in creating a more realistic, and healthy image of beauty. Judgment and the inability to learn more than what the surface presents causes a single story to form. Judgment comes from jealously or insecurities. We quickly pick out the flaws in others, instead of seeing their good qualities. Negative experiences also shape our opinions, and hamper our ability to see beyond that one incident. Media focuses on these negative experiences, and zooms in on the “single story.” Instead of accepting the “single story,” we should challenge ourselves to reach deeper, and learn more about the people we judge so quickly.