week 6 discussion ted talk 5

Response to TWO classmates due Friday by 11:59pm.

Watch the TED Talk. After you have watched the TED Talk, answer the following questions in reply to each TED talk. We are watching a TED Talk this week from another Nigerian author Chris Abani. While viewing this talk, think back to what Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has to say about the danger of a single story and how stereotypes work.

As you watch the TED Talk, you may want to follow along to the Transcript (or text) of the speech or refer to the transcript when you are answer the questions for this talk.

Notice there are a few new questions added to the list this week.

Click Here to read/download Abani’s speech.

Questions:

1. What is the speaker’s main argument? Or what is his thesis?
2. Name at least 3 specific examples/pieces of evidence he uses to support his argument?
3. What was the biggest takeaway that you had from this video? What interested you the most?
4. What kind of stories is Aboni telling his audience in the speech?
5. How does Abani organize his speech? In connection with Question 4, when do those stories show up in his speech? When does he tell those stories? Is there any pattern you can discern or figure out from where he places those stories (specific evidence)?
6. What is Abani’s purpose? What does he want from his audience?
7. What is Abani’s tone? Is his tone successful in connecting with his audience?
8. If we view Abani’s TED Talk through the lens of Adichie’s concept of a Single Story, how is Abani subverting the concept of the single story? How is Abani’s speech also about stereotypes and the pitfalls of believing in them?