The
Lion Project
The
single story of California might not be as harmful as that of Africa but the
interesting thing is how people try and dismiss their single story. The two
texts that try and clear up of the single story of both their cultures are Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, and
the Misconceptions – Visit California Commercial. Even though the Visit California video is a commercial for a
tourism website, it paints a more complete picture of what everyone else sees
and thinks of about SoCal and California in general. One of the most important
parts about this video is that it shows that some Californians do surf and go
to the beach but the video also demonstrates that Californians also do a lot of
other things as well[p1] .
The commercial uses the stereotypes of California to complete the story.
Another side source that I found was a blog by a TCU student named Sydney
Green. Her blog uses a more personal way of debunking California stereotypes.
Achebe
similarly portrays Okonkwo in Things Fall
Apart. Throughout the story Achebe depicts Okonkwo as the poster child in
the Ibo people’s eyes. But Achebe also displays how Okonkwo often loses his temper and
beats up his wives and children. Although this is not a good characterization
of Okonkwo Achebe still includes it in the story because that gives the whole
story. [p2] The
difference between the way that Achebe and the commercial attempt to dismiss
the single story is that Achebe emphasizes some of the negatives more than the
commercial.
The real
difference in how the two texts try and present a more complete story of their
culture is the amount of balance each text uses. In Things Fall Apart Achebe clearly uses more of the negative sides.
He shows this in the very beginning of the story when talking about some of
Okonkwo’s characterizations and says, “He had a slight
stammer and whenever he was angry and could not get his words out quickly
enough, he would use his fists.” (Achebe, 4) This is definitely not one
of Okonkwo’s best attributes but non-the less is very important to include it
because it is part of Okonkwo’s and the Ibo people’s complete story. While
Achebe gives examples of Okonkwo’s weaker side the Visit California commercial
mainly just shows the best parts of California. Nowhere in the commercial does it show the
amount of poverty and struggle that is actually present in a lot of California.
The commercial is an example of a way of
overcorrecting the situation by telling just the good parts and not everything[TB3] .[p4]
Another thing
that many if not most people think about is that [p5] Africa
is completely uncivilized and there is no strong sense of community. After
another tribe captured and killed an Ibo girl, the Ibo tribe decided to take
tradition action, Achebe writes, “An ultimatum was immediately dispatched
to Mbaino asking them to choose between war on one hand, and on the other the
offer of a young man and a virgin as compensation.” (11) While to most people the
offer might seem odd, but it was a traditional trade that each tribe had been
doing for a very long time. The fact that the Ibo people have these traditions
demonstrates how they are not barbaric or uncivilized and have a strong
community. Although community is not a strong essence in the commercial, a
feeling of togetherness is still present, in the way that because the
commercial cuts go so quick from place to place it makes California feel like
such a small place[p6] .
One
of the biggest misconceptions about California and the people who live there
are that not everyone goes to the beach and surfs all day. A former Californian
TCU college students named Sydney Green writes on her blog, “I would just much
rather lay in bed. And when the weather is just too nice, I move to the couch.”
(The Californians: Stereotypes Debunked) [p7] Similar[TB8]
to anywhere in the US there are many people in California who enjoy staying at
home and reading books. Just like how certain stereotypes are created about
Californians, the same happens to Africa. People hear about one situation and
generalize that the whole continent is the exact same to that one situation.
One product that comes from this idea is that every person in Africa is
starving and doesn’t know how to supply himself or herself with food. During
one of the growing seasons for the Ibo people Achebe writes, “The yams put on
luxuriant green leaves, but every farmer knew that without sunshine the tubers
would not grow.” (24) While many of the Ibo people might not be educated in
stuff like calculus, they learned what they needed to know. The farmers knew
that even though the yams were growing luxuriant leaves, they needed sunshine
in order for the yams to grow[p9] .
Throughout the book yams played a very big part in the Ibo peoples lives and
shows that they do have a means of food. This also shows that many people in Africa
are and were living perfectly independent lives.
Out
of all the misconceptions and stereotypes about Africa the biggest one is that
every person in Africa needs help and salvation from their terrible lives and
that they don’t work hard. Towards the end of Things Fall Apart missionaries come to Nigeria and try and convert people
to Christianity. While talking to the Ibo people one of the missionaries said,
“We have been sent by this great God to ask you to leave your wicked ways and
false gods and turn to Him so that you may be saved when you die.” (145)
Without knowing anything about the Ibo people’s culture the missionaries came
to their homeland and basically said, everything that you have ever believed in
is wrong and we are right. People think almost the opposite about California.
Instead of thinking Californians need help, many people think that everyone who
lives in California doesn’t have any responsibilities or worries. In fact
people in California have to work just like any one else. In the commercial at
the very end it shows popular celebrity Betty White on set in Hollywood, even though
she is an actress she still had to work hard to become what she is today.
Everyone no matter where, whether it’s in Africa or California have to work to
be successful[p10] .
There
are many different stereotypes and many different misconceptions in this world
but the real challenge is how to deal with them. Even though it is tempting to
only show the best qualities of the story like in the commercial. It is
important to remember that the complete story includes everything, including
the good, the bad, and the ugly, just like what Chinua Achebe did in Things Fall Apart[p11] .
[p1]What
is your thesis? Does it have how both authors try to complete the single story?
[TB3]This
is how the commercial completes the single story.
[p4]Then
how does this commercial complete the single story of california?
[p7]Are
you using to different sources? If so i think you have to put it in the into.
[TB8]I
added something in the first paragraph but I wasn’t sure if that was what you
were looking for
[p9]I
like how you wrote about what they need to know and what is important for them
to survive in their culture J
[p10]What
you are saying in the beginning of the paragraph doesnt really stay that way
all the way through. Stay more on track
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