ESSAY
Use both (TED talk: “The Dangers of a Single Story” from Chimamanda Adichie AND the film The Color Purple – TCP) to answer the following question in a comparison and or contrast essay (1000-1500 words):
What do they reveal about these central issues of postcolonialism?
Gender roles/Race/ethnicity (how they were all linked to oppression) Good choice for the film TCP
Double colonization oppression (Good choice for the film TCP)
Colonizing the mind (good choice for Ted Talk)
Orientalism (good choice for Ted Talk)
*unless you have better issues of postcolonialism that you feel confident in writing about that are relevant for both texts? Choose 2-4 issues or the amount for a 1100 essay…
The essay should be a comparison/contrast essay, so for each point of comparison you choose, you must analyze both texts and give examples from both. For example, you have to discuss double colonization in both texts (so you really have to think about which points of comparison that are relevant for both texts, or choose texts based on the points of comparison you want to include). It is important that you show your understanding of the complexity of postcolonialism. One example of how you can do that is to discuss how different power structures interact, but you can also choose other ideas from McLeod where different perspectives are presented and use them in the analysis (how the effects of nationalism can be both positive and negative for example, if that is something you find evidence of in your text, or how creating a sense of unity always means some groups are marginalized, if that is something you can find examples of in your texts). I want you to have clear points of comparison but also make sure that you try to be nuanced, and that you show your understanding of how texts can show the complexity of the postcolonial issues you choose to discuss and that there are no right answers, only several possible interpretations.
KEEP IN MIND!
Use appropriate terminology from Beginning Postcolonialism from John McLeod (I have the book if you want pictures of pages please let me know.)
Give clear references (@ least 3) with last name and page number, for example “McLeod claims that… (p. 62)”. Avoid plagiarism, intentional as well as unintentional, by paraphrasing any ideas taken from the source material, or use quotation marks for direct quotes.
Make sure your text is comparative by discussing one postcolonial issue in each paragraph with examples from both texts.
Write a clear introduction where you present the two films/talks/texts and the topic of the essay and a clear conclusion where you summarize the main points of your analysis.
Any questions, PLEASE let me know.