Question

Read the excerpt from "The Danger of a Single Story” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

I grew up under repressive military governments that devalued education, so that sometimes, my parents were not paid their salaries. And so, as a child, I saw jam disappear from the breakfast table, then margarine disappeared, then bread became too expensive, then milk became rationed. And most of all, a kind of normalized political fear invaded our lives.

Which question about the repetition in the excerpt is the best one to ask in a group discussion?

How does Adichie use repetition to support the rhetorical appeal?
Why does Adichie include repetition rather than ethos?
How does the use of repetition appeal to Adichie’s audience?
Why does Adichie focus the repetition on food?

Answer 1

"How does Adichie use repetition to support the rhetorical appeal?"

This is best because it invites examination of how the repeated items and structure build pathos (evoking empathy and a sense of loss), establish credibility through lived experience, and create a rhythmic progression that emphasizes the gradual erosion of normal life. The other options are either inaccurate (repetition isn't an alternative to ethos) or narrower in focus.