Question

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

Stories matter. Many stories matter. Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign, but stories can also be used to empower and to humanize. Stories can break the dignity of a people, but stories can also repair that broken dignity.

What is the purpose of the rhetorical device in this excerpt?

It describes why certain stories are better than others.
It suggests that authors should write better books.
It accuses some writers of unintentionally causing harm.
It shows why having diversity in storytelling is so important.

Answer 1

It shows why having diversity in storytelling is so important.

(The repetition and contrast emphasize that stories can both harm and heal, so multiple perspectives are needed.)