CBC Essay: The Truth About Stories
Overview: In this learning module, we explored the ways in which stories influence and shape culture, beliefs, biases, and stereotypes. King utilizes the story of the turtle as an example of the depth of stories and that we often only understand or receive stories at “face value” without understanding how one’s story was built. Adichie asserts that “The problem with stereotypes is that not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete”. Paul, Hockett and Bloom provide research-based explanations of implicit bias and how we can work to address it. Tan, Raymond, Crenshaw, and Miller share specific examples of how implicit biases and stereotypes affect marginalized communities.
Prompt: Using this complex set of resources as a guide, construct an essay that addresses the following areas. Keep in mind that this is not a recommendation for structure, but for content. Organize the information based on your audience and intentions for writing.
Incorporate ideas, definitions, and other key points from learning resources (texts and videos) on the impact of stories on cultural norms, stereotypes and implicit bias
Include a minimum of THREE common learning resources; one source MUST be from King’s The Truth About Stories
Include evidence from at least TWO outside sources (CCBC Databases or other credible source)
Discuss your “single story” based on your identity and experiences.
Include evidence that show the “truths” of the stereotype
Include personal examples to demonstrate how the “single story” does and/or does not apply to you
Explore how your single story has impacted your relationships and interactions with others.
Address the existence of implicit bias and how it aligns or conflicts with your beliefs and actions.
Address how the implicit bias of others has affected your experiences, choices, and mindset.
Propose methods to reduce the existence and/or effects of stereotypes
Address steps that you can/will personally take
Address steps that a community or larger group can take
Audience: Write for an audience that is not in this class. That means you’ll need to spend some time summarizing key ideas, defining any terms that might be unfamiliar, paraphrasing and/or choosing short quotes from the reading selections to help your reader get a sense of the authors’ arguments.
