The Danger of a Single Story (TED Talk Video)

What important lessons did you learn from this video? Why is it important to understand
the danger of a single story in a World Literature class? What is the purpose of learning
about World Literature? How does this video (and the ideas presented in it) connect to the
other texts we read in this unit so far? In what ways can you apply the message from this
video to other areas of your life (not just your World Literature class)?

Life is Sweet at Kumansenu

What universal ideas or themes were present in this story? In what way does this piece
illustrate cultural values from Africa? What lessons do we learn from reading this piece?
How does reading this story make us more knowledgeable about the world outside the
United States? Why is it important to understand another culture? Why is it important to
read and discuss literature that has both universal elements and elements that are unique to
a particular culture (such as this piece)? How does a story like this enrich your
understanding of the world around you? Of yourself?

Talk, The Five Helpers, and Why We Tell Stories About Spider
The Five Helpers concludes with a question that invites discussion. What do you think is the
value of debating a question to which there is no correct answer? Explain why the title of
Talk is or is not appropriate. African songs and tales reflect the social lives of communities
and their peoples values and experiences. What have these selections revealed to you about
the concerns, values, and traditions of the people who created them? Why is the oral
tradition important (not just in Africa, but universally)? What morals or lessons can be
taken from each of these pieces? How do these texts connect to other texts we read in this
unit? This year?

The Fisherman and the Jinnee

What is the moral or message in this story? Why is this an important message for readers?
Which details in this story come from Islamic culture? Do you have to understand these
references in order to understand and/or appreciate this story? Why or why not? Some Arab
scholars have dismissed The Thousand and One Nights as mere popular entertainment. They
have argued that the tales are not great literature because the stories have crude and
simplistic plots and no depth in characterization or theme. What do you think about such an
assessment of the value of the kinds of stories found in The Thousand and One Nights? What
criteria would you use to determine what qualifies as a great piece of literature? How does
this text connect to other texts we read in this unit? This year?

Culture
Why is it important to learn about other cultures? How can an author use a work for fiction
to make a statement about culture? What statements about culture are made in these
difference pieces we have read in this unit so far? What is the value of understanding other
cultures when it comes to understanding your own culture? How can knowledge of other
cultures help you become a global citizen (A global citizen is someone who identifies with
being part of an emerging world community and whose actions contribute to building this
community's values and practices.)? What are your values? How have you seen your own
values reflected in the texts we have read? Why is knowledge and awareness of your
individual and cultural values necessary?