Adichie

The story "A Private Experience," by Chimamanda Adichie, is told from the 3rd person and the point of view of a girl named Chika. It is the story of Chika and a woman hiding from the riot and killings taking place in the streets. The audience learns of the initial encounter of the two women, what takes place during their time hiding out, and what happens to Chika after the violence had ended. The only insight we have comes from Chika and her thoughts, and this makes a difference since we can't trust that her side as the full story. We never learn the name of the other woman or her thoughts on the situation. I found this particular detail interesting because it can confuse the reader by only presenting one side of the story. These two characters are both united in their grief and worry, and yet come from different backgrounds and the reader can only experience one background that might be influenced by stereotypes. How the story is told affects the tone of the story. If part of the story was told from the other woman's point of view, the story could be even more moving and impactful.

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