Once Upon a Time

The ironies in "Once Upon a Time" include the family's efforts to protect themselves from perceived external threats, only to create an environment of fear and isolation that ultimately leads to...

In Nadine Gordimer's "Once Upon a Time," various stylistic devices create a children's story atmosphere with an ironic twist. The story uses a frame narrative, allegory, and fairy tale elements like...

"Once Upon a Time" by Nadine Gordimer is narrated from a first-person point of view, beginning with the author recounting her own experience. The setting shifts to a fairy-tale-like suburban...

In Nadine Gordimer's "Once Upon a Time," the wall symbolizes the fear and paranoia of outsiders, reflecting the divisive and isolating nature of apartheid in South Africa. It represents the family's...

At the end of "Once Upon a Time," the little boy is cut into a "bleeding mass" when trying to crawl through a tunnel of razor wire.

The mood of "Once Upon a Time" shifts from a sense of foreboding and tension to fear and tragedy, reflecting the underlying anxieties of the characters. The tone is initially ironic and satirical,...

The main conflict in "Once Upon a Time" is predominantly internal, despite appearing external. The characters' fears and insecurities drive their actions, leading to tragic consequences. The family's...

The writer in "Once Upon a Time" considers two causes for the night sound: first, she wonders if it is from her subconscious mind, possibly a sound from a dream. Second, she suspects it might be a...

The introduction and children's story highlight a social order marked by wealth and security amidst perceived external threats. In both narratives, there is an underlying fear of "the other," driving...

In Nadine Gordimer's "Once Upon A Time," prominent symbols include the wall and security system, representing fear and the illusion of safety, and the fairy tale elements, which underscore the...

In "Once Upon a Time," Nadine Gordimer's political views are critical of apartheid and the societal divisions it creates. Through the story, she highlights the consequences of living in fear and...

The little boy in Nadine Gordimer's "Once Upon a Time" symbolizes innocence and the tragic consequences of excessive fear and overprotection. His parents' extreme measures to keep him safe ultimately...

What readers learn about Gordimer's political point of view through the story is that she opposes the unjust society created through racism and apartheid. She believes that even the privileged suffer...

In "Once Upon a Time," the family's home is secured through various measures driven by fear of intrusion and theft, reflecting apartheid-era tensions. They subscribe to a Neighborhood Watch, display...

The wise old witch in “Once Upon a Time” symbolizes the folly of apartheid. Although she’s supposed to be wise, her gift of extra bricks to improve the personal security of her son and his family...

Significant quotes from "Once Upon a Time" by Nadine Gordimer include: "You have been warned," highlighting the story's cautionary nature, and "The husband said, 'Don't worry. I'll take care of it,'"...

The settings in "Once Upon A Time" highlight themes of fear and security. The family's home represents their retreat from a threatening outside world, reinforced by security measures like walls and...

In "Once Upon a Time," the boy's parents expect the grandmother to care more for him than the gardener, as they trust her advice and gifts. However, ironically, the grandmother's actions...

The key aspects of "Once Upon a Time" include themes of fear, security, and the consequences of extreme measures taken to protect oneself. The climax occurs when the family's security system...

In Nadine Gordimer's "Once Upon a Time," the frame narrative and the fairy tale are intertwined through themes of fear and societal instability. The frame story features a narrator, possibly Gordimer...

What readers can infer about what Gordimer leaves unstated is that the little boy dies, that she is using the story to critique apartheid in South Africa, and that she hopes the family will learn...

The husband's mother is referred to as the witch in the story because doing so enhances the fairy-tale motif of the story. Yet it also suggests that the grandmother's belief that a higher wall can...

"Once upon a Time" by Nadine Gordimer demonstrates parallel structure through repeated grammatical patterns and thematic cycles. Within sentences, Gordimer uses repeated prepositional phrases and...

The term "wise old witch" in "Once Upon A Time" represents the husband's mother, symbolizing the apartheid-era South African government. This metaphor highlights the government's focus on protecting...

Three possible thesis statements for "Once Upon a Time" include: 1) "Once Upon a Time" can be compared to three movies that share its name, exploring similarities and differences; 2) The characters...

The purpose of the opening in "Once Upon a Time" is to introduce the story with a sense of foreboding and to establish the narrative framework. It sets the tone for the story, hinting at the themes...

The phrase "pure concentration camp style" in "Once Upon a Time" describes a wall that is both brutal in appearance and function, echoing the oppressive boundaries of concentration camps. The wall,...

The "bedtime story" contained in Once Upon A Time by Nadine Gordimer reveals the inner conflict of a misguided family which believes it is doing the best it can to protect itself. The reader feels...

The mood at the beginning of "Once Upon A Time" is one of frustration, confusion, and brief fear. The narrator, possibly Nadine Gordimer herself, is disturbed by the suggestion to write a children's...

The fairy-tale quality of the story allows the reader to relate to the characters and events in a way that Gordimer’s other writings do not.

The exposition, rising action, conflict, climax, falling action, and conclusion are all part of the plot graph.

The genre of "Once Upon a Time" is a short story. Nadine Gordimer employs elements of traditional storytelling, using a fairy tale-like setting to quickly establish the narrative and explore themes...

Nadine Gordimer transitions from autobiography to bedtime story by starting with a first-person narrative reflecting her fears and reluctance to write a children's story. This autobiographical frame...

After installing a burglar alarm, the family increases security by adding burglar bars to windows and doors, and then decides to raise the height of their property's wall. The husband's mother...

In "Once Upon a Time," the boy's approach to life contrasts sharply with his parents' fear-driven perspective. While his parents are consumed by a mistrust of the outside world, leading to heightened...

The story begins with Gordimer narrating as herself, expressing reluctance to write a children's story. Awoken by a noise, she tells herself a bedtime story. In this "story within a story," a family...

In "A Soldier's Embrace," Gordimer uses black and white imagery to help articulate her theme. The family is pure white, and the other in the story represents a dark stain on their otherwise perfect...

The introduction in "Once Upon a Time" sets the stage for the fairy tale events by highlighting Gordimer's personal fears of intruders, mirroring the societal fears of well-to-do white South...

The antagonist in Nadine Gordimer's "Once Upon a Time" is not a person, but an emotion: fear. It is fear that leads to the construction of the wall and barbed wire with which the couple's son is...

The author builds tension in "Once Upon a Time" through a gradual escalation of fear and paranoia. The story starts with a calm narrative but introduces elements of danger and insecurity, such as the...

Gardner satirizes the idea of fairy tales by beginning with a brief introduction that sets up a happy, idyllic world and then revealing this is only half of Nadine's story. The rest of the story is...

The cat in "Once Upon a Time" does not have special abilities. Instead, it serves as a symbol of paranoia and the futility of relying on one method for protection. The cat highlights the need for...

The narrator's introduction in the first eight paragraphs sets the stage for the story by framing it within her real-life experience of fear and insecurity. She hears a mysterious noise at night,...

The neighborhood in "Once Upon A Time" begins to change as crime increases, causing fear and mistrust among residents. Initially, problems like riots are external, but burglaries become more...

The tone in Nadine Gordimer's "Once Upon a Time" shifts between nervous resignation and tragic irony. The frame story conveys a tone of nervous resignation, reflecting the narrator's awareness of...

The wife is the character who changes in "Once Upon a Time." Initially, she supports security measures like gates and bars to keep out people of another color. However, she begins to show compassion...

The responsibility for the boy's fate in "Once Upon a Time" lies with his parents. Their excessive fear of crime leads them to install a dangerous security system, which ultimately causes their son's...

Thesis statements would be directly related to the text, in this case focusing on its themes and development of the story.

The housemaid's cynicism is informed by her experiences in the township.

The family's characterization highlights their loving yet fearful nature, unable to engage with the world beyond their privileged existence. Gordimer portrays them as insulated and disconnected,...