and the ostensible conclusion of living “happily ever after,” she makes the story universal and thereby increases the reader’s ability to relate to the characters and events.

This stands in marked contrast to Gordimer’s other writings, as she became well known for her critical writings against South African government policies. The supposedly happy family increasingly distances itself from reality, choosing not to engage with the troubled society around them and lulling themselves into a false notion of security. The connection between that falseness and the unreal world of fairytales is emphasized by such features as the dragon-like appearance of the barbed wire and “fangs” atop the wall. Furthermore, by calling the tale a “bedtime story,” she brings up the dreamlike qualities, which then turn into a nightmare when the boy is ensnared by his parents’ trap.