Word Count: 955
Once Upon a Social Issue
Fairy tales have always been told to us as children
; whether to comfort or entertain us, they always seem to be a part of most everyone’s childhood. W
hen Nadine Gordimer was asked to write a children’s story, she replied with a short story titled “On
ce Upon A Time”. Although the title is characteristic of a fairy tale, she leads the tale to an end
ing that is anything other than “…happily ever after.” Gordimer distorts the fairy tale by dealing
with certain issues rather than giving the reader the usual fairy tale characteristics. Three of th
e more significant issues Gordimer likes to deal with in her story are racial discrimination and pre
judice, society’s insecurities, and the persuasive way fairy tales have with children.
Gordimer’s
“Once Upon A Time” has the feeling of insecurity right away. In the first part of her story, Gord
imer reminds us of our own insecurities. She brings up a familiar situation in which one is awakene
d by a bump in the night and cannot go back to sleep because of fear or their own insecurities. Gor
dimer writes, “I have no burglar bars, no gun under the pillow, but I have the same fears as people
who do take these precautions...” So, to better convey this issue of society’s insecurities, she tel
ls herself a bedtime story. In the story, there is a family who is living “…happily ever after”, ye
t is seems it is all that they can do to keep it that way. Rather than putting their insecurities a
side and getting on with their lives, they feel that they must put their trust in security devices t
o protect their selves. For a short while, the family has a sense of security by posting a plaque s
tating “’YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED” over the silhouette of a prospective intruder. After a short time th
e family’s psychological need for more security calls for a number of new security devices in order
to sustain the top level of security. It is in the family’s pursuit of this “security” that they vi
rtually imprison themselves. After the installation of burglar bars, Gordimer describes the view “f
rom every window and door in the house where they were living happily ever after they now saw the tr
ees and sky through bars.”
One of the less obvious issues lining “Once Upon A Time” is racial dis
crimination. Gordimer first suggestion that this suburb may be slightly racist is by stating that t
he plaque on their gate warning possible intruders didn’t designate black or white, therefore protes
ting too much the owner of the home not to be a racist. By adding this statement, Gordimer lets the
re be evidence for a possible racism problem in this suburb. Gordimer’s statement of riots outside
of the city was also supporting evidence toward racism in this place. The only black people that we
re allowed in the suburbs were those considered to be trustworthy gardeners or housemaids, and soon
the trustworthy were not the only black people to be loitering around the suburb. Gordimer writes o
f the community stating “it was a beautiful suburb, spoilt only by [the black people’s] presence.”
With the coming of these undesired guests, the family’s sense of security begins to weaken yet again
. In order to further suppress their insecure feelings, they decide to raise the walls surrounding
the property to a height of seven feet. Later, after finding footprints that were not their own on
the street side of the wall, the family’s sense of security was further diminished. As a final atte
mpt at gaining complete security, the family pondered the addition of even more protection for their
outside wall. The family’s pursuit of a mental security booster was finished when they lined the o
utside walls with razor wire that formed an unconquerable barrier.
Feeling quite safe with their
new wire defense, the mother finally feels secure enough to let her guard down and read her little b
oy a fairy tale. The fairy tale, a story about a prince who dashes through a terrible thicket of tho
rns to enter the palace and kiss the Sleeping Beauty and bring her back to life. Children, having t
he imaginations that they do, sometimes like to pretend to be a hero as in the fairy tale. So, the
next day, the little boy decides to also save the sleeping beauty by crawling through the shinny new
obstacle atop the outside wall. Once inside the young prince began to charge through the insurmoun
table odds, and found them to be truly insurmountable. The tunnel of stainless steel razor coils qu
ickly entrapped the young boy, tangling and terribly mangling him in his struggle to escape until fi
nally the boy cannot struggle any longer.
There can be many interpretations of the authors meanin
g and purpose for writing. Gordimer utilizes this opportunity to address the issue of insecurity th
at society is overrun by today. She also examines the unfairness and racial problems that many part
s of South Africa face. By the boy having been killed, it is clear that Gordimer wanted to show how
someone living with these issues, like the family, could actually weaken themselves by submitting t
o their prejudices and insecurities. With all of this said, I feel that this story is more than any
thing, a way for Gordimer to express her thoughts and feelings on these topics while also sort of de
fying an attempt by someone to have the audacity to tell her what she should write.
Works Ci
ted
Gordimer, Nadine. “Once Upon a Time.” Literature Harcourt Brace College Publishers. 1997 p
g. 74-78
word count once upon social issue fairy tales have always been told children whether comfo
rt entertain they always seem part most everyone childhood when nadine gordimer asked write children
story replied with short story titled once upon time although title characteristic fairy tale leads
tale ending that anything other than happily ever after gordimer distorts fairy tale dealing with c
ertain issues rather than giving reader usual characteristics three more significant issues gordimer
likes deal with story racial discrimination prejudice society insecurities persuasive tales have ch
ildren once upon time feeling insecurity right away first part reminds insecurities brings familiar
situation which awakened bump night cannot back sleep because fear their insecurities writes have bu
rglar bars under pillow same fears people take these precautions better convey this issue society te
lls herself bedtime there family living happily ever after seems that they keep that rather than put
ting their aside getting their lives they feel must trust security devices protect selves short whil
e family sense security posting plaque stating been warned over silhouette prospective intruder afte
r short time family psychological need more security calls number devices order sustain level pursui
t this virtually imprison themselves installation burglar bars describes view from every window door
house where were living happily ever trees through bars less obvious issues lining racial discrimin
ation first suggestion this suburb slightly racist stating plaque gate warning possible intruders di
dn designate black white therefore protesting much owner home racist adding statement lets there evi
dence possible racism problem suburb statement riots outside city also supporting evidence toward ra
cism place only black people were allowed suburbs were those considered trustworthy gardeners housem
aids soon trustworthy only black people loitering around suburb writes community stating beautiful s
poilt only presence coming these undesired guests sense begins weaken again order further suppress i
nsecure feelings decide raise walls surrounding property height seven feet later finding footprints
street side wall sense further diminished final attempt gaining complete pondered addition even more
protection outside wall pursuit mental booster finished when lined outside walls razor wire formed
unconquerable barrier feeling quite safe wire defense mother finally feels secure enough guard down
read little about prince dashes through terrible thicket thorns enter palace kiss sleeping beauty br
ing back life having imaginations sometimes like pretend hero next little decides also save sleeping
beauty crawling through shinny obstacle atop wall inside young prince began charge insurmountable o
dds found them truly insurmountable tunnel stainless steel razor coils quickly entrapped young tangl
ing terribly mangling struggle escape until finally cannot struggle longer there many interpretation
s authors meaning purpose writing utilizes opportunity address issue insecurity society overrun toda
y also examines unfairness racial problems many parts south africa face having been killed clear wan
ted show someone living these like could actually weaken themselves submitting prejudices said feel
anything express thoughts feelings topics while sort defying attempt someone audacity tell what shou
ld write works cited nadine literature harcourt brace college publishersEssay, essays, termpaper, te
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