A short summary:
Once Upon a Time is written by Nadine Gordimer, the story opens with involving the author herself. Nadine been asked to compose a short story for a children’s book as a part of her duty as a writer. But she thinks that a artist never should be compelled to create a work on demand.
Nadine Gordimer lies asleep in her bed, when she hears a strange sound awakens her. She thinks that an intruder had entered her home she is scared. Contemplating all the possible options and outcomes. Nadine Gordimer eventually realizes that the naturally creaky condition of her floorboard they’re made the noise and that there was no imminent threat to her safety except for the one she imagined. Because she can’t fall back du sleep, she begins to tell herself a bedtime story.
The story concerns a husband, a wife and their little boy. She describes how the family love one for another – with is natural for them, but it reflected in their financial security suburban home. As they live out their dream of happiness. The husbands mother described as a “wise old witch” she told that the family should take all necessary measures to protect themselves. The family joins a neighbordhood watch organization that gives them plague for the gates of their home: with says “you have been warned” The family begins to fear for their safety, because in another part of the city, the part where “people of another color” lived. They are not allower entrance into the protected suburb excepts as hired servants. The wife is fearful of this outside world.
Setting:
This short story is a fairy tale itself is ironic because the first part of the story is dedicated to the author herself. Another situation of irony is that the author is related to the children’s story. Is seems like it’s a children story, but it really a story for adult.
Character sketches:
The husband: He is committed to the safety and happiness of his family. He is descripted as a husband, which is a caring husband and father, and also the ultimate provider. In the beginning of the story, he does not immediately embrace his wife’s initial suggestion of building the gate and wall around their house, for projection. When the final measure has been enacted the husband is confident that his family will be protected, a confidence that is quickly shattered by his son’s death.
The wife: is as a loving mother and a devoted wife. She is very concerned with the issue of security. She is also the first to suggest that the family begin the process of investing in enhanced measures to safeguard their home. Although the wife capitulates to any suggestion of security, she possesses a great deal of compassion for other. The unemployed workers their work outside their house, she send tea and bread for them. Because the wife would never se someone starve.
The mother in law: She is described as a “wise old witch” she appears only twice in the story. The first time she warns the husband not to take on anyone off the street. It is hear the family begin the greater security measures. During her second appearance, she gives the family a fateful Christmas present. More stones to increase the size of their home.
Point of view:
Nadine Goordimer’s bedtime story is told from the third-person point of view.
Theme:
The theme could be apartheid. The apartheid was a period of intense racial segregation in South Africa that were followed the general election of 1948. People of South Africa was separated, the white people began supreme. Nadine Gordimer story reflects about this difficult time in the history.
But the central theme brought out through this short story is the idea that human fear represents the greatest obstacle to human happiness.
Message:
Nadine Gordimer wants to show us how foolish people are to work on such superficial element to combat fear grounded in racism. Nadine Gordimer told I her story the traditional position the system of apartheid has placed everyone in. It is ridicules the building of barriers, because that do not resolve anything but cause many problems and hurt many people. She clearly suggests that problems are caused by the very thing that people do not think about: economic, repression and racism.
