Plot, Themes, and Conflict
Which character dies at the end of the story?
The son
Who is the narrator of the story?
Nadine Gordimer (the author)
What was the narrator's house built on?
A gold mine
At the end of the story, what does the son pretend to be?
A prince
What kind of tone does the author present in this quote?
"It was the ugliest but the most honest in its suggestion of the pure concentration-camp style, no frills, all evident efficacy" (3)
Skeptical, critical
Going to the extent of comparing a home security system to a "concentration-camp" casts a shadow of doubt on the device
What is the significance of defining the setting as a suburb?
The family has heightened concerns for their safety.
Is the conflict in "Once Upon a Time" more internal or external?
Although the conflict may become an internal personal battle at the end of the story, it is generally driven by external forces. The husband and wife are overly concerned that the unemployed population roaming the streets will be a threat to their family's safety.
What is the significance of the title, "Once Upon a Time?"
This establishes the narrator's identity to the reader and grounds the reader in the story's complex structure.
How does this description of setting establish irony?
"They had a car and a caravan trailer for holidays, and a swimming-pool which was fenced so that the little boy and his playmates would not fall in and drown" (1)
The parents fence the pool to protect their son, but these precautions eventually do more harm than good.
How is this quote pivotal for the story's plot development?
"The little boy was fascinated by the device and used it as a walkie-talkie in cops and robbers play with his small friends" (2)
This acts as foreshadowing.
What structure do the words "one evening" and "next day" in the following quote suggest?
“One evening, the mother read the little boy to sleep... Next day he pretended to be the Prince who braves the terrible thicket of thorns to enter the palace and kiss the Sleeping Beauty back to life” (3)
Linear structure
Although this is not maintained throughout the duration of the text, these words do establish a linear timeline of events within this level of narration.
Why is the suburb setting important to the tragedy that takes place at the end of the story?
Families typically live in the suburbs, and the son's imagination is illustrated in his final moments. If his parents had more faith in their community, this death would have been avoided.
What is the central conflict in this story?
Expectation/perception vs reality
Based on the layers of narration in this text, what format does this story most closely follow?
Frame story
Based on the story's clues, when does this take place (give a time period)?
Apartheid in South Africa (1940-'90s)