Characters
Who tells the story at the very beginning?
An unnamed narrator/writer
What does the wall around the house symbolize?
Division and fear
What kind of irony is it when the family builds security but becomes less safe?
Situational irony
What country is this set in?
South Africa
What happens to the boy at the end?
He gets caught in razor wire and dies
What does the wife insist they need to protect themselves?
What does the razor wire represent?
Fear turned deadly, a trap of their own making.
Why is it ironic that the child plays "prince rescuing princess" in the garden?
He ends up trapped instead of saving someone.
What was the social system at the time that divided people by race?
Apartheid
Why does he crawl into the razor wire?
He imagines he's a prince rescuing a princess.
What role does the little boy play in the story?
He represents innocence.
What do the alarms symbolize?
What is ironic about the mother's constant worrying?
Her worry creates the very danger that kills the boy
Why were the family so afraid of intruders?
Fear of riots, racial tension, and inequality
How do the parents react when they find him?
They are horrified and devasted
What is the husband's attitude toward the security measures at first?
Practical but cautious.
What does the child's fairy tale play symbolize?
Imagination, innocence, and irony.
What is ironic about calling this a "bedtime story"?
It ends in horror, not comfort.
How does Gordimer criticize society through this story?
By showing how fear and prejudice lead to destruction.
What theme does the ending emphasize the most?
Fear creates tragedy and self-destruction
Why does the narrator describe being asked to write a "bedtime story"?
To set up the story as a "fairy tale" but twist it.
Why is the story framed as a "fairy tale" with a bedtime story opening?
To highlight irony and criticize the false sense of safety.
Explain the dramatic irony of the story's ending.
The audience sees the danger of the razor wire before the boy does, making his death tragic but predictable.
What happens to the family simply because they only cared about safety?
They end up losing their child.
Why is the ending important to the story?
It shows the family's fear caused the tragedy