Once Upon A Time Gordimer Analysis

Humans are able to choose happiness even in the darkest moments but true joy brings contentment, rather than fear that any minute you might lose it. During the time that Nadine Gordimer wrote, “Once Upon A Time” crime was rampant in South Africa as a result from the oppression and poverty caused by the horrors of Apartheid. Gordimer goes on to tell the story of a family living “happily ever-after” with their son and their domestic workers, but because of the social climate around them they are constantly under threat of violence and theft and their happy ending is ultimately destroyed when their son gets caught in the barbed wire fence that secures their house. In the attempt to protect their happiness, the parents fail to neglect their own …show more content…
The parents had the opportunity to protect their house and family, however, some may say that it is essentially the parents fault that the boy got injured because it was in their efforts to keep him safe that he was hurt. What this objection fails to see is that parents endeavors to protect their family must not be blamed. For instance, if the parents had done less to protect their house and then that same argument must be applied when they fall victim to a robbery or injury due to lack of concern for security, saying that now, they did not do enough. When the husband shows the wife that there is no reason to fear “she [is] afraid” still, and these growing insecurities and paranoia cause the parents to neglect teaching their son safety and proper use of the security features (Gordimer 119). It is important to have protection of both your physical and mental world, both will help you have peace. As Gordimer said in the beginning that she mentally experienced the same fears as those “who do take…precautions”, illustrating that, although it is good and reasonable to physically protect your home, the sense of security is a separate issue build from mistrust and fear (Gordimer