Unveiling Paranoia: A Deep Dive into ‘Once Upon a Time’ by Nadine Gordimer

The deep tales Nadine Gordimer, a South African Nobel winner, writes skilfully address the difficulties of living under apartheid. In "Once Upon a Time," one of her most moving pieces, she departs from the traditional fairy tale, beginning to dive into a story rich with sociopolitical overtones and the ironic reality of living in a racially separated country. This story's allegorical style offers an eerie meditation on dread, security, and the lengths people will go to in order to feel safe—only to discover that safety eludes them in the most unexpected ways. This essay delves into the intricacies of Gordimer's "Once Upon a Time", highlighting its socio-political nuances, narrative structure, and symbolic implications, emphasizing its enduring relevance in contemporary literature discussions.

Not a Typical Fairy Tale

Gordimer's story is everything from what the title may lead one to believe. The contrast between the lighthearted tone of a bedtime tale and the terrifying undercurrents of terror from the apartheid era leads readers to face the unsettling reality of the time. The suburban environment, with its fences and alarms, evokes the pervasive paranoia that many white South Africans at the time experienced in everyday life:

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The Illusion of Security

The family's ongoing adoption of security measures is one of the story's most striking themes. As a simple wall grows into a fortress made of barbed wire, it symbolizes the increasing anxiety and the futile measures made to protect oneself from the 'other'. However, Gordimer skillfully draws attention to the irony of such actions. In an ironic reflection on the unintended repercussions of obsessive self-preservation, the same walls built for safety end up becoming instruments of tragedy.

Symbolism of the Intruder

The young guy who gets caught in the security fence is a euphemism for South Africa's oppressed Black population. His unintentional entry and terrible demise serve as moving reminders of the many lives that apartheid's harsh realities have impacted and ended.

Narrative Structure and Style

Gordimer adds layers of meta-narrative to the story by starting it with a personal account about someone who insisted her create a children's story. It not only concerns storytelling traditions but also the idea of what tales are considered appropriate for children, which heightens the story's eerie nature.

Conclusion:

Nadine Gordimer's "Once Upon a Time" is more than merely a story about a family's compulsive search for safety. It serves as a potent analogy for the anxieties, biases, and terrible results that characterized the apartheid period. Gordimer expertly combines elements of fairy tales with a story that is both politically provocative and a sharp warning of the dangers of unbridled anxiety and the delusion of safety. She catches the spirit of a civilization trapped by its own boundaries in the horrifying finale of the narrative, illustrating that sometimes the biggest risks are not from the outside world but from the castles we construct around ourselves.

References:

1. Nadine Gordimer. and Other Stories, Jump. 1991, Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.
2. Judie Newman. 'Once Upon a Time' by Nadine Gordimer: Deconstruction, Fairy Tale, and Philosophy. 1993, Taylor & Francis.
3. Nancy Topping Bazin. Novelist and short story writer Nadine Gordimer. 1988, Greenwood Publishing Group.

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