Question

Central idea of once upon a time?

Answer 1

Once Upon a Time" is a short story written by South African Nadine Gordimer and published in her collection titled "Jump and Other Stories." The protagonist, an unnamed female novelist, hears a sound in the night and thinks it's an intruder, possibly a burglar or a thief. She discovers it was only the shifting of the earth that caused her house to creak. The woman can't get back to sleep and imagines her own bedtime story -- a dark, somber, violent tale about humankind's ability to self-destruct through fear. In fact, the theme of "Once Upon a Time" is about the devastating consequences that can result when one overreacts to fear or perceived danger.The protagonist's bedtime story is about a family that goes to extreme measures to add security to their home, but the razor-sharp fence they have installed eventually leads to the death of their son. Gordimer experienced the apartheid system in South Africa firsthand and uses "Once Upon a Time" to express the fear and anxiety she and others felt during that violent period. Gordimer's theme is likely a statement against the fear, cruelty and social injustices associated with racial segregation.