A Time Essay, Research Paper
Once Upon a Social Issue
Fairy tales have always been told to us as children; whether to comfort or entertain us, they always seem to be a part of most everyone?s childhood. When Nadine Gordimer was asked to write a children?s story, she replied with a short story titled ?Once Upon A Time?. Although the title is characteristic of a fairy tale, she leads the tale to an ending that is anything other than ??happily ever after.? Gordimer distorts the fairy tale by dealing with certain issues rather than giving the reader the usual fairy tale characteristics. Three of the more significant issues Gordimer likes to deal with in her story are racial discrimination and prejudice, society?s insecurities, and the persuasive way fairy tales have with children.
Gordimer?s ?Once Upon A Time? has the feeling of insecurity right away. In the first part of her story, Gordimer reminds us of our own insecurities. She brings up a familiar situation in which one is awakened by a bump in the night and cannot go back to sleep because of fear or their own insecurities. Gordimer writes, ?I have no burglar bars, no gun under the pillow, but I have the same fears as people who do take these precautions…? So, to better convey this issue of society?s insecurities, she tells herself a bedtime story. In the story, there is a family who is living ??happily ever after?, yet is seems it is all that they can do to keep it that way. Rather than putting their insecurities aside and getting on with their lives, they feel that they must put their trust in security devices to protect their selves. For a short while, the family has a sense of security by posting a plaque stating ??YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED? over the silhouette of a prospective intruder. After a short time the family?s psychological need for more security calls for a number of new security devices in order to sustain the top level of security. It is in the family?s pursuit of this ?security? that they virtually imprison themselves. After the installation of burglar bars, Gordimer describes the view ?from every window and door in the house where they were living happily ever after they now saw the trees and sky through bars.?
One of the less obvious issues lining ?Once Upon A Time? is racial discrimination. Gordimer first suggestion that this suburb may be slightly racist is by stating that the plaque on their gate warning possible intruders didn?t designate black or white, therefore protesting too much the owner of the home not to be a racist. By adding this statement, Gordimer lets there be evidence for a possible racism problem in this suburb. Gordimer?s statement of riots outside of the city was also supporting evidence toward racism in this place. The only black people that were allowed in the suburbs were those considered to be trustworthy gardeners or housemaids, and soon the trustworthy were not the only black people to be loitering around the suburb. Gordimer writes of the community stating ?it was a beautiful suburb, spoilt only by [the black people?s] presence.? With the coming of these undesired guests, the family?s sense of security begins to weaken yet again. In order to further suppress their insecure feelings, they decide to raise the walls surrounding the property to a height of seven feet. Later, after finding footprints that were not their own on the street side of the wall, the family?s sense of security was further diminished. As a final attempt at gaining complete security, the family pondered the addition of even more protection for their outside wall. The family?s pursuit of a mental security booster was finished when they lined the outside walls with razor wire that formed an unconquerable barrier.
Feeling quite safe with their new wire defense, the mother finally feels secure enough to let her guard down and read her little boy a fairy tale. The fairy tale, a story about a prince who dashes through a terrible thicket of thorns to enter the palace and kiss the Sleeping Beauty and bring her back to life. Children, having the imaginations that they do, sometimes like to pretend to be a hero as in the fairy tale. So, the next day, the little boy decides to also save the sleeping beauty by crawling through the shinny new obstacle atop the outside wall. Once inside the young prince began to charge through the insurmountable odds, and found them to be truly insurmountable. The tunnel of stainless steel razor coils quickly entrapped the young boy, tangling and terribly mangling him in his struggle to escape until finally the boy cannot struggle any longer.
There can be many interpretations of the authors meaning and purpose for writing. Gordimer utilizes this opportunity to address the issue of insecurity that society is overrun by today. She also examines the unfairness and racial problems that many parts of South Africa face. By the boy having been killed, it is clear that Gordimer wanted to show how someone living with these issues, like the family, could actually weaken themselves by submitting to their prejudices and insecurities. With all of this said, I feel that this story is more than anything, a way for Gordimer to express her thoughts and feelings on these topics while also sort of defying an attempt by someone to have the audacity to tell her what she should write.
3d1
Gordimer, Nadine. ?Once Upon a Time.? Literature Harcourt Brace College Publishers. 1997 pg. 74-78
Другие работы по теме:
The Argument Culture Essay Research Paper In
The Argument Culture Essay, Research Paper In The Argument Culture, Deborah Tannen describes our adversarial society in debates and dialogues. Tannen discusses our culture?s style of seeing issues, questions, and conflicts as having two sides that battle each other for one goal, victory. She says that not only does this argument culture or culture of critique we live in make life more challenging and alienating, it also reduces the amount of information made available to viewers or information seekers.
How The Enlightenment Adresses Essay Research Paper
GOLDINA, OLGA ANALYZE THE WAYS IN WHICH ENLIGHTENMENT THOUGHT ADDRESSED RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND SOCIAL ISSUES IN THE 18TH CENTURY During the 18th century, the Enlightenment addressed religious beliefs and social issues, which were controversial among all the people and were not accepted by the government.
Weep Not Child By Ngugi Essay Research
Paper Question #2 – What are some issues particular to the society in question and how are those issues expressed by the author? Ngugi’s novel, Weep Not Child, is one of hope and of opposition. It opens up to address issues particular to the society. The purpose of this essay is to analyze the issues addressed in the text, and show how the issues are expressed by the author.
Diving For Pearls Essay Essay Research Paper
DIVING FOR PEARLS ESSAY In the play Diving for Pearls by Katherine Thomson, the audience or reader are subjected to a play that not only addresses the issues of restructuring and redundancy in the working class towns, and the effect on the lives of the people involved, but they also see a world of the main characters, den s, social life, which I believe Thompson uses as a symbol for the future of the town.
African Slave Trade Essay Research Paper With
African Slave Trade Essay, Research Paper With exploration arising in the 1400 s, so did the completion for success between Portugal and Spain. Both countries were in search for the ultimate prize of exploration, gold. Portugal sought after Africa and Spain attempted to find more in the Americas. Even though the African slave trade seemed racist in historical perspective, it was indeed more for economic benefits instead because of the necessity of workers by Spaniards and fact that slavery was accepted in Africa.
School Prayer Essay Research Paper The United
School Prayer Essay, Research Paper The United States Supreme court will once again address the issues of prayer in public schools. In the constitution, it guarantees freedom of religion, and separation between church and state. Should the government be allowed to base an opinion on social values versus social values? Just like any other controversy, there are two opposing sides.
Elections Of 1912 And 2000 Essay Research
Paper Woodrow Wilson and William Howard Taft in nineteen-twelve were counterparts to Al Gore and George W. Bush in two thousand. There were others running for presidency as well, just as there are today, but for the purpose of this paper, we shall compare and contrast only these four.
Picasso
’s Guernica Essay, Research Paper GUERNICA Considered to be one of the most influential artist of the 20th century, Pablo Picasso, transformed the way artists see the world through his exploration of forms in Cubism. One of Picasso s most prolific works, “Guernica”, intensely combines rich visual imagery as well as powerful symbolism to successfully convey the plight of war in a universal manner and could also be considered as one of the most important paintings in the 20th century.
Discover The Impact Of Puritanism Of Colonial
Society. Essay, Research Paper The puritans were a prime example of religious development of America. They had become social outcast in England, where they had little voice in matters, and so they migrated to America. There they set up the Massachusetts Bay colony, which flourished. With religious motivation too fulfill a ?Covenant? with God to establish the ?New Jerusalem,? successful model colony in America, they laid many of the foundations that would later be of great political importance.
Sociology Essay Research Paper II Sociology
Sociology Essay, Research Paper II) Sociology is the study of social behavior, which means it describes and explains society, or the rules of the group. Social behavior is any behavior that has been, or is being, conditions to any degree by interaction with others. When you read this definition you begin to understand the complexity of sociology.
Space Exploration Essay Research Paper If the
Space Exploration Essay, Research Paper If the nation is serious about the manned exploration and development of space, then more attention must be focused now on research to study how weightlessness and reduced gravity would affect everything from power production to plumbing. The research is critical for the development of space-related technologies.
Space Exploration Essay Research Paper I think
Space Exploration Essay, Research Paper I think resources should continue to be used for space exploration. There are many people who look upon space exploration as an unnecessary expense incurred trying to satisfy dreamers, while leaving real problems like human suffering unresolved. But it has had many practical benefits in the past, and will continue to yield in the future.
Gilded Age By Mark Twain Essay Research
Paper The last quarter of the nineteenth century was dubbed the Gilded Age by Mark Twain for its shallowness and corruption in both American society and politics. The most consuming governmental issues at the national level were the tariff, currency, civil-service reform, and government regulation of railroads, but the prevailing sentiment in Washington was to run a limited, laissez-faire government that would foster economic growth.
Presidency 2 Essay Research Paper There are
Presidency 2 Essay, Research Paper There are currently eight candidates running for the United States Presidency. Even though there are eight running, there are only two that are most likely to win. These two are Vice President Al Gore and Texas Governor George W. Bush. The election all depends on what the candidates debate about and where they stand on the issues.
Geography Essay Research Paper GeographyGeography is a
Geography Essay, Research Paper Geography Geography is a topic that we have covered in class on several occasions. It has also been a focus of some of our assigned readings. Geography is one of the most important sections of Social Studies. Geography is simply defined as the study of earth and its features.
Observer Review The Emperor Of Ocean Park
By Stephen L Carter Essay, Research Paper Supreme EmperorThe Emperor of Ocean ParkStephen L CarterJonathan Cape ?18, pp657After Jonathan Franzen’s T he Corrections and Jonathan Safran Foer’s Everything Is Illuminated, The Emperor of Ocean Park is the third recent American novel to arrive here with the hyperbole that comes with a massive advance and ecstatic US critical reaction.
Social Security Essay Research Paper Social securityThe
Social Security Essay, Research Paper Social security The issue I am addressing today is what to do about social security. There is going to be a large problem with our social security in years to come. Both Al Gore and Bush
The Problem At Hand Essay Research Paper
THE PROBLEM AT HAND The public, in general, tends to exploit many social issues, because gossip is a way in which people escape from the planks in their own eyes. Although exploitations of the problems that plague society s neighbors render relief on troubled souls, there are a few subjects many would find rather vexing, such as, dysfunctional families, mental illness, and the search for personal fulfillment.
Drilling For Oil In The Arctic Wildlife
Refuge Essay, Research Paper The question of whether to drill for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge stands clearly on the energy issues table. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a 1.5 million-acre parcel of wilderness area bordering the Arctic Ocean to the north and the Trans-Alaska Pipeline to the south.
Henrik Ibsen
“A Dolls House” (Ideas) Essay, Research Paper How women and Men are portrayed in the play and how this can be directly related back to the social issues of the time.
Joseph Shapiro And Andrea WrightS
“Can Churches Save America” Essay, Research Paper Can Churches Save America? When reading Joseph Shapiro and Andrea Wright’s article, Can Churches Save America, I couldn’t help but to feel compelled to write about this. The article touched on how the government is an institution that is impersonal to those who are seeking help to reestablish themselves in society, yet the most churches are caring and plant their programs in a strong-grounded religious foundation.
My Political Views Essay Research Paper I
My Political Views Essay, Research Paper I see myself as a quite liberal person on political, social, and economic issues. I believe the public has some duties to the government such as pay taxes. In turn, the government should fund programs to help the people who need assistance. Unfortunately, much of the American public has lost its trust in the federal government because of corruption and special interest groups.
The Effects Of Talk Show Viewing Essay
, Research Paper The article aims to assess whether data is consistent with critics? claims on the effects of talk show viewing on the social reality beliefs of adolescents. Critics hypothesize the following negative effects occur (on adolescents) as a result of talk-show viewing: 1) a incessant focus on bizarre behavior and social deviance leading viewers to accept distorted versions of reality, 2) desensitization to the suffering of others occurs due to (regular) viewer immunity to graphic discussions and guest outbursts, 3) the trivialization of important social issues due to the oversimplification of difficult issues.
Social Issues In Society Essay Research Paper
In today s world, there are many social issues, like poverty, vandalism and unemployment. However, prejudice has become the most dramatic one. Prejudging people for their appearance is a common practice that human
Social Issues Of Yesterday And Today Essay
, Research Paper Kevin Sellers April 8, 1998 Social Issues of Yesterday and Today “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend or oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty,” (John Fitzgerald Kennedy).
Dawn Social Justice Group Essay Research Paper
DAWN The social justice group DAWN (disabled woman?s network Ontario) is a province wide organization of woman with all types of disabilities. They are a feminist organization which supports woman in their struggle to control their own lives. Dawn Ontario is controlled by women with disabilities. The members include woman with disabilities and non-disabled woman.
Eu Social Policy And Monetary Policy Essay
, Research Paper The integration of Europe has created a new government that could be labeled as intergovernmental, or supranational. Most would agree, that in reality, it is a delicate balance of the two. However, you can identify specific policies within the EU as more intergovernmental or supranational.
Social Justice In Education Essay Research Paper
Social Justice in Education “Social Justice in Education” by R. W. Connell discusses the role of education in society and the implications that social justice issues have on education. Connell begins by establishing that education and social justice can be examined separately yet they are inescapably linked through the social medium of their implementation. “Education concerns schools, colleges and universities, whose business is to pass knowledge on to the next generation.
Social Justiceand The Role Of The Social
Worker Essay, Research Paper Social Justice and the Role of Social Work Social and economic justice occurs when “all members of a society share equally in the social order, secure an equitable consideration of resources and opportunities, and enjoy their full benefit of civil liberties” (DuBois & Krogsrud Miley, 1996; p.15).
Aids In Africa Essay Research Paper AIDS
Aids In Africa Essay, Research Paper AIDS In Africa: A Rising Problem Africa is a continent with many social issues and problems. These social issues range from overpopulation, racism, and a countless number of disease epidemics. One of the most deadly and uncontrollable of these diseases is the HIV virus, or AIDS.
Music Essay Essay Research Paper English 4
Music Essay Essay, Research Paper English 4 Music Essay This paper is a “claim-driven” essay. That means, your goal is to persuade your audience to think the way you do about a particular issue regarding music. You will state a thesis and support this thesis with convincing evidence. Your “convincing evidence” will include analyses of lyrics, CD covers and videos and secondary sources about your musician or genre of music.
Business Essay Research Paper Business World TodayMy
Business Essay, Research Paper Business World Today My thoughts on the business world today are good and bad. I also think it depends on the person and the morals, or ethics they have. The study and evaluation of decision making by businesses according to moral concepts and judgments. Ethical questions range from practical, narrowly defined issues, such as a company s obligation to be honest with its customers, to broader social and philosophical questions, such as a company s responsibility to preserve the environment and protect employee rights.