Short Story Presentation “Once Upon a Time” by Nadine Gordimer

Characters Protagonist(s): the husband and wife (who live happily in a safe community) Antagonist(s): the “would-be intruders,” the loafers, unemployed, beggars The trustworthy housemaid (of the family) The itinerant gardener (who travels to different houses to garden) The little boy (the son) The cat and dog Include the protagonist, the antagonist, and minor characters, with a brief description for each

Setting “in a house, in a suburb, in a city” (39) A country where racial tensions run high and there is a big discrepancy between the rich and the poor No specific time period is mentioned; it is timeless (could happen anywhere, anytime) Remember, setting is where & when the story takes place; it also can include the mood of the story

Topic Statement “Once Upon a Time” is about a man and his wife who live in a comfortable, gated community, and strive to make their lives even more safe by installing various security devices. State what the story is about in one detailed sentence.

Theme Statements 1) Obsessing about safety can negatively impact one’s quality of life. 2) People can sometimes lose focus on the important things in life when worried about safety and appearance. Remember, theme statements are the author’s commentary on life They must be expressed in one complete sentence

Rating We gave this story a rating of 8/10 What specific thing did you like/dislike about the story? We gave this story a rating of 8/10 We liked it because of the irony in the story. It sounds like a fairly tale, with the title, “Once Upon a Time,” and the family living “happily ever after.” But, in the end, the family loses sight of what is really important (their son) in their quest for a safer environment that quickly becomes hazardous. Give specific references from the story that support your above statement.