Once Upon a Time

“Once Upon a Time” by Nadine Gordimer

Irony

This somewhat disturbing children’s story leads to an ironic situation at the end of “Once Upon a Time.” Because burglaries begin to escalate in the suburbs, the little boy’s parents become very cautious and install a security system. As their fears continue to grow, they install more complex and elaborate walls and security systems to keep possible burglars out of their house. Their motives behind this were to protect their house and possessions, and most importantly, their little boy. They become overly obsessed with caution that they install a “concentration camp” fence to keep out burglars. “It was the ugliest but the most honest in its suggestion of the pure concentration-camp style, no fills, all evident efficacy,” (Gordimer, 235). The ironic situation came about one day when the boy was inspired by the fairy tale his mother had read to him. So, like what most little boys would do, he acted out the fairy tale. The little boy acted as the Prince who saves the princess through the “thicket of thorns.” Henceforth, he decided to climb through the coiled tunnel with razor-sharp teeth. He was severely hurt and wounded as his parents and the housemaid tried to pull him out of the sharp thicket. The irony is that the parents tried so hard to keep their son safe by keeping people out of their house with the fence; but the son got hurt by trying to get in. Even the cat was smart enough to stay away from the razor sharp coils aligning the fence.