Chapter 8: Fairy Tales

Lit/Prof

"Once Upon A Time" --Nadine Gordimer

Foster establishes that authors use fairy tales because they are one of the most common stories to all people. In this chapter Hansel and Gretel particularly is picked as a common ground for fairy tales. While most people think of fairy tales as magical adventures and happily ever afters Gordimer proves that fairy tales don't necesarily have to be warm and inviting. In "Once Upon A Time" Gordimer begins with her connection with fairy tales and how she was unwilling to write a children's book. It is interesting that she chose the topic she did due to personal experience and fear.

This short story was effective in showing a different view of childhood stories. This less than cheery tale shows the diversity in writing and how authors can have different perspective when they think of fairy tales. Gordimer's story not only address a different option for fairy tales but it also address a problem in everyday society. If we look at this as materialistic objects instead of security we see that sometimes people in our society focus on obtaining the latest version of technology that they don't realize that their obsession is hurting them. While they may feel that staying up to date is the best thing in order to thrive it is evident that their fixation is controlling their life.

In Gordimer's story she proves that sometimes people try so hard not to let something bad happen that they are eventually the cause of it. The happy couple tries so hard to keep all the bad out that they don't realize how much harm they are actually doing. They are so worried about personal safety that their hazardous equipment is the thing that actually hurts them (son) in the long run.

This story is quite ironic because as the family tried to protect itself it actually hurt itself. In the same manner someone wished for Gordimer to write a children's story which resulted in a story that a child should not hear. I think the moral that Gordimer is trying to teach through the writing of this story and the response to the anonymous request is that you shouldn't try to hard, because it will hurt you in the long run. While this story is far from appropriate for children she did what she was requested of by writing a fairy tale with a "happily ever after."