Short Story Presentation

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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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

6. Rating 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.