Once Upon a Time

Miffed because someone asked her to write a child's story, Gordimer created an allegory in "Once upon a Time" to an old children's tale with dragons, towers, and an evil witch. It was exactly what the person wanted; nevertheless, the story took on newer setting. The sinister witch, who is described as the husband's mother, persistently pushed for the wife and husband to blockade their home from the world. When the wife wanted a bigger wall, the mother-in-law "paid for the extra bricks as her Christmas present (Gordimer, 234)." Like magic, the construction workers built a wall, trapping the family inside. Also, the mother gifted a book of fairy tales to her grandson, which translates to the apple in Snow White or the spindle in Sleeping Beauty. The grandson falls for the trick and reads the book, which ultimately leads to his demise. The dragon, another vital aspect of many classic stories, visits this allegory. "DRAGON'S TEETH The People For Total Security (235)" creates a barbed wire dragon that protects the family or traps them even further. The fairy tale defers. Instead of the Prince vanquishing the dragon, the dragon devours the little boy Price. That is the fairy tale that Gordimer spun.