Once Upon A Time

     In "Once Upon A Time" by Nadine Gordimer, the author tells a very gruesome "bedtime story." One thing I really liker about the story is that the author started out with a background of why she is writing a childrens' story. She tells this in the first person point of view. I liked this because it felt very personal, like the author and I know each other so well that she would begin by talking directly to me in the first person. I also like this because normally one does not know why the author chose to write a specific work. I think it is creative how she says "So I begin to tell myself a story, a bedtime story" (232). The fact that we know she is telling this story to herself because she sleeps makes it more interesting to read while keeping that in mind.
     Aside from the gruesome ending of the story, I didn't like many of the details. I didn't like that the city in which the family lived was so caught up with protection from dangers. While we do need to be cautious, dangerous events and people are inevitable. Clearly going to such extreme measures will cause more harm than good.