The walls, bars, and Dragon’s Teeth
: These barriers symbolize how fear produces isolation that creates a prison for the one who fears. The family first encloses themselves in a wall, then imprisons themselves behind bars, and finally confines themselves to a concentration camp.
What are the symbols found in the story?
A symbol is anything that stands for, or represents, something else. In a story,
a character, an action, an object, or an animal can
be symbolic. Often these symbols stand for something abstract, like a force of nature, a condition of the world, or an idea.
What does the razor wire symbolize in Once Upon a Time?
The razor wire is symbolic of
apartheid
, which destroyed South African society by keeping different races apart. … With this, Gordimer evokes the German Holocaust and also suggests that the family is imprisoning themselves with the razor wire, even as they think they’re keeping themselves safe.
What does the gold mine symbolize in Once Upon a Time?
The gold mine: In the frame story, the gold mine under the narrator’s home that causes her house to shift and creak represents
the stirrings of the “underclass” in the exploitative social system of apartheid
.
What does the boy symbolize in Once Upon a Time?
The boy symbolizes
innocence
. He is completely unaware of the dangers from which his paranoid, or could we say pragmatic, parents and grandmother wish to protect him.
What is the irony in Once Upon a Time?
The basic irony presented in “Once Upon a Time” is that
the author herself does not believe in having to write a fairly tale
. Gordimer opens her story with a statement against having to write a fairly tale, yet ends up doing so.
What is the moral of once upon a time?
The central theme brought out through this short story is the idea that
human fear represents the greatest obstacle to human happiness
. The family “loves each other very much,” as indicated in the opening details. This love for one another creates a perpetual and increasing fear of the disruption in the outside world.
What are the 3 types of symbolism?
- Metaphor. A metaphor refers to one thing by directly mentioning another. …
- Simile. Rather than implying a comparison like a metaphor, a simile explicitly denotes comparison between two things. …
- Allegory. …
- Archetype. …
- Personification. …
- Hyperbole. …
- Metonymy. …
- Irony.
What are the symbols called?
| Symbol Name of the Symbol Similar glyphs or related concepts | & Ampersand | ⟨ ⟩ Angle brackets Bracket, Parenthesis, Greater-than sign, Less-than sign | ‘ ‘ Apostrophe Quotation mark, Guillemet, Prime, foot (unit), minute | * Asterisk |
|---|
What are three examples of symbolism?
- rainbow–symbolizes hope and promise.
- red rose–symbolizes love and romance.
- four-leaf clover–symbolizes good luck or fortune.
- wedding ring–symbolizes commitment and matrimony.
- red, white, blue–symbolizes American patriotism.
- green traffic light–symbolizes “go” or proceed.
What does the wise old witch symbolize in Once Upon a Time?
The wise old witch in “Once Upon a Time” symbolizes
the folly of apartheid
. Although she’s supposed to be wise, her gift of extra bricks to improve the personal security of her son and his family makes a bad situation worse.
What does the house symbolize in Once Upon a Time?
In “Once Upon A Time,” the wall can be seen as a symbol because it has a deeper meaning. Specifically, it is symbolic of
a fear of outsiders and a desire to protect oneself from potential threats
.
What is the house in Once Upon a Time built on?
Rick Dalton’s house in Once Upon a Time in…
Hollywood
is located at 10969 Alta View Drive in Studio City.
Why does Gordimer mention her house’s location above a mine in lines 30 45?
Symbolically, the house sitting atop the gold mine
represents the white culture that was built on the work and labor of the black servant class in
South Africa.
What is the story once upon a time by Nadine Gordimer about?
The woman can’t get back to sleep and imagines her own bedtime story — a dark, somber, violent tale about humankind’s ability to self-destruct through fear. In fact, the theme of “Once Upon a Time” is about
the devastating consequences that can result when one overreacts to fear or perceived danger
.
Why does Gordimer mention her house location above a mine here?
The reason that Gordimer mentions this fact is because
she wants to make clear that her house is creaking not because of an intruder but because of the hollow ground beneath it
.
