Once Upon a Time

“Once Upon a Time” is a good example of a political allegory. What are the intentionally nameless characters intended to represent? How does this story connect to the larger social and political climate of South African apartheid? Consider one of the following characters as you explore the allegory:

• The paranoid mother
• The “trusted housemaid” or “itinerant gardener”
• The curious little boy

Teaching Suggestion: This question is intended to help students connect the fictional story to the historical themes of Township Uprisings of 1984-1985 and the End of Apartheid and South Africa’s Mining Industry, Exploitation, and Personal Wealth. It might be helpful to assign different characters to different groups and then have them jigsaw to share their findings. Comparing the different characters’ realities may give students a larger picture of the message/intent of the story.