The prompt states "Note the irony in Nadine Gordimer's Once Upon a Time. Argue to what affect and how successfully irony is used and what it accomplishes."
I know that the irony lies in the fact that Gordimer starts the fairy tale by stating that she hates fairy tales and that the boy dies in his parent's effort to protect him, but I'm sort of missing the mark as far as Gordimer's cultural relevance. I know it refers to the Apartheid but how/why?
Also I'm having trouble formulating a thesis statement
That doesn't help at all. I know how to google.
Did you google irony in Nadine Gordimer's Once Upon a Time yet? You need that word "irony" in the search terms to find things. There are a few in the search results below, but you would have to judge whether various answers are worth checking out or not.
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&expIds=17259,17311,23756,24692,24878,24879,25752,25854,26101,26209,26218,26286,26339,26751,26780,26789,26799&sugexp=ldymls&tok=a9-7oW3ms4JXnAXBnD5M5g&xhr=t&q=irony+in+Nadine+Gordimer%27s+Once+Upon+a+Time&cp=43&pf=p&sclient=psy&site=&source=hp&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=irony+in+Nadine+Gordimer%27s+Once+Upon+a+Time&gs_rfai=&pbx=1&fp=bf4aaf4ca6ffe511
When you ask a question about a particular work, you run the risk of asking about something that none of us has read. I've never read this, so the best I'd ever be able to do is a search results link.
To analyze the cultural relevance and the use of irony in Nadine Gordimer's "Once Upon a Time," it is important to understand the historical context in which the story was written. Gordimer, a South African writer and activist, lived during the era of apartheid, a system of racial segregation and oppression that marginalized black South Africans.
The irony in the story can be seen in Gordimer's critique of conventional fairy tales and her use of a fairy tale structure to convey a deeper social message. In the beginning, she declares her dislike for fairy tales, highlighting their unrealistic portrayal of life. However, she then proceeds to present a story that resembles a fairy tale, with its princesses, knights, and magical beings. The irony lies in her subversion of the fairy tale genre to expose the harsh realities of South African society under apartheid.
The story revolves around the construction of security measures by the protagonist family, symbolizing the fear and paranoia that engulfed South African society during apartheid. The family's attempts to protect themselves and their child from perceived threats ultimately lead to tragedy when the little boy dies in their attempt to keep him safe. This is a powerful metaphor for the destructive consequences of apartheid policies that sought to separate and preserve the privilege of certain groups at the expense of others.
In terms of formulating a thesis statement, you could consider something like:
"In 'Once Upon a Time,' Nadine Gordimer utilizes irony to critique the detrimental effects of apartheid by subverting traditional fairy tale elements, conveying a powerful message about fear, violence, and the destructive consequences of racial segregation."
Once you have your thesis statement, you can provide evidence from the story, such as analyzing Gordimer's use of fairy tale conventions, examining specific instances of irony, and exploring the story's cultural and historical context to support your argument.