Throughout the fairy tale contained in Once Upon A Time, various objects and events (and even specific warnings) foreshadow the grim ending. What...

The "bedtime story" contained in Once Upon A Time by Nadine Gordimer reveals the inner conflict of a misguided family which believes it is doing the best it can to protect itself. The reader feels uneasy almost from the beginning as this seemingly perfect family has a sign which reads "You have been warned," and it is intended for any would-be intruders foreshadowing what will follow. There is also talk of riots, and even though the husband reassures his wife that "there was nothing to fear," the reader is not convinced. The fact that they need "police and soldiers and tear -gas and guns" suggests that the riots are more threatening than the husband reveals, leading the reader to conclude that this story will not end well.

The chronological order is central to the story as it intensifies the increasing extent of this family's paranoia. The more precautions it takes, the more flaws it find in its security. The alarm systems seem to mock the efforts of all the residents of the suburb because "intruders sawed the iron bars" while the alarms become almost musical, soothing even and ineffective. Furthermore, the more security measures they take, the more people there are outside their property, and even though the rioters may have been contained, the "loafers and tsotsis" become more threatening as time progresses, again foreshadowing the tragic ending. 

The cat itself represents a (seemingly innocuous) threat to the family. It is the cat which first sets off the alarm. It is the cat whose actions, when it "effortlessly" scales the wall, prompt the family to find another way to protect themselves, and it is the cat which remains on the property at the end because it would not even attempt the latest security enhancements, foreshadowing the fact that the danger lies inside.

The characters that are set in opposition to each other are the people outside the wall and the family within. The wife does not like to see "people go hungry" but the husband is more inclined to listen to the "wise old witch."