Once upon a Time: The Movie

Plot:
The main change that I would make to the plot would to eliminate the opening scene. The structure of a frame story does not really fit. I think that the story would be more effective if it stood on its own. Also, the author never returns to the opening scene. I think it would confuse an audience if the story was unresolved, as it is. The first scene is not necessary.
Point of View:
I think I would leave the point of view the same. The third person omniscient narrator was the best choice for a story such as this. I think it is best to have a third party telling the story. It is a delicate and morbid story. The reader is not really supposed to feel pity for the family I don't think. If it was told by one of the characters in the story, it would evoke pity.
Characterization:
I think I would focus on the family members' lives a little more. To create a full length movie, you would really have to go more in depth into their lives. You would need to establish details such as what the parents careers were. I think I would make the father a doctor. This would be ironic because he would have devoted his life to helping and aiding others. However, he refuses to help the impoverished that are right on his doorstep.
Setting:
We discussed in class that the author lived in South Africa. Because of this, I viewed it in that environment. I think I would definitely specify that as the setting. It would point out that racism, hate, and fear are universal issues. We recognize them in our own communities and even communities similar to ours. However, I don't think we always know that other cultures have similar issues. Many Americans are probably ignorant to the violent acts that take place around the world such as the genocide in Darfur. A setting such as this would bring awareness to current social concerns.
Theme:
The theme of fear to the point of destruction is present in the short story. I would build on that and emphasize that fear of different people and practices can lead to disaster. It would encourage an idea of openness to others and their opinions. I would again bring the universality of fear and racism to the forefront. It is not an American problem, it is a human problem. This theme would again call awareness to social justice issues in today's world.