ONCE UPON A TIME - by Enamene Bella

ONCE UPON A TIME Guess what? I have always wondered why "Once upon a time" is placed at the beginning of a story. What does it really mean? Does it make the story more interesting? Does it tell the reader that what he is about to read is not real? I have been asking myself this question since when I was small. We have all read passages, novels and folktales that start with "Once upon a time." In fact I have come to realise that this opening is especially common in nursery school books. Most especially in nursery and primary school, pupils are often told that this is the only way to start a story. My own teacher in primary 3 used to tell us that if you want to write story you must start with Once upon a time. Because of this, many learners, especially those writing about the animal kingdom, believe that there is no other way to begin a composition. They think that Once upon a time is the only correct opening. So anytime they want to write about lion, tortoise, hare, they will just write Once upon a time in the animal kingdom. They think that is the only way. I am not despising the fact that Once upon a time is a good way to start a passage, but there are more mature and more appropriate ways to begin a good piece of writing. This is where knowledge is important. As we are growing, our writing should be growing too. We cannot be in SS3 and still be writing like nursery school pupil. Why is Once upon a time commonly used in many passages? I personally from my own point of view think that it is a good way to start a story, but is it the only way? And why is it so often used? If there is a need to be reserved for some other phrases used in English writing, Once upon a time would forever be a legend in the history of writing. It will be a legend because everybody knows it. Small children knows it, old people knows it. The phrase does something to our comprehension while we are reading a passage. It tells us that a story is about to begin. It prepares our minds. Then when we read the first word Once, we know that what is coming is a tale of the past. Therefore it makes the audience believe that what they are about to read is not of the present. It is something that happened long time ago. Let us take the tortoise and the hare as a case study. How many times have we heard or read that story? I have heard it many times. My grandmother used to tell me that story in the night. It is not related to real life. In real life tortoise and hare cannot be talking and organising race. It is a fictional piece, presented in the form of a story to teach us lesson. The lesson is that we should not be proud. Once upon a time is not just a word; it emphasises the fictitious nature of the story and gives the reader a better understanding of the writer's idea. It is not just a start-up for a write-up or a passage; it is a legendary opening. That is my own example I gave. Another example is what my teacher taught us in primary school. He said if you don't start with Once upon a time your story is wrong. That example stuck in my head and I believe many students also have same experience. That is why many students fail essay because they use it for every topic. But let me ask, can you start argumentative essay with Once upon a time? For example if they say write essay on Drug Abuse, can you start with Once upon a time there was a boy who took drugs? No, it will not sound well. It will sound childish. The examiner or the reader will just know you don't know what you are writing. That is the problem. In conclusion, Once upon a time is indeed suitable for narrative essays. It signifies the beginning of a tale, especially one that is fictional or set in the distant past. It is commonly used and understood by many, from children to adults. However, for a more mature, expository or argumentative essay, there are far more creative and engaging ways to begin. A writer should not be bound by this single phrase. To become a better writer, one must learn when to use it and when to search for a more powerful introduction. So that is what I would encourage anyone to do. You should just try to write in our own way and not just copy 'Once upon a time' every time. That is how we can become good writers. We should not be afraid to start our story in another way. That is my own advice for all students.

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