Perspectives

Literary period

The short story “Some Are Born to Sweet Delight” by Nadine Gordimer holds postmodern characteristics to some extent. The Postmodernist literary movement experienced a rise in the post-World War II era and gained popularity throughout the late twentieth century.

Postmodernist works can be recognised through themes, context, and narrative techniques. In this short story, Nadine Gordimer describes themes that deal with ethnic and religious conflicts; themes which are often encountered in other postmodernist works. Other works by Gordimer also frequently feature issues of race and politics, particularly in South Africa, and also depict stories about troubled love.

In keeping with many postmodern narratives, this short story features intertextuality. The story uses William Blake’s poem “Auguries of Innocence” as an epigraph, connecting the two texts through thematic references. The story also alludes to several real events, like the car bom...