WAEC & NECO Literature-in-English 2026–2030 | African Poetry
Once Upon a Time Questions and Answers
Short-answer questions and model essay answers on Gabriel Okara’s poem, with line references.
These Once Upon a Time questions and answers will help you revise Gabriel Okara’s poem for class tests, WAEC and NECO. Start with the quick questions to check your knowledge. Then study the model essays to see how a strong answer is built.
Line numbers follow the standard 43-line layout. If your textbook differs, count from the first line of your copy. Before you begin, you may want to review the stanza-by-stanza summary.
Section A: Short Once Upon a Time questions and answers
Try to answer each question before reading the answer.
1. Who is the speaker in the poem?
A father, speaking in the first person.
2. To whom is the poem addressed?
His young son (lines 1 and 40).
3. In the past, what did people laugh with?
Their hearts and their eyes (lines 2–3).
4. What do people laugh with now?
Only their teeth (line 4).
5. Which part of the speaker do the left hands search?
The speaker’s empty pockets (lines 11–12).
6. What happens when the speaker visits a third time?
He finds the doors shut against him (lines 17–18).
7. Name two of the faces the speaker has learned to wear.
Any two of homeface, officeface, streetface, hostface and cocktailface (lines 21–23).
8. When the speaker says “Goodbye”, what does he really mean?
Good riddance (lines 28–29).
9. In the mirror, how does his laugh look?
A snake’s bare fangs (lines 38–39).
10. At the end, what does the father ask his son to do?
Show him how to laugh as he once did (lines 40–43).
Section B: Model essay answers
Each model answer has a clear introduction, separate points with evidence, and a short conclusion. Notice how every point refers to specific lines.
Question 1: Discuss the theme of hypocrisy in Once Upon a Time.
Introduction. In Once Upon a Time, Gabriel Okara presents hypocrisy as the main sickness of modern society. Through a father’s words to his son, he shows how people hide their true feelings behind polite behaviour.
Fake laughter and handshakes. In stanza 1, people laugh only with their teeth while their cold eyes look past the speaker (lines 4–6). Similarly, in stanza 2, handshakes lack any warmth, and hands search his pockets (lines 10–12). Friendliness has become a cover for selfishness.
Empty hospitality. Stanza 3 shows hosts inviting the speaker to come again. Yet by his third visit, the door is shut (lines 13–18). Their words and actions do not match.
The speaker’s own pretence. Most strikingly, the father admits that he is also a hypocrite. He wears different faces for each setting (lines 20–24). He also uses polite phrases he does not mean, such as a goodbye that really means good riddance (lines 28–32).
Conclusion. Okara therefore shows hypocrisy as widespread, touching even the speaker himself. His honest confession makes the criticism more powerful.
Question 2: Comment on the poet’s use of imagery.
Introduction. Okara uses vivid imagery to help readers see the coldness of modern life. His images are simple, yet each one carries deep meaning.
Cold eyes. The phrase “ice-block-cold eyes” in line 5 suggests people without warmth or feeling. Even while they laugh, their eyes remain frozen and watchful.
Searching hands. In lines 11–12, a hand feels around in the speaker’s empty pockets. This image of greed shows that people value him only for money.
Shut doors. Line 18 pictures doors shut against the speaker. It captures the rejection behind false hospitality.
The snake in the mirror. Finally, the speaker sees his own laugh as a snake’s bare fangs (line 39). This frightening image reveals his disgust with himself.
Conclusion. Together, these images move from other people’s coldness to the speaker’s own. As a result, they make the poem’s theme of lost sincerity clear and memorable.
Question 3: How does the poem reflect the effect of Western culture on African society?
Introduction. Once Upon a Time can be read as a comment on how Western influence changed African social life. The father compares warm traditional ways with the cold manners of the modern world.
Loss of communal warmth. In traditional society, greetings and laughter came from the heart (lines 2–3 and 8). Today, those gestures have become empty (lines 4 and 10).
Decline of hospitality. African custom welcomes guests warmly. However, in stanza 3 the welcome lasts only two visits before the door closes (lines 16–18).
Borrowed manners. The speaker has learned formal Western phrases such as “Glad to meet you” (line 30). He has also developed a cocktailface (line 23), linked to a Western social custom.
Conclusion. The poem suggests that, in adopting foreign ways, society lost some of its sincerity. The father’s wish to return to childhood honesty reflects a longing for those older values.
Section C: More questions in the full pack
The complete Once Upon a Time exam pack includes model answers to all of these questions, plus objective questions with answers.
Examine the significance of the title Once Upon a Time. 🔒
Discuss the use of irony in the poem. 🔒
What is the relationship between the father and the son? 🔒
Comment on the use of simile in the poem. 🔒
Discuss the poem as a confession. 🔒
Examine the tone of the poem and how it changes. 🔒
How does the poet use contrast to convey his message? 🔒
Discuss the ending of the poem. 🔒
Unlock all model answers
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Tips for answering Once Upon a Time questions and answers in the exam
Begin with a short introduction that names the poet and answers the question directly. After that, give three or four clear points. Support each point with a line reference or a brief quotation, then explain what it shows.
Avoid retelling the whole poem. Instead, keep every paragraph focused on the question. For extra depth, draw on our guides to the themes and the poetic devices. Everything else is in the complete study guide.
Frequently asked questions
What questions are likely on Once Upon a Time in WAEC?
Expect questions on themes, especially hypocrisy, and on devices such as imagery, irony and contrast. Questions on the speaker’s attitude and the title are also common.
How long should my essay answer be?
Aim for four or five well-developed paragraphs, including an introduction and conclusion.
Should I quote from the poem?
Yes, but keep quotations short and always explain them.
Teaching this poem?
Get ready-made lesson notes, class tests and exam questions with marking guides for Once Upon a Time and all 12 prescribed poems.
