The Ultimate Safari

How do the three children in the story differ in their response to war? In what way are the children symbolic of the human response to trauma?

What does Gordimer imply with the title “The Ultimate Safari,” and how is that implication carried throughout the story?

Why does Gordimer jump from the disappearance of the grandfather to the family’s arrival at the refugee camp, cutting out a large section of the journey: their acceptance and aid by an African community across the border and their moment of relief and salvation?

The grandmother sacrifices much for the grandchildren throughout the story. How does Gordimer explore gender?

The story is written by a white South African and criticizes the attitudes of European people. To what extent does this story center white perspectives?

How and why does Gordimer contrast the human animal with wild animals in Kruger Park?

Several of Gordimer’s works were banned in South Africa. Using your own research and “The Ultimate Safari” as reference, why was the South African government opposed to her opinions at the time of her writing?

Gordimer uses the short story form, rather than a novel or play, for this topic. What is the relationship between Gordimer’s use of form and the story’s thematic ideas?