Borders

Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1993

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Summary

Background

Story Analysis

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

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Discussion Questions

Background

Authorial Context: Thomas King

Thomas King’s background, education, and professional pursuits are directly linked to the questions of identity and status explored in “Borders.” King was born in California in 1943 and moved to Canada in the 1980s for professional pursuits. King’s father may have been of Cherokee descent but his absence and later death make it difficult to confirm. His university studies centered on the fight for rights for Indigenous populations in the United States and Canada, and his interests range from the oral traditions in Indigenous cultures to contemporary laws defining Indigenous status and citizenship. In “Borders,” King includes several themes and literary devices that are central to his work. One example is the use of the border to explore issues at the convergence of identity and law. Contemporary classifications of citizenship and status are the central conflict in “Borders.” Another example is the mother’s use of oral tradition to pass knowledge to her son. King’s writings are marketed to young adult readers, but his work contains themes and questions that resonate with all ages.

Sociohistorical Context: Identity, Power, and Injustice

The title of the work signifies that the story is rooted in the relationship between identity, citizenship, status, and power. This context is revealed through borderlands, law enforcement officials, and the perspectives and experiences of Indigenous characters in the text.

The basic socio-historical context in the text is the conflict between Indigenous populations and the colonial system they inhabit. King’s attitude in the text seems critical of a system that has not yet evolved to recognize and respect Indigenous sovereignty, identity, and citizenship. This criticism is pointed at institutions and society. The text criticizes institutions such as law enforcement for their inability to account for nuance in identity. The text also criticized society for not paying attention to these issues until they are sensationalized through the media.

Another important part of the text’s socio-historical context is its novelty in comparison to previous stories of injustice. The presence of media and personal recording devices has revolutionized the way we can capture and spread evidence of injustice. This fact also forces us to reckon with centuries of colonialism during which there was no way to prove or publicize injustice. What we see now through the media and camera phones only scratches the surface of the past and present lives of marginalized populations.