Borders

  Thomas King's "Borders" is a reality story about a family trying to cross the border between Canada and America to see her daughter in Salt Lake City. At first, the readers might only think the main border in the story is the dividing line between Canada and the USA. But once the readers read more carefully, they will find that there is a metaphorical border exists in this story- the border that society has imposed for the minorities groups like the Blackfoot citizens. We can clearly know this border when the guard tells the mother she has to be a Canadian or American if she wants to pass the border, yet the mother insists that she is the first nation Blackfoot not Canadian or American. Her firm attitude toward her citizenship shows that she is proud of her identity as a Blackfoot. Also, she feels ironic and confused about why the Blackfoot that is a Native American tribe have to be an American or Canadian so they can pass the border. King successfully uses irony to ignite a sense of realization within the readers on the thought of committing to regard the minority's group's identity as the first nation and break the metaphorical border between the Native American and the society.

 

 Question: What’s your attitude toward the Native American before & after you read Thomas King’s “Border”?