Borders Thomas King Summary

A border can be revealed not only in a geographic sense but can be seen as an obscurity between two individuals in a relationship. In the short story “Borders,” Thomas King narrates in relation to his childhood experiences, and explores the nexus between borders, the mother-daughter relationship, and their identities. As a Blackfoot Native American woman, the mother sees a border as arbitrary, as her ancestors once had no geographic borders. On the other hand, her daughter Laetitia, has a much less traditional view of the world, and her identity is shaped around her modern interpretation of the world. Therefore, this demonstrates a border that is present between the two individuals and also a figurative border between today’s society and minority groups such as the Blackfoot people. The mother daughter relationship is pivotal in representing the dual-meaning of the …show more content…
From the beginning of the story there is a clear distinction between the mother and daughter, in which they are initially separated by the geographic border of Canada and the United States of America. Consequently, this border starts to shape the identity of both mother and daughter. The mother shows an evident sense of self-pride when she is asked to claim her citizenship, and claims it to be “Blackfoot.” Although she is not lying, for security precautions, to cross the border between the United States and Canada, you must claim your citizenship so that they can keep track of who has entered and left their nation. Unlike her mother, Laetitia has a more modernized view of the world and has no problem