Borders, by Thomas King, is a novel about family, love, and loss. The story follows the lives of two families who are forced to leave their homes and cross the border into the United States. The novel explores the themes of identity, belonging, and home. Borders is a moving and powerful story that will stay with readers long after they finish it.
The message of “Borders” is that the outdated expectation that someone must give up their identity in order to please others does not apply to today’s world. Thomas King shows that individuals should be able to identify with the culture they admire, and they should never be forced to associate with a certain one through Laetitia’s mother.
Laetitia’s mother is a woman who does not want to be pigeon-holed into one cultural background. She was born in Canada to a white mother and a black father. Her upbringing was difficult because she was always considered to be “too black” for the white kids and “not black enough” for the black kids. When she got married, she wanted to hyphenate her last name so that her children would have a connection to both of their cultures, but her husband refused. He said that it was either his name or no name at all.
In the story, Laetitia’s mother tells her that when she was growing up, she used to pretend that she was white. She would straighten her hair and put on dresses that were more appropriate for white girls. It wasn’t until she met Laetitia’s father that she realized that she didn’t have to pretend to be something she wasn’t. He loved her for who she was, and she finally felt like she belonged somewhere.
Laetitia’s mother is a strong woman who has had to fight for her identity her whole life. She has faced discrimination from both sides of the border, but she has never let it stop her from being who she is. In the end, she wants her daughter to know that it’s okay to be different and that you should never have to change who you are to please someone else.
Laetitia’s mother is compelled into this position against her will and informed by the Canadian border guard, “you must be either American or Canadian,” owing to the officer adhering to outmoded policies that are no longer relevant in today’s world (King 141). The officer forces Laetitia’s mother to make an unrealistic choice by stating, “you must be either American or Canadian.”
The officer also gaslights Laetitia’s mother into thinking that her family does not matter and are not real. By doing this, the officer is perpetuating the idea that First Nations people are not “real” human beings. This is a common occurrence at borders, as First Nations people are often treated as if they do not exist or their culture does not matter.
In Borders, Thomas King uses Laetitia and her family’s experience at the Canadian border to explore issues faced by First Nations people in modern society. Through Laetitia’s story, King highlights the systemic problems with the way First Nations people are treated by both the Canadian and American governments. He also highlights the way that First Nations people are often gaslighted into thinking that their culture and family does not matter.
Borders is an important book for anyone interested in learn more about the modern day experiences of First Nations people. It is especially relevant for those who live near the Canadian border or have family members who are First Nations people.
His careless narration of the events that transpire to them, such as when he compares the way border agents walk to “two cowboys going for a bar,” displays his naïveté and childish sense of humor (King 137). He comes to learn the importance of identifying oneself as Blackfoot through his mother’s actions.
Borders by Thomas King is a story about a family of Blackfoot descent who cross the United States-Canada border in order to visit Niagara Falls. The father, who is also the narrator, describes the difficulties they face when border officers question their citizenship and demand to see their passports.
The family does not have any passports, as they had never needed them before, and so the mother tells the border officers that they are Blackfoot citizens. The father is surprised by this, as he did not know that his mother was Blackfoot, but he goes along with it. The border officers do not believe them and threaten to call the police. However, the mother is very insistent that they are Blackfoot and eventually, the border officers let them go.
The father is amazed by his mother’s courage in standing up to the border officers and he begins to understand the value of being Blackfoot. Before, he had never really thought about his heritage or what it meant to be Blackfoot. But now, he sees that it is something to be proud of and something that gives him a sense of identity.
King uses humor throughout the story to lighten the mood and to make a point about the ridiculousness of the situation. The father is clearly not comfortable with lying to the border officers, but he goes along with it because he trusts his mother. In the end, he learns an important lesson about his heritage and about what it means to be Blackfoot.
“I had a lot of pride,” he says. “My mother and laetitia had a lot of pride, so did I,” King adds (King 142). He would have been quite proud of his culture near the conclusion of the tale, making him an interesting character.
Borders is a story about a family of Indigenous people who live near the US-Canadian border. The father is from the Blackfoot Nation and the mother is from the Blood Tribe. They have three children, two boys and a girl. The oldest son, Gene, is very interested in his Indigenous culture and always wants to learn more about it. The younger son, Benjamin, is more interested in US culture and always wants to go to America. The daughter, Laetitia, is somewhere in between. She likes learning about her culture, but she also likes going to America.
One day, the family decides to go on a trip to America. They cross the border without any problems and spend some time in Seattle. While they are there, the youngest son, Benjamin, wanders off and gets lost. He is eventually found by a kind woman who helps him find his way back to his family.
After their trip to America, the family moves to Canada. The father starts working at a Canadian company and the mother starts working at a American company. The family is able to live in both countries and they are very happy.
The story ends with the father telling his sons that they are Blackfoot and they should be proud of their culture.
