54 pages 1 hour read

Thomas King

Borders

Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1993

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

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. 

Related Titles

By Thomas King

Study Guide

logo

Green Grass, Running Water

Thomas King

Green Grass, Running Water

Thomas King

Study Guide

logo

Medicine River

Thomas King

Medicine River

Thomas King

Study Guide

logo

The Back of the Turtle

Thomas King

The Back of the Turtle

Thomas King

STUDY + TEACHING GUIDE

logo

The Inconvenient Indian

Thomas King

The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America

Thomas King

STUDY + TEACHING GUIDE

logo

The Truth About Stories

Thomas King

The Truth About Stories: A Native Narrative

Thomas King

Study Guide

logo

Truth and Bright Water

Thomas King

Truth and Bright Water

Thomas King