Borders Thomas King Analysis

What is the theme of the story? What was the author’s intent and message to readers? How does the course theme apply to the text?
The theme of “Borders” is that the outdated expectation of someone giving up the identity that they believe in to please others does not pertain to today’s society. Through Laetitia’s mother, Thomas King demonstrates that people should be able to identify with the culture they wish to and should never be obligated to identify with a specific culture. Laetitia’s mother is forced into this situation and told by the Canadian border officer, “you have to be American or Canadian”, due to the officer adhering to outdated policies that are not fit for modern society (King 141). Through that statement, the officer requires
The comedic way in which he describes the events that occur to them, such as when he compares the way the border officers walk to that of “two cowboys headed for a bar”, shows his naivety and childish sense of humor (King 137). Throughout the story, he develops an understanding of the value of identifying Blackfoot as his citizenship as a result of the actions of his mother. He mentions, “Laetitia had a lot of pride, and so did my mother. I figured that someday, I’d have it too” (King 142). Near the end of the story, when he and his mother are able to pass the US border after they identify their citizenship as Blackfoot, he most likely would’ve had a lot of pride in his culture, making him a dynamic
In “Borders”, the underlying message is that one shouldn’t change their identity, while “Soldier’s Home” shows that it’s wrong for someone to change their identity for others. Laetitia’s mother is able to convince the border officers that her true citizenship is Blackfoot, whereas Krebs isn’t capable of convincing his family of who he is, and instead succumbs to their pleas of leading a normal life and acquiring a job. After deciding to leave behind his personal needs and wants for his mother, he states that “she would feel alright about it”, not mentioning how he feels, showing the negative impact this has on him (Hemingway 93). Although back in the ‘land of the free’, Krebs finds himself imprisoned by others’ expectations. The settings of both stories promote individual identity, however, in each case the characters’ identities fail to be accepted. “Borders” is set in a modern society in which human rights are well established, and “Soldier’s Home” in a post-war era where there is lots of opportunity for success and to explore oneself