"Borders"

Task:

For this assignment you will be actively reading and answering some questions on the short story ''Borders'' by Thomas King. King was born in California, but he has spent much of his life teaching and writing in Canada and the Upper Midwest. Of Cherokee as well as German and Irish descent, King has used much of his work to explore the diversity of Native American life today. The short story "Borders" raises questions about citizenship, community, and identity.

2. Thomas King includes a number of flashbacks in the story. Define flashback, cite an example from the story, and then explain the purpose of the flashback you chose.

3. Think about the 3 main characters: the mother, the boy (narrator), and Laetitia. List three character traits for each one and provide evidence from the story (a quotation). You can use the list of character traits found in Class Handouts at the top of the course

4. Discuss the conflict in the story? Identify the type of conflict. Why does it arise? How is it resolved? Is the resolution realistic? Do you agree or disagree with the resolution of the conflict?

5. In a clear and coherent paragraph of 200-300 words, discuss the statement "Mel is an inspiration to us all". In refusing to identify herself as Canadian, do you think the mother is making a political statement, intending to become a "cause"? Or is she following her heart? Or is she simply being stubborn? Do you agree that she is "an inspiration to us all"? Make reference to the text in your paragraph. Use the ACE-it paragraph writing strategy which was explained on the previous page.