Borders

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.