What is the conflict of borders by thomas king

Transcript of Borders by Thomas King

Setting

The main setting of the story is at the U.S. border crossing at the village of Coutts Alberta. This is where Laetitia was last seen before leaving for Salt Lake City.  

We can infer that this place is not very pleasant or appealing. The name “Coutts” is described as “abrupt and rude” by the author.  

Coutts Alberta is known to actually be one of the busiest border crossings in Western Canada with numerous restaurants with a total area of 98 hectares.

Coutts is a very old village, according to google it has served for “over 100 years as a border crossing”.  

we can say that Coutts is a town whose population would mostly be seniors and adults as it is a known transportation hub. (people do not usually settle down in transportation hubs, they only pass through and use the amenities as a rest stop) another example of a transportation hub would be Halifax; shipping industry.  

The Coutts border crossing duty free store is where the mother and the boy park their car each night after being turned away from the border.

This story does take place in modern times as 1. a judicial system which separates countries is already established and 2. The woman is driving a car.  

Coutts, Alberta is the main location for the short story and the only time at which the story does not take place in Coutts is during the resolution when the mother and the boy finally are able to go to Salt Lake City.

Characterization

Point of View

Conflict

Symbols

Themes

Dynamic characters: Laetitia is a very dynamic, headstrong about leaving the reserve as it does not interest her sufficiently, nor does it appeal to her like the city. But at the end she becomes tired of the city and chooses to return to the reserve after being visited by her mom and brother.

Static characters: The mother is a Static character, she never once denies her identity no matter how many times she is pressed to choose either Canadian or American. The boy as well is also a static character, he has only one goal; to get across the border and visit Salt Lake City.

Flat Characters: Lester Tallbull (Laetitia's ex-boyfriend) not much is mentioned or revealed about him apart for a few facts.

Round Characters: The mother, Mel, Laetitia, and the boy are all round characters.

"Borders" is a first-person story told in the perspective of Laetitia's younger brother

Is told from a "limited omniscient" point of view since the reader is aware of only one character's thoughts

"I was disappointed. I hadn't seen Laetitia for a long time, and I had never been to Salt Lake City." (50)

Laetitia's brother is presumably a child, giving the story a sense of an "innocent eye" perspective

"It would have been easier if my mother had just said 'Canadian' and been done with it, but I could see she wasn't going to do that." (49)

Man vs. Man  

Laetitia's mother disputes with each individual border guard

Rather than giving in and ignoring the flaws in the system, her persistence keeps the conflict present

"It didn't take them long to lose their sense of humour, I can tell you that. The one guard stopped smiling altogether [...]" (50)

Man vs. Society

The author is trying to raise awareness of the society issues the First Nations battle

Society refuses to accept the Blackfoot nation as their own

"I'd be proud of being Blackfoot if I were Blackfoot. But you have to be American or Canadian." (52)

Resolution

Laetitia's immense pride drives her to fight for justice

Though this story in centered on Laetitia's mother's battle of identity, she alone is not the only one who undergoes such unfairness

Her perseverance ultimately has the conflict resolved

"He [...] told my mother that she was an inspiration to us all." (56)

Gun

Symbolizes power and control

The border guards have power over those who pass through

"Her gun was silver. There were several chips in the wood handle and the name 'Stella' was scratched into the metal butt." (50)

The government and society have hold over the First Nations

" 'Thank you,' he said, his finger patting the butt of the revolver. 'Have a pleasant trip.' " (55)

A gun puts the threatened person in position of weakness

Border

Refer to the physical boundaries that separate Canada and America

"The border was actually two towns [...] Coutts was on the Canadian side. [...] Sweetgrass was on the American side." (48)

Refer to the borders between the First Nations and the society around them

"Then we got back in the car and drove to the Canadian border, which was only about a hundred yards away." (50)

The border guards, representing the way society thinks, disregards the Blackfoot nation, placing limitations on the way people choose to identify themselves

answer: role of women in family

explanation:

women are the pioneers of nation. indian culture attaches great importance to women, comprising half of world’s population. according to a report of secretary general of united nations, women constitute 50% of human resources, the greatest human resource next only to man having great potentiality.

women are the key to sustainable development and quality of life in the family. the varieties of role the women assume in the family are those of wife, leader, administrator, manager of family income and last but not the least important the mother.

1. as a wife

woman is man’s , partner and comrade. she sacrifices her personal pleasure and ambitions, sets standard of morality, relieves stress and strain, tension of husband, maintains peace and order in the household. thereby she creates necessary environment for her male partner to think more about the economic upliftment of family. she is the source of inspiration to man for high endeavour and worth achievements in life.

she stands by him in all the crises as well as she shares with him all successes and attainments. she is the person to whom he turns for love, sympathy, understanding, comfort and recognition. she is the symbol of purity, faithfulness and submission and devotion to her husband.

2. as an administrator and leader of the household:

a well-ordered disciplined household is essential to normal family life. the woman in the family assumes this function. she is the chief executive of an enterprise. she assigns duties among family members according to their interest and abilities and provides resources in-term of equipment and materials to accomplish the job.

she plays a key role in the preparation and serving of meals, selection and care of clothing, laundering, furnishing and maintenance of the house. as an administrator, she organizes various social functions in the family for social development. she also acts as a director of recreation. she plans various recreational activities to meet the needs of young and old members of the family.

3. as a manager of family income:

woman acts as the humble manager of the family income. it is her responsibility to secure maximum return from every pye spent. she always prefers to prepare a surplus budget instead of a deficit budget. she is very calculating loss and gain while spending money. she distributes judiciously the income on different heads such as necessities, comforts and luxuries. the woman in the family also contributes to the family income through her own earning within or outside the home. she has positive contribution to the family income by the work. she herself performs in the home and uses waste products for productive purposes.

4. as a mother:

the whole burden of child bearing and greater part of child rearing task are carried out by the woman in the family. she is primarily responsible for the child’s habit of self-control, orderliness, industriousness, theft or honesty. her contacts with the child during the most formative period of his development sets up his behaviour pattern. she is thus responsible for the maintenance of utmost discipline in the family.

she is the first teacher of the child. she transmits social heritage to the child. it is from mother that the child learns the laws of the race, the manner of men, moral code and ideals. the mother, because of her intimate and sustained contact with the child, she is able to discover and nurture child’s special traits aptitudes and attitudes which subsequently play a key role in the shaping of his personality.

as a mother she is the family health officer. she is very much concerned about the physical wellbeing of every member of the family, the infant, the sickly child, the adolescent youth, senescent parent. she organizes the home and its activities in such a way so that each member of the family has proper food, adequate sleep and sufficient recreation. she made the home a place of quite comfortable and appropriate setting for the children through her talent. besides, she cultivates taste in interior design and arrangement, so that the home becomes an inviting, restful and cheerful place.

the mother is the central personality of the home and the family circle. all the members turn to her for sympathy, understanding and recognition. woman devotes her time, labour and thought for the welfare of the members of the family. for the unity of interacting personalities, man provides the temple woman provides the ceremonies and the atmosphere.

done