"Citizenship"" At some time in life, people are asked this question, not necessarily from others but from themselves. It questions one's identity as to who they are. Most would answer with the country they currently live in, but does one ever answer with the country they were from? In the story, Borders by Thomas King, it is apparent that the survival of one's inner identity is truly the conflict between self-denial and continuous belief. This is accomplished through three major factors: symbolism, conflict, and character. The title, Borders, is very symbolic because it has several functions and plays a significant role in the theme of the story. The protagonist experiences the conflict of her identity that we all go through at some time in life. She struggles to keep her inner identity as she attempts to cross the Canadian and American border.

The title of the story intrigues...