“Borders” addresses the themes of Indigenous identity, status, and citizenship, which are core elements of most of King’s work. The story’s character development and literary devices focus on power, pride, connections between generations, and the concept of citizenship. To address these issues, the story uses allegory, simile, and subtext. The story also uses conflict as a plot device and as a mechanism for character development, especially for Laetitia and the mother.

This text serves as a commentary on one of King’s deep interests—the overlap between individual experience and social institutions. The story offers a sociohistorical perspective on the intersection between personal identity and institutional identity. The clash between the personal and the institutional demonstrates the struggle of Indigenous communities to reconcile with colonialism and its legacy.

The use of allegory, simile, and subtext support the larger themes of identity, pride, and exploration of the outside world. These literary devices often juxtapose an intangible idea, such as the romanticized idea of the Old West, with real threats such as violence from