Borders

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

Consider what you know about the reservation systems in the United States and the reserve systems in Canada. Who established these systems? What were their purposes? What were the effects of both systems on Indigenous peoples?

Teaching Suggestion: This question orients students with the historical context of King’s story. In both North American countries, Indigenous peoples were marginalized by colonial invaders. Within the United States, Native American communities were forced to move onto reservations in order to both separate native communities from the colonizing Western powers, as well as to indoctrinate these communities with Americanized identities. Similarly, the Canadian government, with the support of the United Kingdom, established the reserve system for First Nations peoples to Westernize these communities. Ultimately, both systems had negative impacts on their relative communities, usually related to the loss of identity and cultural traditions, the increase of alcohol and drug dependency as coping mechanisms, and widespread poverty. This question links to themes of The Outside World and Citizenship and Identity.

• This article discusses the treaties that led to the creation of the US reservation system.
• The University of British Columbia’s First Nations and Indigenous Studies department provides an overview of the reserve system in Canada.

Short Activity

Despite oppressive governmental restrictions, many Indigenous people have resisted oppression in order to fight for better living conditions. Research a famous Indigenous leader who resisted oppressive government structures. Share this person’s story with the class.

Teaching Suggestion: This Short Activity encourages students to view Pride as a form of resistance, particularly as it relates to Indigenous communities. Students might conduct this activity in a small group or individually. This Short Activity also directly links thematically with the Personal Connection Prompt.

• This article from Zinn Education Project highlights the work of various Native American activists from the 1960s to present.
• “Indigenous Activism in Canada’s Past, Present and Future” discusses the achievements of notable indigenous activists.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the story.

List and analyze the attributes associated with Pride. In which cases is Pride a good thing? In which ways can it negatively affect a situation?

Teaching Suggestion: King emphasizes the positive effects of Pride through the characterization of the mother, who ultimately chooses to sacrifice convenience with honor. This is an important contrast with the dominant narrative in society, which often assumes that Pride is a negative, inflexible attribute that inhibits growth. For King, Pride is related to honor and respect for oneself, which is connected with one’s identity. This question directly connects with the Discussion/Analysis Prompt.

Differentiation Suggestion: For more advanced classes, this question can be extended to include the following question: Consider a famous piece of literature or film where the character(s) is/are proud. Is the possession of Pride in this piece of work depicted as a positive or negative attribute to this person’s overall characterization?