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Summary Of Borders By Thomas King

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In "Borders" by Thomas King, there are multiple levels of storytelling as the narrator tells both a primary and secondary story simultaneously, and in doing this, the narrator is able to use the secondary story to establish themes and a background for the primary story in a way that makes the story flow in an interesting and engaging way. King's choice of narrator also impacts the way a story based on serious cultural disputes can be told in a light an unbiased way, through the eyes of a young boy. These choices contribute to an interesting flow of reading and an intriguing unbiased report of politically charged events.

The authors choice of narrator can influence the flow of the story and what message is expressed, which makes the young, clueless, innocent boy an interesting conduit to tell a story based on cultural and racial divides. Throughout the border dispute, the young boy is more interested in the question “Do you think Mel is going to bring us any hamburgers?” then the idea of land …show more content…

The effect this has on the reader is twofold - the author is able to provide a backstory to the main plot line, without revealing too much information at once, and is able to break up the story in order to make it a more interesting read. As the main story continues, character development is not just limited to the present - the reader would not learn much at all about Laetitia without the “flashbacks” that detail some of the narrator’s experiences at home before Laetitia’s departure. Laetitia’s relationship with her mother is also explored in “flashback” form, of which more is revealed as the story develops, adding suspense to the story and making it more interesting for the reader. These methods of storytelling enhance the overall message and make for a more intriguing

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