Essay on Borders
Introduction
Identity is a strong personal bond created in one’s character. There are several models expressing the nature of identity, and each model is expressed in the characters in this story. The mother would not give up her identity and declare herself American or Canadian. It seems the boy was either not understanding or in denial of what was happening as his focus throughout was on past experiences and food but yet was learning his identity through the interactions of his mother. The daughter in the story had a great desire to leave the reservation, but then reconsidered returning to the end of the story, not willing to give up her newly found identity. The narrator son is yet a child and his focus is not upon the stand his mother is making when she refuses to proclaim herself anything but Blackfoot. The mother remains proud and true to her identity, even without a country to claim. And, the daughter, in her attempt to leave behind her roots, ultimately returns, realizing that who she is, is actually where she is from.
The boy is the narrator of the story. He tells of his mother’s actions and his thoughts throughout the attempted and later successful trip to visit his sister who moved to Salt Lake City. When his mother drove his sister to the border to move, he was excited to hear his sister’s explanation about what they would see on the way. He conveyed both his excitement about the trip, his mother’s anger about the daughter moving as well as his sister’s excitement to go. In order to provide some detail about the lives of the three and to allow the reader to further understand the relationships of the three, the narrating boy would describe various things throughout the story.
His first description was about a museum that his mother told him to go check out while her and the daughter spoke. The concept of the museum was wisely place in this seen as when one thinks of museums, the idea of history and artifacts arise. The relationship between the conversation between the mother and daughter at the time, was in a sense creating history in their lives. The boy knew there was dissension between the two, however mentioned the love still present when the mother pulled strands of hair from the daughter’s face.
After his sister had been gone for a time, his mother told him they were going to visit her. Here the son explains that the border is two towns, thus two crossings were necessary. First through the Canadian, and then through the American. The boy explains that the names of the towns could have possibly describe the experiences they would have in each, yet the names were backwards, The Canadian experience was much harsher than the American experience.
The boy knew that his mother would not proclaim them as anything other than Blackfoot, so he knew as the situation unfolded, that there would be a delay and in his mind, possibly not even an allowed passing through the borders. At this point in the story, the boy tells stories in various places of the narration that were in the past. He tells about his sister’s boyfriend and how he claimed Salt Lake City to be an amazing city. He tells about his sister’s excitement to move there. During this time, the two are being detained and the boy has a strong focus on food rather than the present situation.
Review of the mother’s actions throughout the story
Initially not supporting her daughter’s move to Salt Lake City, the mother was ultimately of her daughter’s independence. When the mother and son left to go visits the daughter, the mother told the boy they had to dress up so that they did not look like Americans.
On a trip to visit her daughter, the mother had to cross the Canadian border into America. When asked her citizenship, the mother proclaimed Blackfoot. The border officers tried to clarify with the mother whether she was Canadian Blackfoot or American Blackfoot, but the mother insisted simply Blackfoot. After spending four hours in the office of the border patrol, the mother would not proclaim herself anything other than Blackfoot. Ultimately, the two were allowed to proceed to the next stop at the Canadian border. The mother again would not declare her citizenship as Canadian or American. She was not given authority to cross the border so her son spent the day in a store near the border and slept overnight in the car. In the morning, they headed for the American border, still refusing to claim herself anything other than Blackfoot, the two were not permitted to cross the border. After spending another day in the store, and sleeping another night in the car, the mother woke in the middle of the night and told the boy about the stars and her grandmother. In the morning, the media arrived to tell the world about the mother’s resistance and persistence. With the same insistence, the mother drove to the border again and announced her citizenship as Blackfoot. This time, the guard allowed her to drive into America and visited her daughter. On the return home, the mother presented the store clerk with a hat that said Salt Lake. As a presentation of his support, it seemed.
Discussion of the daughter’s role in the story
The daughter in the story declares her boredom on the reserve and her desire to move to Salt Lake City, a place we learn was where her former boyfriend had visited. Her departure is somewhat somber as her mother does not want her to move. She appears to have had a good experience in Salt Lake City, and with her mother and brother visiting her. However, she returns to the reserve at the end of the story.
Discussion of Identity
All the characters in this story are faced with the issue of personal identity. The mother knows who she is and sticks to that, the daughter attempts to understand her identity when she moves from the reserve, and the boy is in a period of his life where his experiences are forming his identity. Personal identity consists of the aspects of ourselves that provide our sense of ownership and attachment . Identity is who we define ourselves to be. The mother defines herself as Blackfoot. An individual is allowed to choose their own identity due to the diversity of society today. There are many models of identity formation including psychiatric, primordialism and symbolic interaction . Although each model of identity provides an explanation of why and how an individual claims their identity, the family in this story expresses each model. In the psychiatric model, the mother forms her identity on the cultural colonization. Although information is not provided in the story about the colonization experienced by this family, it is likely that it was not different than other Natives. Under the Primordalism model, identity is created through kinship ties. This is true for all Natives and is expressed in the mother’s stories to the son about the stars and her grandmother. Finally, the family’s identity is formed through symbolic interaction as evidenced from social interaction and communication. The family was raised on the reserve and interacted with other natives. The mother’s staunch adherence to her identity as a Blackfoot has roots in this model as well. No matter which view is taken in the formation of identity, the family in this story reflects each and identity is held true not only through the mother’s actions but through all characters.
Conclusion
Each character in this story addresses identity at a different level. The mother has an established identity as a Blackfoot and will not consider, at any cost, the acknowledging of something different. The daughter is in search of her identity as she moves away from the reserve in an attempt to become and understand who she is. The boy is learning about identity and is being influenced by his interactions in the world. There are several models expressing the nature of identity, and each model is expressed in the characters in this story. The story keenly portrays how identity is expressed, how it is learned and how it can be changed or remain unchanged.
Works Cited
Frideres, James. "Aboriginal Identity In The Canadian Context." The Canadian Journal of Native Studies (2008). <http://www3.brandonu.ca/library/CJNS/28.2/05Frideres.pdf>.
Olson, Eric. Personal Identity. 20 August 2002. <http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/identity-personal/>.
The Blackfeet. 1993. <http://www.trailtribes.org/greatfalls/all-my-relations.htm>.
Trusler, Cheri. Evolving Identity. 2016. <http://digitalcommons.morris.umn.edu/horizons/vol1/iss1/3/>.
