Beyond Being a Borderlands Author: Thomas King’s Artistic Activism

Evelyn P. Mayer | BIG Research Reports | #92

Borders are multifaceted and meaning is attributed and inscribed by different actors. Borders can be seen in their restrictive function, yet also remain a reassuring or grounding presence for many people in times of great transitions in society and the world at large regarding security, migration, and climatic conditions. Against this backdrop, it is worthwhile to closely look at the representation of various borders and borderlands in Canadian and Native author Thomas King’s recent works and to compare pertinent aspects with his earlier novel Truth & Bright Water and his border-related emblematic short story “Borders.” Both recent publications The Back of the Turtle and The Inconvenient Indian are critically acclaimed and underline once again King’s role as one of the leading literary voices in Canada. King’s CBC Massey Lectures given as the first Native person are another significant contribution to Canadian literature and the discussion on Native cultures, including storytelling and the arts.

Evelyn P. Mayer