Symbolism

Through every story, an author tries to make it effective. The symbolism of the stories read in class assist fulfill the authors’ intentions for effectiveness. In Borders, by Thomas King, the symbolism of the national borders assists the reader in comprehending the moral of the story. In Roch Carrier’s A Secret Lost In The Water, the use of symbolism with the alder branch effectively guides the reader to the moral of the story. In the fall of a city, written by Alden Nowlan, the symbolism technique of the cardboard city and paper dolls consummate the story in addition to showing the importance of the imaginary world to the protagonist, a boy living with his aunt and uncle. Symbolism is vital to the overall effectiveness of each …show more content…
King exhibits symbolism through the American and Canadian borders by showing how they continue to block the way of the mother and son pair copious times throughout the story. The mother wishes to retain her pride of being a Blackfoot citizen. This is shown when the border guard does not grant the mother and son entrance into America, saying “ ‘Everyone has to declare their citizenship, even Americans. It helps us keep track of the visitors we get from various countries’” (King 136) This uses symbolism to exemplify how the borders do not allow the pair to cross without stating whether they are Canadian or American Citizens, even though Blackfoot natives live on both sides of the borders. These borders physically and symbolically separate the Canadian Blackfoot peoples from the American Blackfoot peoples, separating the nations and offending their pride. The borders additionally contribute examples to the reader that although Canadians and Americans are both given stereotypes, they both behave the same way to the mother and child. Through the mother’s pride and the vital symbolism of the borders’ standings, the author effectively guides the reader to the moral of the