Thomas King's 1993 short story "Borders" is about a lady whose identity is so firmly embedded in her cultural background as a native American that she refuses to identify as a citizen of any other country that presently exists on the territory her tribe formerly held. Although she is well aware of how much her culture has changed since it last existed, she believes that if she were to claim citizenship in one of these countries, this would compromise who she is. At first, this behavior seems reasonable, but as the story progresses, we learn that she is not only endangering her own life because she refuses to apply for citizenship, but also that of her family members who still live in tribal lands. In the end, tragedy strikes and it becomes clear that without knowing it, the woman had committed suicide. Here are some terms that may not be familiar to non-native speakers: Borders - boundaries or limits; specifically, the border between two countries. Territory - land owned by a country. Citizen - person born in a country who is granted rights specific to that country. Nationality - the quality of being a national of a country; also, the status of being a national of a country.