"I'm Not the Indian You Had in Mind" - Context in Literature

"I'm Not the Indian You Had in Mind" by Thomas King may be studied as an introduction to "Borders" or any other piece of literature with ties to Indigenous content and authors or as a poem on its own. Studying the context of a piece of literature is a method of critical inquiry that encourages students to research and draw conclusions about the literature being studied. They essentially become experts on the author’s life and times assisting their ability to perform a close read of the literature.

This particular lesson dispels attention to stereotypes surrounding First Nations people, and teaches about the current state of relations between the Canadian government and Canada's Indigenous population, particularly where truth and reconciliation is concerned. It is meant to open the discussion into the plight of Canada's Native people as a gateway to other pieces of literature with the same theme.