The idea of borders is not new, especially to those who have crossed one or more to be where they are now. The lines are clear on a map, but not so clear in our lives. The spaces around borders can be empty, treacherous places that dreamers force themselves to traverse, hoping that their dreams can be achieved on the other side, far beyond where the border lies.
Following the graphic narrative of Frontera, written by Julio Anta and illustrated by Jacoby Salcedo, we have both a visual and temporal representation of the space and time that the U.S. southern border occupies. The trip encompasses the actual crossing of the physical border, but extends far beyond that through the Sonoran desert reaching the city of Tucson.
The border is more than just a line and occupies a space in our minds well after we reach our destination. I argue that the border as represented in Frontera is both a physical and a mental space that must be traversed to arrive at the final destination. By analyzing the graphic usage of space and the borders within the graphic novel, I intend to show that the mental space that Miguel struggles with is the idea of his belonging or identity. The border is a physical and mental barrier that takes far longer to cross than just stepping over the political line.
