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Last of the Mohicans

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The Last Of The Mohicans
Jed Brotherson
Dixie State College

The Last Of The Mohicans
The Last of the Mohicans is a fictional story set in colonial America. The novel uses real places, like fort William Henry, to add validity to the story that takes place in 1757 during the French and Indian War. This is when France and Great Britain battled for control of the North American colonies. The book is classified in the historical section with some romance in the mix even though it is clearly all fictitious. Reading the novel is an entirely different experience than watching Hollywood’s version in the motion picture. I was able to get a clear picture of what James F. Cooper was really trying to tell his audience when he wrote this book. Cooper portrays the prejudice ideals of the times and tries to show the reader how silly they are. As well as addressing racial prejudice, he skirts the bounds of interracial relationships and taboos for his time. He also demonstrates a distinct difference in groups of American Indians. While they all portray violent tendencies, he does make a distinction.
Cooper used each character to embody a belief or a stereotype. Duncan Hayward, the white major of the English army, represented the conservatives of his time. He also was a classic embodiment of racial prejudice. For example, Colonel Munro had two daughters, Cora and Alice. In the first part of the book, we grow to love Cora as a character. She has been outspoken with her opinions and heeded for them. About halfway through the book it is revealed that Cora is part black. This is another example of Hollywood veering completely away from the book. In this scene, it is startling to realize that Cora not only overcame the sexist mindset of the time and was respected for her mind, but she overcame the racist tendencies of many people as well. The scene, which reveals her

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