The Last of the Mohicans (1826) by James Fenimore Cooper
The Last of the Mohicans (1826) by James Fenimore Cooper
I’m generally not a fan of colonial American historical fiction, but The Last of the Mohicans is, at its core, a good old adventure story that has appeal beyond its genre. And consequently, I enjoyed the book even without a solid grasp on the historical battles, figures, and landmarks at its foundation.
This widely-appealing narrative strength comes largely through Cooper’s diverse, yet compact set of central characters, whose exploits provide the reader with an intimately approachable microcosm of America’s early colonial conflicts. The English, French, and indigenous forces at play in the struggle are each distilled into the persons of Heyward, Montcalm, and the Mohican duo of Chingachgook and Uncas (with Hawk-Eye serving as an intriguing link between the natives and colonists). Cooper expertly plays their personalities off of each other to further color the stealthy rescue missions, violent combat, and rich tribal ceremonies of the novel. And while characters like Alice and Munro admittedly lack the dimension of their associates, the villainous malice of Magua, the admirable resolve of Cora, the levity of David Gamut, and the impressive gravity of Uncas all served to overshadow those weaknesses.
Aside from the engaging story, The Last of the Mohicans is notable for Cooper’s positive regard toward the indigenous tribes represented, especially considering that his book was published in 1826. To be fair - there is still plenty of degrading bias woven into his writing, but the overall air of not only respect, but reverence toward the American natives and their customs is admirable. And this is true to such a degree that Uncas is presented as easily the wisest and most capable hero of the cast.
I think The Last of the Mohicans is most well-known today for its mid-90s movie adaptation. I’ve never seen it, but I don’t think I want to, either. Not to disparage the film interpretation, but the novel was enough to satisfy my palette for this kind of adventure story.
I’m generally not a fan of colonial American historical fiction, but The Last of the Mohicans is, at its core, a good old adventure story that has appeal beyond its genre. And consequently, I enjoyed the book even without a solid grasp on the historical battles, figures, and landmarks at its foundation.
This widely-appealing narrative strength comes largely through Cooper’s diverse, yet compact set of central characters, whose exploits provide the reader with an intimately approachable microcosm of America’s early colonial conflicts. The English, French, and indigenous forces at play in the struggle are each distilled into the persons of Heyward, Montcalm, and the Mohican duo of Chingachgook and Uncas (with Hawk-Eye serving as an intriguing link between the natives and colonists). Cooper expertly plays their personalities off of each other to further color the stealthy rescue missions, violent combat, and rich tribal ceremonies of the novel. And while characters like Alice and Munro admittedly lack the dimension of their associates, the villainous malice of Magua, the admirable resolve of Cora, the levity of David Gamut, and the impressive gravity of Uncas all served to overshadow those weaknesses.
Aside from the engaging story, The Last of the Mohicans is notable for Cooper’s positive regard toward the indigenous tribes represented, especially considering that his book was published in 1826. To be fair - there is still plenty of degrading bias woven into his writing, but the overall air of not only respect, but reverence toward the American natives and their customs is admirable. And this is true to such a degree that Uncas is presented as easily the wisest and most capable hero of the cast.
I think The Last of the Mohicans is most well-known today for its mid-90s movie adaptation. I’ve never seen it, but I don’t think I want to, either. Not to disparage the film interpretation, but the novel was enough to satisfy my palette for this kind of adventure story.
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