The Last of the Mohicans

In the third chapter of James Cooper’s book, The Last of the Mohicans, we see two Native American men and one White man on amicable terms. The White man, known as Hawkeye, is donned in Native American attire and is familiar with the language that the two Mohicans speak. Its notable that the Native Americans aren’t portrayed as one monolithic block, but rather as separate entities with their own goals and wishes. Clearly there is animosity between the Iroquois and the Mohicans, as the last line of the chapter is “God keep them from the Iroquois”. Dividing and conquering is a tried and true strategy for success, but it might be a mistake to say that is what is happening here. The Native Americans aren’t exactly being divided by the Whites, because they were already divided. In this sense, the Americans are just another adversary (or possible ally at times), but due to their numbers and superior technology, the Americans are a bit unbalanced to compete evenly against any individual tribe.

In several places throughout the chapter, its highlighted how Native Americans are well adapted to their environment. We see this in Hawkeye adopted Native clothing, in him saying “I must leave the buck to your arrow, Uncas, or we may kill a deer for them thieves, the Iroquois, to eat.” If he shoots a dear with his gun, enemy Natives will find him. The two Mohicans are also able to hear horses approaching well before Hawkeye can. The Mohicans are depicted as having a well deserved pride that is only marginally at the expense of Westerners.

The Mohicans, much like the Americans, were not initially from the area they currently inhabit. Hawkeye said “Your fathers came from the setting sun, crossed the big river*, fought the people of the country, and took the land; and mine came from the red sky of the morning, over the salt lake, and did their work much after the fashion that had been set them by yours…” This raises the question, when is it acceptable to conquer land? Only when the struggle isn’t extremely one sided?

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