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Last of the Mohicans. The Frontier History Indian Removal Captivity Narrative. Frontier. Old problem of the wilderness New Vision of the wilderness Frontier where identities meet Frontier where identities are potentially undone Frontier an unstable boundary of national identity. History.
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Last of the Mohicans The Frontier History Indian Removal Captivity Narrative
Frontier • Old problem of the wilderness • New Vision of the wilderness • Frontier where identities meet • Frontier where identities are potentially undone • Frontier an unstable boundary of national identity.
History • Written in 1826; set in 1757 • Offers a national perspective on America’s colonial past • Historical events of 1757 “about” the present day of America. • European conflict in colonial theatre has been “updated” to be about white-native relations.
Indian Removal • 1830: President Andrew Jackson delivers his famous “Removal Address” • Inevitability of whites pushing natives out • Indian Removal has “already happened.”
Captivity Narrative • Cora and Alice under escort • Threat of the wilderness sexualized • White women passed between white and indian culture • Plot of conflict between England and French re-written as captivity narrative • American “innocence” – derived from victimization of women
Hawkeye: Reluctant American • “Man without a cross” • Critical of white culture • Denies he is “crossed” with natives • Cultural/social interest in Native life • Racial/ “biological” rejection of Native identity • Radical individualism (think Whitman)
Libertarianism • Anti-government, anti-institutional • Celebrates individual rights, freedoms • State’s rights vs. federal government • Often politically conservative • Hawkeye as libertarian.
Demogogues and Democrats • President Andrew Jackson: 1828 • Elected as a populist • Regarded as demagogue: appealing to base passions of people • Mobocracy: rule by the mob, the rabble • Uncas the natural ruler; Magua the demagogue
Borderless America • Where does America end? • What is difference between America and its terrotories, frontier?
Questions to Consider • What motivates Hawkeye? • Why does Magua love Cora? • Why doesn’t Magua love Alice? • What is novel’s attitude toward the “lastness” of the Mohicans?