1. The Frontier History Indian Removal Captivity Narrative
Last of the Mohicans
The Frontier
History
Indian Removal
Captivity Narrative

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. Indian Removal
1830: President Andrew Jackson delivers his famous “Removal Address”
Inevitability of whites pushing natives out
Indian Removal has “already happened.”

5. 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

6. 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)

7. Libertarianism Anti-government, anti-institutional
Celebrates individual rights, freedoms
State’s rights vs. federal government
Often politically conservative
Hawkeye as libertarian.

8. 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

9. Borderless America Where does America end?
What is difference between America and its terrotories, frontier?

10. 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?