Реферат: Untitled Essay Research Paper James Fenimore Cooper

then, blatantly states that he thinks that there is nothing which separates

the killing of a deer from the killing of a man. Cooper presents this view

in order to show what he feels is the correct way. It is obvious that Cooper

wants Natty to present Cooper’s view of the Native Americans. Natty’s inability

to look at them as mere animals shows that he believes that they are good

people, just the same as anyone else. In fact, Hurry is depicted more as

the villain, while Natty is presented as the hero.

As their conversation continues, Natty asks Hurry if the lake has a name.

When Hurry tells him that it, in fact, does not, Natty thinks of this as

positive. “I’m glad it has no name, or, at least, no paleface name; for their

christenings always foretell waste and destruction” (p. 30). Here, we can

see Natty’s thoughts on the significance of whether an Indian or a white

man has named the water. He comments that he would mind if a white man had

named it. He believes that white men traditionally bring with them environmental

damage – they would have ruined the natural beauty of it. The Indians, on

the other hand, treated land with much more respect. Cooper makes it apparent

that this is the way he feels in having Natty comment on the land as such.

Hurry, however, responds in a different way. He tells Natty that the Indian

name for it is “Glimmerglass.” Then he goes on to state that the white men

decided to keep this name, at least unofficially. “I am glad they’ve been

compelled to keep the redmen’s name, for it would be too hard to rob them

of both land and name!” (p. 30).

In other words, Hurry is stating the obvious fact that everything will eventually

be taken away from the Native Americans. Any land that they might value and

care for today will be confiscated and fought for by the white men tomorrow.

But the exclamation point at the end of the sentence suggests that, rather

than a sad comment accepting the inevitable, Hurry says this with glee and

excitement. To him it is like a joke, that the Indians will be allowed to

keep the name for the land but lose the land itself.