In his 1824 novel, The Prairie, James Fenimore Cooper addresses the delicate issue of cultural diversity through his characters’ interactions with the natives, or “Indians.” In the minds of these pioneer characters, he creates an idea of superiority over the pagan natives and even one of ownership. The natives are hated because they are not understood, and the themes of thievery and devilry exist throughout. However, one man, the oldest of them all, shows a learned knowledge of and respect for the natives, and for their culture and language, which saves the lives of his unlikely companions on more than one occasion. He, the trapper, in this way, shows the spirit of a linguist, as he guides the pioneers through dangerous cultural situations.
click to edi
Career