The Last of the Mohicans
by James Fenimore Cooper
Study Guide

Chapter 1
1. What must be encountered before adverse hosts can meet?
2. What is the author’s opinion of England? Use the text to support your answer.
3. What is the setting of the story?
4. Who is the “Virginian boy”?
5. What intelligence is received at the camp and who delivers it?
6. “The darkness in providing a veil”, functions as what kind of metaphor?
7. What two terms are used to refer to the Indians? How are they used? What is the author’s purpose?
8. Why do you think Cooper uses caricature when introducing the man outside the tent?
9. What might you expect from this character?
10. Contrast the two girls introduced in this chapter.
11. What two groups depart from the camp?
12. How does the author personify nature? Why?

Chapter 2
13. What are the names of the two girls introduced in the first chapter?
14. Who is Heyward? What is his objective?
15. Why does Alice ask to hear the Indian’s voice?
16. What is the meaning of Cora’s statement, “Should we distrust the man because his manners are not our manners, and that his skin is dark?” What is the author saying?
17. What is the purpose of reintroducing the gangly character, this time riding on a colt?
18. What flattery does the gangly character use to convince Heyward to let him stay?
19. Why did Heyward allow him to stay?
20. What skill does the gangly character possess? Is it useful on this trip?
21. Find two places at the end of this chapter where the author foreshadows impending troubles.

Chapter 3
22. What does the interjection “we must use an author’s privilege” show?
23. What are the names of the two men conversing in the woods? From what ethnic background are they?
24. What example can you locate that reflects the theme of colonialism, the blending of the two cultures?
25. What is the only admissible trophy of victory?
26. What is the name of “the big river”?
27. Hawkeye makes the comment that “every story has its two sides.” What is he talking about?
28. What did the Dutch give to the Indians? What was the outcome?
29. What is the claim that Chingachgook makes regarding his son?
30. How many Maquas are hiding in the woods?
31. Why does Hawkeye not shoot the deer? Who does?
32. After reading three chapters, how would you describe James Fenimore Cooper’s writing style?

Chapter 4
33. What is the destination of the lost travelers?
34. Why is it strange that the travelers are lost in the woods?
35. What evidence can you cite showing a bias of Indians for or against themselves?
36. Describe what the “hunting-shirt” looks like.
37. What does “exact the maternal contribution” mean?
38. Cite at least one statement where Heyward shows he is somewhat suspicious of the integrity of the Indian runner?
39. How does the scout indicate that caution is needed?
40. What are both of the Indian runner’s names?
41. Who is Cora and Alice’s father?
42. Cite an instance where the reader gets a glimpse of the redmen’s view of women in society. Is it a favorable or unfavorable?
43. At the end of chapter 4, who, if anyone, gets shot?
44. What do you suspect will be the result of that shot?

Chapter 5
45. In this chapter, what metaphor is used for the girls? Why does Cooper chose that?
46. Is the group in the woods friendly or unfriendly to Montcalm? How do you know?
47. What two promises did the scout require before the Mohicans and he would help Heyward and his party?
48. What did the group decide to do with the horses? Why did they make that choice?
49. Where do the Mohicans lead Heyward’s party?
50. What group of Indians do the Mohicans consider to be trustworthy? Which do they not trust?
51. What does the author refer to when he uses the word “castle”?
52. What does the scout mean when he says, “Besides, though the Delaware tongue is the same as a book to the Iroquois, the cunning varlets are quick enough at understanding the reason of a wolf’s how”?

Chapter 6
53. What do Alice and Heyward think of the Indians?
54. How do the travelers view the Indians’ character?
55. How does Cora respond to Heyward’s comment that the Indian may prove to be “a brave and constant friend”?
56. Describe the secret place.
57. What amuses Heyward about the behavior of Uncas?
58. What is the gangly man’s name? Why is the name appropriate?
59. Cite an example of irony from this chapter.
60. What does the name Chingachgook mean?
61. What causes Alice to blush?
62. How does the author make the reader believe that Hawkeye could express emotion?
63. Heyward and his group are traveling from where?
64. How does the author conclude this chapter?

Chapter 7
65. What is the chilling cry that breaks the silence?
66. Who discerns the source of the cry? How does that change the relationships in the group?
67. What does the author mean, “David began to utter sounds that would have shocked his delicate organs in more wakeful moments…”?
68. What time is it when the travelers decide to move on?
69. What finally wakes the sleeping girls?
70. Who are the Maqua? What other names are they known by?
71. How many Maqua are in the first assault?
72. What gun does the scout prefer?
73. How are the five Maqua disposed of?
74. Analyze the character of Hawkeye.

Chapter 8
75. What happens between Uncas and Duncan that further solidifies their relationship?
76. What language does Chingachgook speak?
77. What is Chingachgook’s relationship to Uncas?
78. What becomes of the savage hidden in the tree?
79. Why is he not shot and killed?
80. Why is the reader likely to forgive Hawkeye for not putting the wounded savage out of his misery?
81. How does Hawkeye communicate the possible demise of the embattled travelers?
82. What plan is devised and spare their lives? Who devises the plan?
83. What is ironic about Cora’s devising the plan?
84. How does the author foreshadow the outcome of the island standoff?

Chapter 9
85. What is ironic about Duncan’s response to the fish hawk and the jay?
86. Who becomes the leader of the group when Hawkeye is gone?
87. What do the savages celebrate?
88. What might the travelers in the cave have done to remain hidden?
89. Who discovers them in the cave?
90. What alerts the tribe to the hiding place?
91. Who is the antagonist?
92. Who is the protagonist?

Chapter 10
93. Is the treatment of the travelers what you expect?
94. What language is used to interrogate them? Who understands it?
95. Who are the savages looking for?
96. What is Heyward’s answer to Magua when asked where Hawkeye is?
97. What reason does Heyward give for his not leaving?
98. Who is Le Cerf Agile?
99. How do the savages express their disappointment after finding out that Hawkeye has escaped?
100. What does Heyward determine to be the response most appreciated by the savages?
101. What and who is the disgrace of European diplomacy of this period?
102. Why is Duncan satisfied with having to walk while the others ride horses?
103. Who remembers the instructions left by the scout? What are the instructions?
104. Is Cora successful at leaving a trail?
105. Analyze the character of Magua.
106. What issue is Cooper beginning to address in this chapter?

Chapter 11
107. What causes Heyward to notice Magua?

108. When Magua describes how he used to be many years ago, what are his views?

109. What brought about Magua’s downfall?

110. Does the author want the reader to sympathize with Magua?

111. Describe Cora’s character under stress.

112. What conditions are set to secure the release of Alice?

113. What purpose does Magua’s proposal fulfi ll?

114. How does Magua make his appeal to the savages?

115. What response does Magua’s speech produce?

116. What direction will their vengeance take?

117. Is Alice willing for Cora to pay the price? Will Cora agree?

118. Who do you speculate shot the Indian kneeling on Heyward’s chest?

Chapter 12
119. How does Cooper’s writing style change during the description of the fight?

120. Who is left fighting to the last?

121. What part does imagery play in the description of the last fight? What is the outcome?

122. What is the scout’s advice to David upon freeing him from his bonds?

123. Why does the author misspell words when the scout is speaking? How old is the scout?

124. What is the irony in David’s statement, “Thou sayest well…and hast caught the true spirit of Christianity”?

125. What does the conversation about Christianity reveal about Hawkeye?

126. What is the victory that Hawkeye revels in?

127. Where do the travelers go after leaving the hill where the battle took place?

128. Why is Munro not with Hawkeye, Chingachgook, and Uncas?

129. What sign does Uncas perceive that keeps him on the travelers’ trail? What sign does the scout spot?

130. What begins after the completion of the meal?
Chapter 13
131. How is the direction of the path determined? Name their destination.

132. What took place at Fort Oswego?

133. What changes in character can you see in the scout, from times past to the present, as a result of hearing his tale?

134. What is unusual in the preparation of the Fort for the girls?

135. Who keeps night watch and why is he chosen?

136. As Duncan sleeps, what does he dream of?

137. What alerts the guards to danger? Whom do they suspect? How do they respond?

138. When the Hurons approach the blockhouse, Fort Oswego, what emotions do they display?

139. How did the Hurons leave the area, and why did they not inspect the fort?

140. How does the author set the mood in the final paragraph of chapter 13?

Chapter 14
141. Where does their trek take the travelers and their guides?

142. Who approaches the group? How is it handled?

143. What becomes of the French sentinel?

144. Apply the saying, “a leopard may change his spots, but he remains a leopard all the same,” to Hawkeye’s response to the scalping of the Frenchman.

145. What plan is devised? What is done with the horses? What is the elevation of the mountain? What can they see from their vantage point?

146. What worries the young soldier most?

147. Why did the group descend the mountain so quickly?

148. Whom do they meet? Whose voice is heard?

149. What purpose does this chapter serve?

Chapter 15
150. Who is Webb?

151. What is the main weakness of warfare during this time period?

152. Munro is what nationality?

153. What is the reason for the holiday?

154. How does Hawkeye arrive at the English Camp?

155. What is Heyward’s main concern regarding the situation with the French?

156. What is Munro’s pledge in the situation?

157. What mission does Munro send Duncan on? Where is Duncan taken?

158. Whom does Duncan identify as part of the Frenchman’s group?

159. Describe the character of Montcalm.

160. What ordinance does France operate under? What does the ordinance imply?

161. Why has Montcalm invited the English over to talk? What leverage does Montcalm try to use on Duncan? What misinformation is revealed on both sides?

162. Is Duncan’s trip to the fort successful?

Chapter 16
163. Describe the conversation that takes place when Major Duncan Heyward returns to camp and finds Colonel Munro. How does Duncan respond to the accusation?

164. What nationality is Cora?

165. What two assumptions does Munro make?

166. What became of Alice Graham, Alice’s mother?

167. Why does the conversation hastily end?

168. What does Munro think of Duncan?

169. What does Munro decide regarding the message?

170. What gives Duncan an ill feeling during the meeting of Montcalm and Munro?

171. What does Montcalm mean when he says, “There is a destiny in war, to which a braveman knows how to submit, with the same courage that he faces his foes.”

172. What is in the contents of the letter given to Munro? Who sent it?

173. What are the conditions for surrender? Does Munro agree to the conditions?

174. Analyze the character of Munro.

Chapter 17
175. When is the surrender?

176. Who leaves the French commander’s tent, concealed in a cloak?

177. Who meets Montcalm in the dark? What is the purpose of the meeting?

178. How do the French and Indian objectives differ?

179. What concerns Montcalm after his conversation with Magua?

180. Who is given charge of Cora and Alice during the surrender march?

181. What casts the shadow as they depart the gates of the fort?

182. Cite the sentences that foreshadow impending doom.

183. What incident sets the savages off?

184. How does Cooper describe this scene?

185. How does this offence change the course of the story?

186. What seems to quell the Indians’ rampage before it reaches Cora and Alice?

187. What is Magua’s offer to Cora? What is her response?

188. How does Magua change Cora’s mind?

189. What becomes of David?