The Good and the Bad Indians in the Fiction of Cooper

This book deals with an analysis of James Fennimore Cooper s portrayal of good and bad Indians in the three novels of Cooper - The Deerslayer, The Last of the Mohicans and The Pioneers. In the Leather Stocking Tales, Cooper demarcates his Indians into two groups-the Algonquins or the good Indians and the Iroquois or the bad Indians. Cooper has often been alleged that his portrayal of Indians has been unrealistic; and that he presented a false and ideal view of Indian character. But, a thorough reading of Cooper s novels indicates that the claim of excessive idealization of the Indian as advanced by critics reveals a limited point of view. An avid reader would certainly admit taken all in all, Cooper has given the world, a remarkably complete and faithful picture of the character and life of the aborigines of primitive America.

Autorentext

Jayanthi N.L.N.,Ph.D(English),Ph.D(Education),Associate Professor,Department of Education,Annamalai University(India),has received "Rashtriya Gaurav Award"(IIFS) and "Award of Excellence"(AIAF)in 2012,for her contributions andachievements in the field of education.She is thePrincipal Investigator of Research Project funded byU.G.C,New Delhi.

Klappentext

This book deals with an analysis of James Fennimore Cooper's portrayal of good and bad Indians in the three novels of Cooper - The Deerslayer, The Last of the Mohicans and The Pioneers. In the Leather Stocking Tales, Cooper demarcates his Indians into two groups-the Algonquins or the "good' Indians and the Iroquois or the "bad" Indians. Cooper has often been alleged that his portrayal of Indians has been unrealistic; and that he presented a false and ideal view of Indian character. But, a thorough reading of Cooper's novels indicates that the claim of excessive idealization of the Indian as advanced by critics reveals a limited point of view. An avid reader would certainly admit taken all in all, Cooper has given the world, a remarkably complete and faithful picture of the character and life of the aborigines of primitive America.