JC+Last+of+the+Mohicans

In __The Last of the Mohicans__ by James Fenimore Cooper, Native Americans and the British and French Colonists had quite dynamic relationships. In some parts of the novel, the relationships are stereotypical and racist, which is what everyone expects. In other parts Native Americans and the colonists ban together and create close bonded friendships. There were even parts in the novel that they had forbidden friendships with interracial attraction. When the colonists first met the Indians, they were nervous and wondered if they could be trusted. Since the English were battling the French, and their allies, the Native Americans, they were very skeptical to trust any Native American. “A Mingo is a Mingo, and God is having made him so, neither the Mohawks nor any other tribe can alter him”(Cooper, 37). Hawkeye was waiting to meet Magua, who was going to bring him to Fort William Henry. As soon as he found out Magua was a Huron, he judged him to be a bad and dangerous person. Magua’s sly was only added Hawkeye’s racism. Although the group was double crossed by on Native American, the colonists alos made friends with some, as well. Hawkeye quickly made good friends with Chingachgook and Uncas, a father and a son who are the last of the Mochican tribe. They show loyalty by getting the group out of danger’s way. The French had a strong relationship with the Native Americans in the Huron tribe because of their alliance. Hawkeye and Chingachgook became good friends because although they did not share the same ethnicity, they both enjoyed to hunt and liked each other’s company. The novel showed interracial attraction between white women and Native American men. This was very taboo and unheard of in these times. At first Cora showed a lot of interest in Magua. When she and Uncas first met, there was instant attraction and they both had interest in one another. The Hurons killed both Cora and Uncas but the chief did say they would be together in the after life. Although it was unusual, the English colonist and Native American had interracial attraction.  Throughout the story, the English colonist and Native Americans relationships evolved. This was a story of friendship and overcoming racism to see the person and not only their ethnicity. Each relationship in the story changed to friendship, hatred, or love, which goes to show that not all Native Americans were as bloodthirsty as they were thought to be.