The Last of the Mohicans is a family affair: there are deep sisterly bonds, father/child dynamics, and a bunch of dudes wandering around in the wilderness looking for wives (and, by association, the pitter patter of tiny feet).
Family isn't just seen as a plot device, a carrot that everyone chases after—family is seen to determine a character's attributes, behaviors, and inclinations.
Questions About Family
- To what extent does Hawkeye serve as a father figure to Uncas?
- Are there similarities in the father-son relationship we see and the father-daughters relationship?
- How would you characterize the relationship between the two sisters, Alice and Cora? To what extent would you say they are similar to their father or carry similar hereditary attributes?
- What, if anything, do we know about Chingachgook and Hawkeye's families?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Family is important in the novel only insofar as it determines the racial mix of the characters.
Family is the single greatest force at play in The Last of the Mohicans. Without strong familial bonds, there would be no plot.