Book Report 3: The Last of The Mohicans

THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS

Submitted by:
Otty Galuh Y
Ninda A
Shinta H
Naurisma GP

SUMMARY

Set in 1757 during the third year of the French and England War, the story begin as Cora and Alice Munro are being escorted to Fort William Henry where they will meet up with the commander of the fort, their father, Colonel Munro. The two women are accompanied by Major Duncan Heyward, a gallant young officer who soon falls in love with Alice. The small group is led by Magua, a mysterious and terrifying Huron, who suggests a "short-cut" that will lead them into an ambush he has prepared. The group are rescued from this fate when they run into Hawk-eye, a skilled woodsman also known as Natty Bumppo (his birth name). With him are his two Mohican friends, Chingachgook and his son, Uncas. Major Duncan tells Hawkeye and his friends about his growing distrust of Magua, and the newcomers agree. Hawkeye and his companions then attempt to seize the "treacherous savage," but the guide escapes into the forest.
Hawkeye predicts that Magua will be back, and fearing an attack by unfriendly Indians leads the group to Glenn's Falls. The group takes shelter in a warren of caves behind the waterfall and spends an uneasy night. The sound of horses screaming early in the morning alerts them to danger, and they find themselves under attack by a band of Iroquois. Cora, and Alice hide in the caves while the others plan a defense. Out in the forest Hawkeye, Duncan, Chingachgook, and Uncas engage in a bloody struggle with the Iroquois. They begin to run out of ammunition and prepare to die honorably. Cora begs them to go for help instead, so Hawkeye and the two Indians slip out down the river. Duncan stays to defend the girls, and they are all captured when a group of Hurons led by Magua enter the caves and uncover their hiding place.
Major Duncan attempts to trick Magua into releasing them, suggesting that . Colonel Munro will pay good money to have his daughters returned. It seems to be working, until Magua asks to speak to Cora alone and reveals his true motives. Driven by a mix of lust for her and hatred of her father, Magua wants to take Cora as his wife. This will be his revenge upon Colonel Munro, who has whipped him in public for being drunk. He promises Cora that if she consents he will free her beloved sister, but she refuses to comply. Enraged, Magua stirs up the Hurons into a fury of vengeful feelings, and the whole group attacks the prisoners and lashes them to trees. As they stand waiting to be burnt alive, Duncan breaks free and struggles with one of their captors. Just as he is about to be killed, Hawkeye and the two Mohicans arrive at the scene. The Hurons, terrified of Hawk Eye, and Alice, Cora, and Duncan are freed. Again, Magua manages to elude them.
The group continues toward Fort William Henry only to find it besieged by 10,000 French troops led by the Marquis de Montcalm. In thick fog, they make a mad dash for the fort and are rescued at the last minute. The girls are joyously reunited with their father, Colonel Munro. Duncan asks the Colonel for Alice's hand in marriage. In response, Munro reveals some of his past in order to ensure Duncan's commitment to his daughter.
The British await reinforcements from General Webb. De Montcalm intercepts a letter from Webb, and reveals to Munro and Duncan that no reinforcements are coming. Munro is to surrender the fort. The Marquis allows them to retain their military honor, and promises that they can leave the fort "unmolested." However, he neglects to arrange a troop escort for the defeated British, and as they leave the fort they are suddenly attacked by a group of 2,000 Indians. The British are massacred in the bloody attack, during which Magua recaptures Alice and Cora and takes them into the forest.
Munro, Duncan, Hawkeye, Chingachgook, and Uncas follow their trail north through the forest. When they arrived at Hurons Village, Duncan disguise as a doctor and Uncas watched closely from the other side. Uncas is captured, but using a cunning plan of swapped identities, Duncan and Hawkeye rescue both Uncas and Alice. They flee to safety with the Delaware, who free Cora when Uncas reveals that he is a chief and a Delaware descendant. The next day, Magua and his men come to the Delaware camp to demand the return of their captives. Tamenund, the Delaware chief, judges that Magua's desire to marry Cora makes his claim on her legitimate. Uncas vows that he and his friends will pursue them.
Followed by Hawkeye, the Mohicans, and a group of warriors, Magua and Cora set off for the Huron village. The two groups come into bloody conflict, and Uncas, Hawkeye, Duncan chase Magua and two warriors into a cave. Cora is as brave and strong-willed now as she has shown herself to be in earlier situations, and she refuses to move when her captors demand that she must. Attempting to force her, Magua threatens to kill her. His companions take him all too seriously, and another Huron advances to stab her to death. Desperately attempting to avert the tragedy, Uncas leaps into the fray from an overhanging ledge. He is too late to save Cora, and in the battle that follows he is killed by Magua, who is then shot by Hawkeye. The final chapter is one of sorrow for both the whites and the Indians. The bereft Munro returns to his territory with Duncan and Alice, who are now engaged. Hawkeye returns to the forest with Chingachgook. As the English leave, Hawkeye pledges eternal friendship with Chingachgook, the "Last of the Mohicans."

INTRINSIC ELEMENTS
A. THEME
Adventure, murder, battle

B. POINT OF VIEW
Third person Point Of View I Omniscient Point Of View

C. CHARACTERISTICS
a. Major Characters
1. Hawk-Eye
The main protagonist of the novel, he is a white man who has spent most of his life in the company of the Mohicans. Hawk-Eye is a kind man and a solidarity person.
2. Uncas
The last of the Mohicans' generation. He is Chingachgook's son.
He is calm, courageous person and have a kind heart.
3. Chingachgook
Father of Un cas, also a friend of Hawk-Eye. He is a Mohicans.
Great father and a solidarity person.
4. Magua
A chief in the Huron tribe, he is the antagonist of the novel. He has a big revenge with English Soldier.
5. Duncan Heyward
A major in the English anny whose have mission to guard the daughters of his commandant. He loves Alice, and gives more attention to Alice. He is a brave man. Duncan is a white man trying to fight Indian battles.
6. Cora Munro
The oldest daughter of General Munroe. She is beautiful woman with kind and brave heart. She loves her sister very much. Dark-haired, her mother (who died young) was half-white half-black, which means that Cora is a quadroon.
7. Alice Munro
The youngest daughter of General Munro. She is full of respected to Cora and loves Cora. Actually, she loves Duncan but she keep her feeling by herself She is weak, innocence, she always looking for protection from Cora and a sensitive girl.

b. Minor Characters
1. General Munro
He is the commandant of British anny. He loves his daughters very much. He is very loyal to his country. He is an optimist and therefore a good military leader. He can escape him self from Hurons tribe.
2. General Daniel Webb
Colonel Munro's commanding officer, originally stationed at Albany, who later takes command at Fort Edward (where he cannot or will not come to Colonel Munro's aid when Fort William Henry is besieged by the French).
3. General Montcalm
He is the commandant of French anny. He is shrewd leader, but he change to be kind and merciful to English when English surrender to French.
4. Tamenund
An ancient, wise, and revered Delaware Indian sage who has outlived three generations of warriors. He is the chief of Delaware.
5. The Huron
Huron is Magua's tribe. They are so ambitious. They want to show that they are the best and strangest tribes.
6. The Delaware
Delaware is descendents of the Mohicans. They are more peaceful and considerate then the Huron.

c. Protangonists
Hawk-eye
Uncas
Chingachook
Duncan
Cora Munro
Alice Munro
Tamenund
General Munro
General Webb
General Montcalm

d. Antagonists
Magua
The Hurrons

D. SETTING
a. Time
1. 1757
Armies from England and French are fighting in North America. Both countries want the land.
2. In the morning
The time when the Hurons attack the English when the English went from Fort William Henry.
3. At night
Munro, Duncan, Hawk Eye, Chingachgook and Uncas looking for Cora and Alice's trail.

4. Afternoon
Duncan, General Munro, Hawk Eye, Uncas and Chingachgook follows Cora and Alice's trail.

b. Place
1. Hudson River
The place near of Fort Edward.
2. Fort Edward
England's fort near the Hudson River.
3. Fort William Henry
England's fort which guard of General Munro.
4. Glenn Falls
The place where the Mohicans, Duncan, Cora and Alice stayed for a night and the place where Duncan, Hawk Eye, Uncas and Chingachgook fight with Hurons.
5. The Camp of French
The place where General Montcalm asked General Munro to leave Fort William Henry.
6. Forest
The place where Hurons attacked the English people.
7. Lake Horican
A lake which accrosed by the Mohicans when they looking for Cora and Alice.
8. Hurons Village
A place where Duncan disguise as a French doctor to looking for Cora and Alice.
9. Cave
Alice was endured by Hurons as a sick woman.
10. Meeting House of Delaware in Delawares Village
The place where Tamenund told Delawares that Huron become their enemy after Tamenund know that Uncas is Chingachgook's son.
11. The rocks
The place where the last battle happened between the Mohicans and Delawares with the Hurons. Cora, Uncas and Magua was died on this place.

E. PLOT
1. Exposition
It was year 1757, the third year of the war in North America. The war was between England and French. Each country wanted the land for them. General Webb was the commandant of the English army at Fort Edward. He was waiting for news of Montcalm. Cora and Alice were going to meet their father, General Munro in Fort William Henry with Duncan, they have a Indian guide named Magua.

2. Rising Action
Cora, Alice and Duncan met the Mohicans and Hawk Eye. Hawk Eye told them that Magua is a Hurons and they can't trust Hurons. After Magua ran away, the Mohicans took the ladies and Duncan to Fort William Henry, in their way they followed by Hurons because Magua wants Cora to be his wife.

3. Climax
In Delawares Village, Magua took Cora to go with him to be his wife.
But, the Mohicans, Duncan and the Delawares followed them. In the rocks they were fighting. Two Hurons were stabbing Cora, Uncas was stabed by Magua for 4 times and finally Magua was died because Hawk Eye shoot him. Cora, Uncas and Magua were died.

4. Catastrophe
In 1758, General Munro died. Alice married Duncan Heyward and they lived happily together from that time. The Delawares told their children the story of the English woman and the young Mohican. And they told their children the words of Tamenund, the old chief. "The time of the red man has gone. We fought for our land. But now there are many white men, as many as the leaves on the trees. I have lived too long, I have seen the last of the Mohicans."

F. MORAL VALUE
1. The wickedness will lose by the kindness.
2. Revenge will make everything worse.
3. Good friends will help us when we need the help.
4. Don't too easy to believe in someone because we are never know that someone who we believe is our enemy.
5. We should have big loyalty to our country, don't be traitor!