Despite James Fenimore Cooper’s extremely lengthy descriptions and complicated sentence structures, there was

something that really spoke to me in The Last of the Mohicans. I stumbled over Cooper’s word choice even in the last
few chapters of the novel, but that did not stop me from appreciating the final scenes of the book more than all the
ones prior to it. In the end, Uncas’ dedication to Cora is what made The Last of the Mohicans truly worthwhile for me
to read, even when action was minimal.
One reason I find Cora and Uncas’ romance to be an interesting plot point is that it is unexpected. At the beginning of
the book, of course, Uncas, Chingachgook, and Hawkeye are not introduced. Only in Chapter III are the Indians and
the scout brought to the attention of the readers, and their connection to Heyward and the Munro sisters does not
begin until Chapter IV. Even once the entire group is united and has begun their journey together, the development of
a relationship between Uncas and Cora is unlikely because of the differences in their backgrounds. Cora is the
daughter of a notable English war colonel, whereas Uncas is the last of the Mohican Indian tribe. These
uncontrollable factors, like race and economic status, are among what makes the involvement between Cora and
Uncas surprising under the given circumstances.

The unanticipated aspect of Uncas and Cora’s relationship is partially what doomed it from the start. Along with the
racial boundaries that separate her from Uncas in The Last of the Mohicans, Cora’s own ethnic identity adds tension
to the plot. Cooper first describes Cora as having a complexion that is “not brown, but (…) the color of rich blood” and
hair that is “shining and black, like the plumage of a raven.” Cora’s mixed ethnicity is left relatively ambiguous, which
adds to an air of mystery that surrounds her. Additionally, comparing her hair to a raven’s feathers foreshadows her
death later in the book. As opposed to Alice, Cora is stronger and more courageous, and potentially more threatening
to the men in the story and therefore the overall order of the book.
Another way in which the affection between Cora and Uncas is discouraged or doomed is by the expectations of
Cora’s father, Colonel Munro. Because of her background, it is much more likely for Cora to marry a white man than
an Indian. At one point in the novel, Duncan Heyward tells Colonel Munro that he would like to marry his daughter
sometime in the future. Munro assumes that Heyward is referring to Cora, and seems to approve of the idea. Munro
would expect Cora to marry a man that he approves of, like Heyward, and to not fall in love with an Indian like Uncas.

Lastly, I appreciated the romance between Cora and Uncas because it provides great insight on Uncas’ personality
and behavior. Aside from his consistent dedication to protecting his father, Hawkeye, and the others, Uncas stays by
Cora’s side until her death. He seeks revenge on the Huron who killed her, and eventually dies by the hands of
Magua during this battle following Cora’s death. In addition to the perspective on Uncas’ love for Cora portrayed in
Chapter XXXII, Uncas’ actions are used to distinguish the traits Uncas and Chingachgook (the “friendly” Indians
in The Last of the Mohicans) from the traits of Magua and the Hurons, the villains of the story. Uncas’ loyalty to the
other travelers is more than admirable, and Magua proves to be disloyal. In this way, the relationship between Uncas
and Cora supported Cooper’s comparison of “the noble savages” (i.e., Chingachgook and Uncas) and the Indian
villains.
Despite James Fenimore Cooper’s extremely lengthy descriptions and complicated sentence structures, there was
something that really spoke to me in The Last of the Mohicans. I stumbled over Cooper’s word choice even in the last
few chapters of the novel, but that did not stop me from appreciating the final scenes of the book more than all the
ones prior to it. In the end, Uncas’ dedication to Cora is what made The Last of the Mohicans truly worthwhile for me
to read, even when action was minimal.
One reason I find Cora and Uncas’ romance to be an interesting plot point is that it is unexpected. At the beginning of
the book, of course, Uncas, Chingachgook, and Hawkeye are not introduced. Only in Chapter III are the Indians and
the scout brought to the attention of the readers, and their connection to Heyward and the Munro sisters does not
begin until Chapter IV. Even once the entire group is united and has begun their journey together, the development of
a relationship between Uncas and Cora is unlikely because of the differences in their backgrounds. Cora is the
daughter of a notable English war colonel, whereas Uncas is the last of the Mohican Indian tribe. These
uncontrollable factors, like race and economic status, are among what makes the involvement between Cora and
Uncas surprising under the given circumstances.

The unanticipated aspect of Uncas and Cora’s relationship is partially what doomed it from the start. Along with the
racial boundaries that separate her from Uncas in The Last of the Mohicans, Cora’s own ethnic identity adds tension
to the plot. Cooper first describes Cora as having a complexion that is “not brown, but (…) the color of rich blood” and
hair that is “shining and black, like the plumage of a raven.” Cora’s mixed ethnicity is left relatively ambiguous, which
adds to an air of mystery that surrounds her. Additionally, comparing her hair to a raven’s feathers foreshadows her
death later in the book. As opposed to Alice, Cora is stronger and more courageous, and potentially more threatening
to the men in the story and therefore the overall order of the book.
Another way in which the affection between Cora and Uncas is discouraged or doomed is by the expectations of
Cora’s father, Colonel Munro. Because of her background, it is much more likely for Cora to marry a white man than
an Indian. At one point in the novel, Duncan Heyward tells Colonel Munro that he would like to marry his daughter
sometime in the future. Munro assumes that Heyward is referring to Cora, and seems to approve of the idea. Munro
would expect Cora to marry a man that he approves of, like Heyward, and to not fall in love with an Indian like Uncas.
Lastly, I appreciated the romance between Cora and Uncas because it provides great insight on Uncas’ personality
and behavior. Aside from his consistent dedication to protecting his father, Hawkeye, and the others, Uncas stays by
Cora’s side until her death. He seeks revenge on the Huron who killed her, and eventually dies by the hands of
Magua during this battle following Cora’s death. In addition to the perspective on Uncas’ love for Cora portrayed in
Chapter XXXII, Uncas’ actions are used to distinguish the traits Uncas and Chingachgook (the “friendly” Indians
in The Last of the Mohicans) from the traits of Magua and the Hurons, the villains of the story. Uncas’ loyalty to the
other travelers is more than admirable, and Magua proves to be disloyal. In this way, the relationship between Uncas
and Cora supported Cooper’s comparison of “the noble savages” (i.e., Chingachgook and Uncas) and the Indian
villains.