o Sometimes characters that we meet in the beginning of novels do not become important by the end, so it is interesting that the third person narrator points out that they, Hurry and Deerslayer, will play “no insignificant” part in the novel.
o During this time period, settlement in America is still occurring, the lack of women is astonishing, and we can see this especially when Deerslayer explains that Hutter’s daughter is known in the Delawares even though she is still quite young.
o I thought Deerslayer and Hurry were going to be the best of friends, however, they get in a fight and Hurry even grabs Deerslayer by the throat. They quickly resolve their quarrel, though, which is interesting because the author is displaying just how different the two are.
o Christian principles are present such as when they call the boat the “ark.”
o Deerslayer is quite against the British, however, as he is glad that the lake does not have a “pale face name.” I feel like he is going to be a very stubborn character moving forward in the novel.
o I do not agree with the theory that Deerslayer is not a mature man because he has not killed anyone. This shows how different my and other Christians’ morals are from the Indians. It also gives some insight into why there was so much dispute between the British and the Indians.
o We see another different example of morals when Deerslayer takes pride in looking “evil”
o It is interesting that the more native-like people such as Deerslayer have no trouble killing another man, however, they do not like killing animals unless it is absolutely necessary for either the meat or hide.
o We start to see just how racist Hurry is. Deerslayer tries to defend the “red skins,” but Hurry’s prejudice rings through chapter 3.
o Up to this point I was curious about how Deerslayer got his name, however, the history of his many different names is explained when he introduces himself to Hetty.
o We are still being shown much racism coming from Hurry, what has made him so intolerant towards the Natives?
o It is quite sad to know that Hurry would take an Indians scalp in a heartbeat. It is one thing to simply hear about racism, but to experience it in depth through this character really makes you feel sympathy for the Natives.
o The Christian moral of forgiveness is talked about by Deerslayer. It seems that he is much wiser than Hurry and has learned more of a Christian worldview.
o The last interesting point about these chapters is that Hurry and Hutter are extreme hypocrites. They think the Indians are so savage but don’t realize just how unjust they are themselves.
10/13-17/18: Chapters 6-10: Question 1,8
For me, chapter 6 became super intense and extremely sad. I cannot believe that Hutter and Hurry would be so evil as to kill innocent people for their own well-being.
I do not know how the author is going to portray Deerslayer as we move further into the story. Will he be a hero, or, will he merely sit on the sidelines like he did in this scene? I would like to see him stand up for what he believes in and play a heroic character.
The author definitely depicts Deerslayer as a Christian with morals, opposed to Hurry and Hutter who are non-believers with no morals. It is a good example of what can become of a person if they are overtaken by the devil.
It is interesting that even though Deerslayer is clearly not racist, he would not marry a Native American woman. I thought, and still hope, that Deerslayer is a wise man, but I am quite unsure as to why he would not marry a Native. Is he scared of persecution?
I personally thought that Hetty might be one to fight for equality, however, we see where her allegiance lies when she runs off to save Hurry and her father.
Hetty seems like she wants to be a Christian but is too scared to actually become one for fear of persecution. The book says that she is 20 years old, however, I am getting the impression of a much younger woman, maybe in her teenage years. This could just be a personal opinion, or an effort being made by the author to show Hetty’s immaturity.
Question 8: I do not think Hetty is feeble-minded. I actually think she is extremely smart. She is, however, afraid to speak her mind. Hetty is afraid that if she puts forth her own ideas, she may be persecuted. Therefore, she sits on the sidelines and watches as the action happens, acting stupid so that she does not run into trouble. Standing up for her beliefs is not a risk she is willing to take.
10/18-23/18: Chapters 11-18: Question 1,5
o Starting off, I am noticing that Hetty is even more interested in Christian morals and values and wants to learn more about them. I think it is hard for her to fully commit because she has been taught the opposite of Christianity her entire life.
o It is a miracle that the Indians have not killed the hostages, but it goes to show that the Natives were not as savage as everyone claims them to be.
o It is rumored that Hutter was a pirate when he was younger, as they look through his chest, it makes me more curious as to whether this is a true story or not.
o It is apparent just how cruel Hutter is when his daughter tells of Hutter burning all of his wife’s books. It is crazy that one would even think to do such a thing to a loved one.
o For how educated Deerslayer is, it shocked me that he does not know how to read.
o Deerslayer is quite a confusing character. Sometimes he seems like a good and just Christian, and sometimes he seems like a racist white man. It is hard for me to decide what to believe at this point.
o Deerslayer helps to rescue Wah-tah!-Wah in this chapter and it seems to me that he is portrayed as a hero.
o I actually did not expect Deerslayer to be captured, so I was shocked when he was. I am interested to see not only how Deerslayer acts around the natives, but also how they treat him. He is not technically a “loyal” white man, but he is also not a “loyal” native. He seems to stay in the middle of situations which might be a smart idea in this case as he can take the side of the Native Americans.
o On more of a side note, I am studying US history this year and I wanted to point out that that in a history textbook, the Native Americans seem like the ones who are doing all the harm, however, in Deerslayer, the Natives are actually more reserved than the white men. It is fascinating to get both perspectives and decide for myself who the real source of trouble was.
o The difference between the white men and the Natives is clearly shown when Hurry quickly makes impulsive decisions, like rushing into the castle, whereas people like Chingachgook and methodical and think through their situations. Based on this situation, it is easier to see how much smarter the Natives were compared to the white men.
o Question 5: I think I would have played a main part in the plot if I were living in this time period. I am a very stubborn girl and am willing to fight for what is good and virtuous. I would have been similar to Deerslayer because I always keep my word and strive to make people happy. I am however, not as racist as he was, and I would work to try to make people see that we are all equal in the eyes of God. Since I am such a people-pleaser, I would have tried to change the conflict instead of running away from it.
10/24-30/18: Chapters 19-25: Question 1,9
The death of Hutter was quite surprising, however, I do not feel much sympathy for him. His character was very rude, racist, and cocky. I do feel bad for Hetty because it is her father, but Hutter was a very bad and cruel man.
It is prevalent throughout the book that Hurry is interested in Judith, therefore I foresaw the proposal. Since she rejected him, however, it makes me question what her values are. I am glad that she rejected him though because he is probably used to getting whatever he wants.
A core focus in these chapters is the promise Deerslayer made to go back to the enemy camp. This displays Christian morals such as loyalty and honor. Deerslayer made a promise and he is going to keep it. This is more of a Native philosophy than it is a white idea. Once again, we see Deerslayer’s dynamic character. I still can’t figure out what side he is on! Maybe he wants to be on both.
Finally, some secrets are being uncovered about Hutter’s past. Judith goes through his chest and finds many letters from her mom. Even though most of them are tampered with, she is still able to read some of them and finds out that her father was a wanted criminal.
Judith wants to marry Deerslayer. It is a bit shocking how much affection she has shown to him in these chapters simply because he is not necessarily for marriage. I am not actually sure what will become of Deerslayer and Judith, but I do think that they would balance each other out well. Maybe she could instill some morals in him and bring him closer to Jesus.
Question 9: If I could be any character in the book I would be Judith. I admire her integrity and her desire to get to know Jesus. Even though Christianity is not something she was taught to believe in when she was growing up, she knows that God might be the missing part of her life and seeks to know him. She is not as timid as Hetty, and not as racist as Deerslayer. She is open-minded and does not care about the ethnicity or background of her friends. She is a very desirable character and I would be honored to be her in the novel.
11/1-3/18: Chapters 25-30: Question 1,7
o Deerslayer kept his word and went back to the enemy camp, but of course they wanted something in return. I was expecting some form of payment, but they demanded he marry a widow for his life! This struck me by surprise and of course the first thing that popped into my head was when Deerslayer said he would not marry a Native American woman.
o I was not too surprised that he eventually got away because Deerslayer is like that character in action movies that somehow always escapes a horrible fate. It is fun to read about instances like this as they would not normally happen in real life.
o Unfortunately, they find Deerslayer and he is once again held hostage. It is interesting that he might rather die than marry a Native American woman. He is exemplifying that he does not want to marry because of his color, but I can only help but think that Deerslayer might have other intensions in mind, like marrying another woman such as Judith.
o Question 7: I would really enjoy seeing Deerslayer and Judith get married. Although Deerslayer says he will not marry a Native woman, maybe his mind will be changed. I think since they have endured so much together, they would be a good and strong couple. They can also use each other to grow in their relationship with God as it is clear they are both curious to learn more about Him.
11/4-5/18: Chapters 30-32: Question 1,2, 3, 4, 6
After all they had been through, I was very sad to read that Judith and Deerslayer would not be married. I guess his views cannot be changed even though I was hoping they would be. I really did like them as a couple, but every book does not have a fairytale ending.
Deerslayer has developed a new name (Hawkeye), which may signal him changing. His nicknames provide insight into every different part of his life, and this is the beginning of a new era.
Even though I was not very fond of this book at the begging, it captivated me by the end. I was sad that it ended but also felt a sense of relief as I found out the conclusion. I wish Deerslayer would marry Judith, but that was not the author’s intention. The book leaves the reader to imagine what Deerslayer is going to accomplish in the rest of his life.
Question 2: After reading Deerslayer over the past few weeks, I think the theme of the book is the importance of honor and selflessness. No matter what, Deerslayer never goes back on his word and strives to help those in need. Although it is upsetting that Deerslayer will not marry Judith because of her skin, he is still staying true to his “people” and honoring them.
Question 3: One of the main parallels between the book and James Fenimore Cooper’s life that I am curious about is the sense of God. None of the characters seem to be firm in their belief of Jesus and still have questions. Maybe Cooper was this way too. He may have known about Jesus and been curious, but not fully understanding of the capabilities Jesus held. Another similarity may be the death of Cooper’s father and the death of Hutter. It could be said that Hutter is like a father figure even though his morals are not virtuous. His father was also murdered as Hutter was.
Question 4: I do not have any more questions at this point, but I do think it would be interesting to get some deeper insight into certain characters backgrounds such as Hurry and Hetty. We learn small details about their past but nothing major. Having a full knowledge of their background might help us to better understand their actions throughout the novel.
Question 6: Some things in the book I agree with are the strong sense of honor that Deerslayer carries, and the many Christian morals present throughout the reading. Even though none of the characters are solid in their Christian beliefs, some are starting to explore the goodness of God. Additionally, even though there will be consequences if Deerslayer keeps his promise, he does so anyways. Some things I do not agree with are the native morals, and the racism present. One native moral that was particularly upsetting was the idea that a person was not respected as an adult until they killed a man. Another central idea the book focuses on is racism. It was inevitable at the time period but being racist is not acceptable. God created everyone perfect in His image. Judging someone based on their look is criticizing God’s work.