Worldview Analysis of The Last of the Mohicans by James Fennimore Cooper Use your background knowledge of the French

and Indian War, James Fennimore Coopers life, American Romanticism, and the text The Last of the Mohicans to discuss these Socratic questions with your teacher and classmates. 1. Where did the author live? In what country did the author live? In what city or state? 2. When did the author live? What events took place in the world during the authors lifetime? Did the author know about them? 3. What did the author believe? Was the author a believer in a particular religion? 4. Did the author believe that human life has purpose and meaning? If so, what did he believe that purpose or meaning to be? 5. What does the story say about human nature? What adjectives might be used to describe human nature as it is presented in the story? Is it brave, generous, heroic, creative and benevolent? Is it frail, selfish, dull or evil? 6. What does the story say about God? Does the world of the story include a God or higher power that governs events in some way? Is the higher power assumed to exist or is it mentioned explicitly? 7. What does the story say about the natural world? Is the natural world a source of good or evil in the story? What good things does it produce? What evil things? 8. What is the greatest evil in the story? What things does the story label evil? 9. Does the story demonstrate the implications of the authors views in some way? 10. What does the story say about love? What power or significance does the story ascribe to love?

2012, Paideia Academy, English Language and Composition, Mrs. Brenda Sain