The Prairie

Set in the immense landscape of the Great Plains, The Prairie (1827) addresses many questions raised by the penetration of the American west: the displacement of the Indians, the destruction of nature, and the creation of a just society both ordered and free. The aged trapper, Natty Bumppo, is given a grand voice in The Prairie , where he appears in the autumn of his days; he is spokesman for the conservation of the natural environment, for the proper use rather than abuse of nature. However, his physical prowess is waning and he is ultimately unable to thwart the despoilers. In this, the last in the series of five Leatherstocking Tales, Cooper brings to a resolution the issues of The Pioneers and The Last of the Mohicans , but at the same time he suggests that humility, self-control, reverence for God, and respect for nature are tragically lost on the prairie. This book is intended for general readers, and students of American literature at 6th form, undergraduate and postgraduate level.