Whites and Reds

We see in the Cooper readings that the relationship between whites and Indians is one that is a bit strained because of hierarchical and stereotypical standards. Cooper shows the reader that the difference between these twopeoples is that the whites tend to think they can outsmart the Indians in the sense that they are more civilized. This where the terms "white gifts" and "red gifts" comes in. White gifts are known to be part of the "proper", Christian form of existence. On the other hand, red gifts include things that are along the lines of savagery, nature and warfare. In "Deerslayer", "The Indians", and as we discussed in class, "The Last of the Mohicans", Cooper showed this hierarchical status of the whites to the Indians very well by creating and then developing a sense of superiority of the Indians to the whites. This racial degradation is something that has been a part of America's history in many ways. Cooper's works portray the world as it use to be, but he also gives it much hope for a less segregated future solely by addressing the hierarchical issue at hand. No matter the differences between the whites and the Indians, Cooper portrays both races as wanting to be heroes for their own people and both are willing to put their lives on the line to do so.