The Americanization of conventional gothic elements in James Fenimore cooper’s The pathfinder

B RAJA SEKHAR REDDY, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, brajasekhar.reddy@gmail.com

P KALYANI SREEDEVI, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, sreeluraj27@gmail.com
KR ESWAR REDDY, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, kollagieswar1981@gmail.com
Department of English, Sri Venkateswara Institute of Technology, N.H 44, Hampapuram, Rapthadu, Anantapuramu,
Andhra Pradesh 515722
Abstract
The Americanization of typical gothic components and tactics by Cooper in The Pathfinder is the focus of this study. That Cooper uses the
American wilderness as a stand-in for the more common European gothic settings like castles and monasteries is implied. Characters
experience dread and panic due to the gothic environment of the American wilderness, which is characterised by an air of danger and
peril. The scary and untamed American wilderness makes Mabel Dunham and her friends nervous and unsure the whole way through the
book. The gothic quality of the American woods is emphasised via Cooper's use of suspense and the sublime. Cooper modifies gothic
elements for an American context, but instead of the usual spectres and ghosts, he uses Native Americans. The abhorrence and cruelty of
Cooper's Indians, according to this article, are just as terrifying as these unexplained ghosts. Their viciousness and depravity heighten the
gothic ambiance of the American woods and heighten the protagonists' sensations of horror. Those ghostly beings are said to resemble
goblins due to their rapid appearances and disappearances. By using uniquely American materials and components, this thesis contends
that Cooper gives the gothic style a new lease of life in the United States.

Keywords: the Pathfinder, American wilderness, gothic, danger, threat, fear, terror, Indians
Introduction Since Cooper avoids using the typical gothic tropes and features
J. Fenimore Cooper In the middle of the nineteenth century, one of seen in European gothic writing, the suggestion that Cooper's The
the most popular and influential American books was The Pathfinder may be characterised as a gothic book may seem
Pathfinder: or, the Inland Sea by James M. Cooper. This is the ridiculous. For instance, you won't find any cryptic corridors or
fourth installment of the legendary frontiersman known as Leather underground mazes in any castle. There isn't a monastery or ancient
stocking, and it was published in 1840. The tales revolve on his manor home where a villainous monk kidnaps a helpless heroine
life and experiences. Despite Cooper's hero's death and burial in an and threatens to rape her or do other terrible damage. Just as in
Indian hamlet on the western plains at the conclusion of The Horace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto and Matthew Gregory
Prairie, he is revived in The Pathfinder and resurrected at about the Lewis' The Monk, there are no spectres, bloodstained pictures, or
same age as he is in The Last of the Mohicans (1826). The ominous portents to terrify the protagonists. Also, Cooper doesn't
Pathfinder delves into the colonial conflicts fought between France make use of any unexplained or supernatural occurrences to prove
and England for control of the North American continent, taking that irrationality is better than logic in everyday life. Since these
place in 1759 in Lake Ontario during the French and Indian War conventional gothic features are not necessary for the style,
(Seven Years' War). The Last of the Mohicans depicts the horrific Cooper's work may be considered gothic even if it lacks them in
massacre at Fort William Henry, when the Huron Indians brutally The Pathfinder. It is not the fortress or abbey that is significant to
slaughtered the surrendered British men. This tale takes place after Gothic architecture, according to Donald A. Ringe, but rather a
that massacre. Similar to the second book, The Pathfinder feeling of confinement that may be conveyed by other means.
illustrates the violent struggle between humans and the natural Similarly, the dread of the unknown and the unexpected is the root
world in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. One of the key cause of phobias like ghosts, spectres, and weird noises. There are
reasons the work has remained praised since its debut is because other ways to communicate it as well" (Ringe). The fact that The
of the picturesque descriptions and literary paintings of American Pathfinder lacks the typical gothic features lends credence to
natural surroundings. Examples of favourable reviews include "a Ringe's assertion. All of these things are really substituted with
true work of genius" from the New-York Review and "an other tools that make people feel threatened and insecure in the
admirable production, full of fine pictures of exalted virtue in the
humble paths of life" from the Knickerbocker (Dekker 17–8). The
French writer and critic Honoré de Balzac lauded Cooper's use of
picturesque settings—including rivers, woodlands, and waterfalls personality types. Without a doubt, the gothic form places more
—to create "a succession of marvellous tableaux, which in this emphasis on these sentiments of menace and terror than on the
work as in those that preceded it are quite inimitable" (qtd. in means to achieve them. "The external elements used to express it
Valtiala 151). The Pathfinder's positive welcome might potentially are not important; what matters is the sense of insecurity and
be danger, of a threat to the self" (Ringe). It is clear that Cooper adapts
the gothic style to the American milieu by using various strategies
and techniques in his works.
this is because it draws from a variety of genres and styles,
including woodland romances and sea romances, among others. In The Spy, The Pilot, and Lionel Lincoln, Cooper drew inspiration
The epic, elegiac, and gothic literary styles are used by the author from traditional gothic themes that are typical of European gothic
to depict the savage battles fought between the English and the literature. However, in the Leather stocking Tales, he sought to
French. establish a uniquely American gothicism. This effort showcased his
status as a uniquely American writer and demonstrated his desire as just as hazardous. Cap asserts that the wilderness is devoid of
to depart from the European gothic tradition. By using only local storms, hurricanes, and terrifying creatures like sharks and whales.
materials that are appropriate for the New World's demands and In response, Mabel warns that the woods are teeming with "beasts,
environment, Cooper Americanizes the traditional gothic themes Indians, Frenchmen, desperadoes, subterfuges, and ambushes
in The Pathfinder. He moved the gothic castle to the American [which] all lie in wait beneath the treetops" (Gilmore 60). The
wilderness since America lacks the ancient structures and ruins dangers of the woods are exaggerated, and Cap is ridiculed for
seen in Europe. While Washington Irving and Charles Brock den being naive about them. A saltwater sailor's perspective shifts, and
Brown's novels also included elements of the American forest in he eventually concedes that the water is just as dangerous as the
their gothic settings, Cooper proved that the American wilderness Atlantic.
could be just as effective as a haunted castle in gothic literature,
although he wasn't the first to do so (White 107). As terrifying as There are a lot of sequences in The Pathfinder that show how
the hidden corridors and mazes of a European mediaeval castle or dangerous the American wilderness is and how terrified and
monastery, it exudes an air of menace and peril. The Pathfinder is threatened the protagonists are. Cooper recounts Leather stocking
characterised by forest gothic, which "looks to the interior of and his comrades' attempts to evade the Iroquois Indians in one
wooded groves" and enclosed landscapes "pictured like the such scenario. Fearing likely death or imprisonment, the fugitives
interior of a Gothic cathedral" (Axelrad), in contrast to Cooper's immediately begin to search for means of evading the enemy after
reliance on mountain gothic in his early Leather stocking novels hearing from Leather stocking's Indian companion Chinga chgook
like The Pioneers (1823) and The Prairie (1827) when describing that the Indians are following them and that they face the possibility
the American landscape. There are no towering peaks, chasms, or of an ambush. Upon reaching the Oswego River's shore, where the
other vertical features in the natural landscapes shown in The stream's bend facilitated the party's goal, Cooper narrates how
Pathfinder; rather, they are flat and horizontal. The natural Leather stocking and his companions construct a man-made canopy
landscapes are endlessly expansive and breathtaking. The savagery to conceal their boats and evade detection from the opposing bank.
of the Native Americans adds to the gothic element of these After completing his mission to deceive their enemies upstream by
images, making them appear even more terrifying with their building a fire near a fallen tree, Leather stocking's white buddy
brutality and mercilessness. Americanizing the gothic and using Jasper Eau douce is unable to locate the cover, which seems to be
uniquely native materials are further highlighted by Cooper's both effective and secure. Despite his keen senses and skill, not
attention on the Indians as essentially American subjects. even Chingachgook can discover it quickly. Three Iroquois Indians
approach the travellers' hiding spot, and one of them pauses
abruptly after glancing at some leaves that had drooped somewhat
from sun exposure, suggesting that the artificial cover's efficiency
The American wilderness as a gothic setting and protection are only temporary. Cooper emphasises the
The American wilderness is portrayed throughout The Pathfinder dangerous and unstable situation of the runaway in this gothic scene
as a terrifying gothic environment that enchants those who go into by saying that "nothing sheltered the travellers, but the branches and
it. Danger lurks around every corner in this kind of setting. Both leaves of plants so pliant, that they yielded to every current of air,
Mabel Dunham and her uncle Charles Cap are uneasy in the and which a puff of wind, a little stronger than common, would
unfamiliar setting, and they sense an ominous destiny speeding up have blown away" (62). Upon initial sight of the hostile Indians, the
due to an enigmatic and unexplainable power. Cooper expresses fugitives are likened as a multitude of living statues inside the
this concept early on in the book when he says that their lengthy shelter. All characters, even Cap—who is described as "narrow-
trek through the woods is "necessarily attended with danger" (11) minded" (Abel 370)—fall prey to gothic terror as the drama
and that they are traversing a "vast natural vault that was upheld progresses. Every single one of them seems paralysed with fear, too
by myriads of rustic columns" (15). Cooper implies that the fearful to move or even talk freely. The shipwreck surfer,
conventional haunted castles and monasteries featured in European
gothic literature are not more horrifying than the American for example, suffers from severe anxiety at the prospect of being
wilderness by drawing an analogy between the forest and a natural beheaded by Indians and has no idea how to protect himself and his
vault. This concept goes beyond friends from harm. Defining the fugitives' dangerous circumstances
primarily via a gothic lens is a sure bet. This mode's primary goal is
further emphasised by the fact that Mabel and Cap are utterly to show how vulnerable the people are and to emphasise how
confused about who to trust in the wild because of how unsafe and Cooper sees the wilderness as a "domain of danger and evil"
unpredictable it is. For example, while Mabel and her companions (Babington 141).
are being led by Arrowhead, a Tuscarora Indian, towards Fort
Oswego, they see a cloud of smoke rising above the trees, but they In Cooper's account of the Thousand Islands, the mood of peril and
can't tell if their enemies or friends started the fire, or if it portends danger that permeates the American wilderness is intensified. Major
good or bad fortune. Cooper emphasises the sense of dread and Duncan of Lundie dispatches Sergeant Dunham and his companions
danger felt by the passengers in this scenario by saying that when on a sailing expedition to relieve a post known as Station Island.
they approach the site of the fire, they all take extra precautions The travellers are uneasy and fearful of sudden and unanticipated
and remain silent. By highlighting the dangerous and precarious danger, despite the island's hidden location. Cooper mostly uses
scenario in which the whole group finds themselves, Cooper Mabel, who is shown as easily frightened by even the smallest
primarily employs the gothic genre. Cap despises nature and danger, to illustrate Gothic terror. In order to intercept the French
believes the wilderness is nothing more than a "tame surface" (10) supply boats bound for Frontenac, the Sergeant, Leather stocking,
that isn't any riskier than the Atlantic Ocean, while Mabel views it and Jasper depart from the island, which intensifies her feelings of
unease and disturbance. Despite the presence of her uncle,
Lieutenant Muir, Corporal McNab, and three other troops to
protect the island in the event that it is found and assaulted by the Cooper used suspense as a primary device in The Pathfinder to
enemy, her dread of the unknown persists. She is already terrified, bring the gothic genre to a uniquely American context. The
but her fears are heightened when the Dew of June, Arrowhead's depiction of dangerous circumstances where the protagonists' lives
wife, surreptitiously joins her on the island and orders her to seek are in danger is the primary means by which gothic literature builds
refuge in the blockhouse, the only spot she knows of that is safe tension. The protagonists in these stories often experience dread and
from the enemy's firearms. Mabel feels her blood turn to ice as the an air of mystery about their ultimate destiny. It's clear that Cooper
Dew of June warns her the island will soon be invaded by the wants to highlight the gothic elements of the American woods via
Iroquois Indians. After the Dew of June leaves, Mabel finds a little his repeated use of suspense. The Pathfinder has heart-pounding
scrap of fabric that looks like a flag waving from a tree limb, suspense that makes it hard to guess what will happen or who will
which adds to her anxiousness and lack of peace. The thought that win or lose. Cooper, for instance, keeps the gothic tension high right
Arrowhead's wife may be deceiving her or that Jasper has told the up to the very end of the scene when the travellers take shelter
enemy about the island's strategic location terrifies her. Since under the man-made cover, right up until the young Iroquois Indian
Jasper was previously banished below decks and accused of buries his hatchet in the skull of the fugitive and Chingachgook
treachery when the group sailed to Station Island on the Scud, the enters the scene. The destiny of the travellers is still up in the air
second option seems to be both logical and warranted. In the midst with the killing of this Iroquois Indian, since their pursuers wasted
of all this, Mabel's fears become so great that she runs to the no time in identifying and attacking the corpse. Given that his canoe
blockhouse to hide with Jennie, the soldier's wife, as her is the most vulnerable to enemy firearms and that he was the last
suspicions are heightened. fugitive to leave the Oswego coast, Leather stocking's destiny
seems to be the most unclear of all the fugitives. Cooper emphasises
Some have said that the blockhouse scene is important because it the danger Leather stocking is in by saying that bullets twice sliced
shows how the protagonists' overwhelming sense of danger and through his clothing without hurting him and that he seems to be
the gothic elements of the American woods are brought to life. living a lucky life. With other Iroquois Indians joining their
When the Iroquois Indians launch a surprise and savage assault on companions on the riverbank and continuing to fire at the fugitive,
the island, wreaking havoc and confusion, Mabel's worst the life of Leather stocking is becoming increasingly precarious at
nightmares come true in this scenario. Upon seeing Corporal this time of tremendous tension. When Leatherstocking hides
McNab's lifeless corpse, Mabel is overcome with fear to the point behind a tiny rock that rises above the river and gets a boat from his
that she is unable to scream or even quake in her boots, while the pals, he reaches the western side, maintaining the Gothic suspense.
hostile Indians open fire from a neighbouring island. She seems to By showing Chingachgook in a similarly precarious predicament,
be in a haze of unconsciousness as she disregards her own well- whose destiny is similarly shrouded in mystery, Cooper maintains
being in favour of tending to her dying friend. Cooper states that the tension. He is about to be shot from a short distance in the
her heart was "beat tumultuously" and that she was unable to "act woods after one of his enemy Indians found him. The tension builds
[ing] collectedly" due to her overwhelming dread, and that she felt until Leatherstocking uses his weapon, Killdeer, to kill his enemy.
"blind terror" from the moment the Indians attacked (339). She
takes refuge in the apparently safe blockhouse, but her fear There are plenty of other situations in The Pathfinder when Cooper
persists as she listens to the incessant gunfire of the Indians and uses strong and terrifying tension. Cooper recounts a situation in
eventually becomes which Chingachgook and Jasper try to free their canoe from a
shallow section of the rift as Leatherstocking is escaping from his
worried about what would happen to her gathering. According to pursuers. Cooper relates that Chingachgook and Jasper, armed with
Cooper, Mabel's blood "curdled" (340) when she peered through a knives and a tomahawk, are forced to swim across the river at night.
blockhouse gap and saw the three dead soldiers lying beside The darkness is so thick and deep that not even close to their
Corporal McNab. The heroine's fear is intensified as she location can be seen, so they must rely on instinct instead of sight to
anticipates that Cap and Lieutenant Muir, who are nowhere to be search. The situation is set to be suspenseful by Cooper as the
seen on the island, will meet the same end as the soldiers. This explorers find an Iroquois Indian moving in the water within their
Gothic setting is "as fearful as it was extraordinary" (340), grasp. The situation grows serious and perilous for Jasper and
according to Cooper. It depicts Jennie, whose only option for Chingachgook as they grudgingly pursue their adversary towards
evading certain death is to hide in the blockhouse, as being just as the eastern coast, where the Iroquois await his return, when this
terrified and terrified as Mabel. Just like Mabel, she is overcome hostile Indian discovers the canoe and asks them for aid. However,
with dread and despair the moment the island comes under assault. Jasper is unable to see Chingachgook due to the darkness. The
She rushes to the blockhouse, locks the door behind her, and situation becomes even more intense when four other Iroquois
leaves Mabel outside to plead for admission, revealing her Indians join their youthful companion, and the heroes wind
profound concern and anxiety right from the start of the attack. themselves smack dab in the centre of their most formidable foes.
Upon learning of her husband's death, Jennie leaves her hiding Everything that happens next is completely up in the air since
area and makes her way to the site where his corpse lies. Chingachgook and Jasper's fate is so mysterious. Because of their
Arrowhead quickly tomahawks her as her panic reaches its climax numerical and military advantages, the Iroquois Indians make any
in this scenario. Cooper "Americanizes the Gothic techniques" in kind of escape look not just unlikely but impossible. A tragic end
The Pathfinder by using the forest as "a symbol of fear" due to the seems to be in store for Chingachgook, whose skill and cunning
perils and threats that Mabel and her companions encounter appear to be to blame. The scene's gothic tension reaches a fever
following the island invasion (Kaftan 31). He follows in Brock pitch when the young Iroquois Indian faces up against his
den Brown's footsteps by bringing gothic elements to a adversaries in the water and a brutal and fatal combat breaks out
contemporary American context (Note 1). between him and Chingachgook. To set the stage for the unveiling
of the gothic scene's conclusion, Cooper describes how Jasper gets the mind. He implies that awe, horror, and adoration are emotions
the canoe and gets to his pals on the western side. Thus, the two evoked by the sublime. Cooper mostly uses the description of the
Indians' ultimate destiny is still up in the air, and the tension is woodland wilderness scene at the introduction of The Pathfinder to
high. Because the river is so calm, Leatherstocking and his demonstrate his use of the sublime. Perched atop a mound of fallen
companions can't even begin to guess what happened during the trees brought down by the forest's recent storm, Mabel and her
conflict. The tension builds until Chingachgook makes an friends are at an ideal vantage point from which to survey the scene
appearance and discloses the truth. The next scenario is just as below. Cooper wrote a lengthy description of this view, and a brief
nail-biting as the one before it. It details the fugitives' remarkable passage from it deserves to be quoted because it is striking and
escape from impending death as they across the Oswego gap, significant in the analysis of the gothic aspects of the American
according to Cooper. The passengers' destiny is still up in the air wilderness. The scene was truly one that deeply impresses the
and full of suspense until they are safe from any threats. A lot of imagination of the beholder. As the group turned to face the west,
the gothic elements of the American wilderness, with its terrifying the only direction visible, the view stretched out before them: a
aura, are brought to light in the many terrifying sequences in The verdant sea of leaves, adorned with the vibrant colours and textures
Pathfinder. of a bountiful vegetation, and veiled by the lush hues typical of the
42nd degree of latitude. The notion of grandeur was included in the
Cooper uses the aesthetic term of the sublime to describe nature in seemingly endless expanse of greenery, the view's breadth. Delicate
The Pathfinder, further emphasising the gothic aspect of the tones, softened by subtle shifts in light and shadow, were to reveal
American wilderness. A quick definition and history of this the beauty, while the grave stillness evoked awe. (8-9)
aesthetic category is essential for understanding Cooper's work
and its treatment of this topic. Many authors and thinkers, like Cooper highlights the sublimity and magnificence of the scenery in
Edmund Burke and Immanuel Kant, laid the groundwork for his depiction of this "panoramic" (Morris 225) picture of the
seeing nature's sublime beauty as a gothic tool. According to woodland solitude. Not only does the woodland exude an aura of
Burke's 1757 work A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of our profound tranquilly and seclusion, but its expansiveness serves to
Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful, the former is associated with accentuate its breathtaking beauty.
vastness, infinity, magnificence, magnitude, and obscurity, while
the latter is associated with beauty's potential definition as aspects. It seems as if Cooper is implying that the forest is more
smallness, smoothness, softness, and delicacy. larger and more expansive than the ocean. He believes that such a
forest view is eternal and unending, and he emphasises the fact that
The sublime is male in nature, in contrast to the feminine qualities from the viewers' location, all they can see is a carpet or ocean of
associated with beauty. How these two types of beauty make the leaves and greenery. By describing the range of emotions
observer feel is another way in which they vary. Sublime art, in experienced by the individuals, Cooper primarily emphasises the
contrast to the pleasant and satisfying effects of beauty, may evoke gothic nature of the setting. For instance, it is clear that Mabel feels
strong negative emotions like dread, agony, and horror. According a mix of dread, horror, and amazement as she gazes at the vast
to Burke, amazement is the most powerful sensation that the forest that Cooper says is its own universe. She seems to be in a
sublime can provoke. According to him, "the passion caused by condition of suspended animation as her spirit is enthralled by the
the great and sublime in nature is astonishment." He goes on to say scenery. "Her face was beaming with the pensive expression, with
that astonishment is the emotional condition when the soul is which all deep emotions, even though they bring the most grateful
suspended in some degree of terror, with all its movements halted pleasure, shadow the countenances of the ingenuous and
(39). According to him, when amazement takes hold, the mind thoughtful" (8), which Cooper uses to emphasise Mabel's profound
becomes fixated on its target to the point that it can't think about fear and terror at the sight of this forest wilderness. The gothic and
anything else or reason about anything other than the item that "Salvatorean" (Nevius 42) scenery frightens Mabel, as Cooper's
uses it (39). This is why, according to Burke, the effects of comment implies, in addition to pleasing and satisfying her (note 2).
admiration, veneration, and respect are lower than amazement,
which is the greatest degree of sublime effect. Kant, who built
upon Burke's thoughts and aesthetic notions, shared Burke's Cooper depicts a plethora of breathtaking, Gothic-style natural
differentiation between the beautiful and the sublime. In his settings in The Pathfinder. As an example, the moment when Mabel
Critique of Judgement, Kant posits that formless and limitless first gazes onto Lake Ontario from atop a bastion of Fort Oswego
things are linked with the sublime, whereas objects possessing highlights the sublime nature of the vista. Cooper asserts that Lake
clear bounds are associated with beauty (61). In Kant's view, the Ontario's "field of rolling waters" (108), which Mabel describes as a
primary difference between beautiful and sublime things is that the "true panorama which is so fascinating and charming that the
former are objects of pleasure that seem to be pre-adapted to human eye cannot but fully appreciate its glory," evokes the same
human judgement, while the latter are objects of terror that seem mixture of fear, wonder, and amazement that she feels when gazing
to go against the goals of the power of judgement (61). at the aforementioned forest wilderness. Cooper emphasises the
sublimity of this lake primarily via describing its apparent
One may argue that Cooper's gloomy, horrific, and untamed interminability and immense size. According to him, it is
settings in The Pathfinder are justified by his use of the aesthetic impossible to see any land from Mabel's vantage point atop the
concept of the sublime. For instance, Cooper states early on in the bastion. Water rules unchallengedly to the north, east, and west.
book that "[t]he sublimity connected with vastness, is familiar to Lake Ontario's gothic features are apparent in various ways,
every eye" (7), highlighting the presence of the sublime in nature. including its size and the colour of its waters, among many others.
He goes on to say that when the poet looks into the "illimitable Unlike the ocean, its waters aren't a glistening green or a dark blue.
void" (7), his most complex and far-reaching ideas encroach upon The colour, according to Cooper, is slightly amber and, despite its
complexity, has little effect on the lake's transparency. The her uncle the way to Fort Oswego; instead, he wants to trick them
"hollow" is another feature that draws attention to the sublimity of into becoming his hostages by leading them into the forest. As the
Lake Ontario. Iroquois find Leather Stocking and his companions at the site of the
manufactured cover, his abrupt abandonment of them and joining
(109) noises that are often audible close to the lake's edge, where his fellow Indians on the river's eastern bank is the first indication
the water flows into the caves. Cooper claims that the quiet of his deceit. When Jasper and Leather Stocking catch and arrest
serenity of the lake is unaffected by these noises, despite their him when he and his wife are following the Scud to the Thousand
hollowness. All they do is bring out its majesty and splendour. Islands, his infidelity becomes even more apparent. Mabel thinks
According to Cooper, who emphasises the gothic element of the it's quite likely that he was the one who found and betrayed the
scenario, Mabel seems to be "unconscious" as she stares at the location of Station Island to the French. The Dew of June does not
lake, which is "pervading both her body and her mind" (110). explicitly tell Mabel this, but she does confess that Arrowhead was
Fear, panic, and amazement are further conveyed by Mabel's the one who spearheaded the Iroquois Indian assault on Station
frequent expressions of appreciation and surprise. Island. The ferocity, barbarism, and inhumanity of Arrowhead are
most on display during this horrific attack, when he carelessly and
cold-bloodedly brains Sandy's wife with his tomahawk before
Native American savagery, hellishness and Spectrality charging forward like a monster from hell. Cooper emphasises his
Cooper's use of uniquely indigenous elements and his viciousness and callousness in this scenario by asserting that
Americanization of the gothic are emphasised by his emphasis on Jennie's "reeking hair was hanging at his girdle, as a trophy" (342).
Native Americans as exclusively American subjects in The That is
Pathfinder. Cooper relied substantially on written sources to fill in
the gaps in his understanding of the Indians and their original Arrowhead is a vicious barbarian who spares no victims, even
culture. He used the works of John Heck as an example. women and children, as Cooper made clear. It makes no difference
to him whether his foes are young or old; what matters most is that
welder whose depiction of Indian culture was heavily influenced he gets the scalps. Given these factors, Arrowhead may be seen as
by Weaver's account of Indian history, manners, and customs (74). the prototypical monstrous villain typical in gothic fiction.
These factors contribute to the extreme goodness (or evil) shown
by his Indians. Bad Indians are shown as "bloodthirsty" (Corbett Key episodes that portray the ferocity and hellishness of Native
175) barbarians whose villainy and devilry make them look like American life in The Pathfinder include Cooper's description of the
dreadful characters, in contrast to good Indians who are depicted Iroquois' terrible assault on Station Island. There is no indication
as honourable fighters with impeccable morals, honesty, and that Arrowhead's inhumanity and cruelty are any worse than those
justice. There are many distinct Indian tribes, each with its own of his fellow Indians in this incident. The indigenous people of the
history, customs, and beliefs. However, according to Cooper, the American wilderness are depicted in Cooper's work as being so
good Indians were those who supported the British, while the evil vicious and heartless that fear becomes horror. Based on Cooper's
Indians were those who supported the French. The Pathfinder and analysis of the "horrible scene" (342), Jennie's horrifying and
the other Leather Jacket Tales have good Indians—the Mohicans exciting scream upon finding her husband's corpse appears to be
and the Delawares—and wicked Indians—the Iroquois, the "melody to the cry that followed it so quickly as to blend the
Tuscaroras, and the Hurons. According to the portrayal, the second sounds" and to the "terrific war-whoop that arose out of the covers
group of Indians is fundamentally wicked and their animosity is of the island" (342). The image is horrifying for Mabel, but it
seemingly unwarranted. Their savagery and cunning conjure becomes much worse as these hideous Indians leap out of their
images of demons whose only purpose is to destroy those they hiding places and joyfully chop Corporal McNab and three other
have targeted. Additionally, they are portrayed as inhumane soldiers' bodies to pieces. The latter is so horrified by what she sees
barbarians that take pleasure in consuming human blood and as that she seems to have her senses dulled and her blood frozen with
ruthless savages. Their savagery and violence intensify the sense fear. After imbibing some English spirits, the Iroquois Indians plan
of peril and danger inherent in the American environment, making to burn down the blockhouse with "hellish ingenuity" (355), a tactic
it even more terrifying. Additionally, they heighten the they hope would make Mabel give up and submit. This act further
protagonists' sense of dread and panic. An American take on the highlights their brutality and heartlessness. These Indians are
spectres, bleeding portraits, and enigmatic apparitions seen in "whooping and leaping like demons" (354), and they can't wait to
European gothic literature may be these Indians. They elucidate get their hands on Mabel's scalp, burn the whole building, and
Cooper's desire to establish a distinct national literature and his use proclaim victory against the English soldiers. The Iroquois use a
of a gothic literary style even further. combination of dry leaves and light sticks to light a fire, despite the
fact that the fire had been put out by Monsieur Sanglier, the French
One interpretation of Arrowhead in The Pathfinder is that he officer in charge of the Indian warriors, before he left Station
embodies "Injin deviltry" (75) and the worst aspects of Indian Island, and the natives do not possess flint or steel. This allows
culture. He is shown as a devilishly evil and "tricky" (Winchester them to carry out their wicked plans. According to Cooper, if it had
201) character right from the start of the book. He plans to carry been a white man trying to produce fire in this way, the effort would
out his heinous deeds and eliminate his unsuspecting adversaries have been abandoned. However, the savages' cunning and cruelty
in the most brutal way possible by posing as an ally of the British allow them to achieve their terrible goals using methods that are
army and working with major Duncan of Lundie. Actually, foreign to civilization. By assisting Mabel in putting out the fire, the
Arrowhead has been in cahoots with the French for quite some Dew of June saves her life only moments before she is about to die.
time, and he has done his best to keep his betrayal from his It is clear that Cooper believes the Iroquois Indians to be vicious
enemies under wraps. He clearly doesn't want to show Mabel and and unfeeling since he calls them savages many times.
 blockhouse. As her "heart beat so violently, that she was fearful its
Not only is the Indians' depravity "shocking" (Long 116) in the throbs would be heard" (372), the latter's gothic anxiety and dread
blockhouse scenario, but it's also revolting. By detailing the Native are heightened by her profound worry for her father's fate. When
Americans' plot to trick Sergeant Dunham and his men into Mabel hears her father's voice, she realises her greatest fears have
thinking the island was back to normal after their horrific assault, come true; he is in critical condition after a rifle bullet went through
Cooper emphasises the insidious intelligence of the indigenous his body. According to Cooper, the troops in this macabre scenario
people. The sight of McNab and the three other soldiers' lifeless are all either wounded or dead by the Indians' gunfire. At the novel's
corpses beside the blockhouse reawakens Mabel's gothic terror, conclusion, the brutality and cruelty of the Iroquois Indians are
which she now experiences as horror. In addition to covering up brought to light by the Sergeant's demise. Attacking the blockhouse
all the bloodstains, the Indians used a plethora of additional to finish off the English troops further highlights their devilry. "At
cosmetic enhancement techniques to give the impression that the that very moment," Cooper relates, "the thunderous boom of a
figures were still alive. Described in detail is this military tactic, gunshot pierced through the darkness, followed by the sound of
which "in its gruesomeness could have been invented by an author splintered wood as the logs in the room above were ripped to
of Gothic novels" (Tetley-Jones 65): shreds, and the entire block trembled from the impact of a shell that
became stuck in the mortar" (397). The howitzer's discharge
The spirit rebelled as their limbs stiffened into various positions intensifies the vicious and perilous Indian assault. Upon entering the
meant to mimic life. Nonetheless, terrifying as these things seemed blockhouse, Leatherstocking scupperingly avoids imminent death.
to anyone in close proximity to the terrifying The terrifying sensations brought on by the release of this
disparity between their portrayed and actual personalities, the
arrangement had been crafted with such skill that it might have In the story, Mabel, who "could not repress a shriek, for she
fooled an unwary spectator from a hundred yards away. June supposed all over her head, whether animate or inanimate,
meticulously surveyed the island's shoreline before directing her destroyed," emphasises the missiles. Her father's frenzied cries of
companion's attention to the fourth soldier, who was sat with his "Charge!" only served to heighten her fear.No. 397. Cooper's usage
feet dangling over the water, his back tied to a tree, and a fishing of gothic style is emphasised throughout the sequence by Mabel's
rod held in his hands. The heads that were devoid of scalps were sentiments of terror and dread. The gothic tone of the scenario is
concealed by their caps, and all trace of blood had been intensified when the Iroquois resume their "hellish job" (396),
meticulously removed from every face. pages 362-63) which involves setting a fire against the logs of the blockhouse.
Actually, Leatherstocking and his companions are putting
Cooper vividly portrays the Iroquois Indians' unbelievable levels themselves in grave danger by being subjected to this brutal and
of barbarism, immorality, and depravity as he describes the inhumane kind of coercion.
elaborate schemes they utilised to fool their foes. No white guy
would ever dream of deceiving his enemies in such a savage Cooper implies that the spectres and enigmatic apparitions used in
fashion. The insidiousness and betrayal of the Indians beyond her Gothic literature from Europe are not more chilling and terrible than
wildest dreams, Mabel cries out to June. Cooper emphasises the the Iroquois Indians by highlighting their brutality and crime.
horrific distortion of Jennie's body, adding to the scene's Actually, Cooper's Indians in The Pathfinder appear more like
gruesomeness and ghastliness. This second figure is shown as a ghostly beings. Their likeness to actual ghosts and goblins, as well
broom-wielding woman standing at the entrance of a cottage, with as their "insubstantiality" (Bergland 87), are highlighted by the fact
a cap covering her head that is devoid of a scalp. She seems to be that they emerge and vanish without warning. Mabel and her friends
smiling hysterically as she looks at the troops, thanks to her are plagued by their paranormal abilities as they traverse the
malformed lips and jaws. On the other hand, her laughing is more American wilderness. For instance, Cooper's Indians seem ethereal
terrible and artificial than natural and nice. It drives home how in the scene depicting the assault on Station Island. Despite June's
cruel and callous the Native Americans were. Cooper clearly warnings about the impending assault, Mabel fails to see any
disapproves, rather than approves of, the Indians' wicked indications of the adversary or the danger that lies ahead. Assaults
behaviour and acts throughout the encounter. Mabel, who is are carried out in a spectral fashion once they begin. The assault is
shown as being utterly repulsed and sickened by the sight of the "too sudden, too awful, and too unexpected" (338) according to
corpses, primarily serves as an instrument for him to express his Cooper, such that Mabel doesn't even shiver or weep. As Mabel
disapproval of these acts. As an expression of her disgust and fury, takes refuge in the blockhouse and meticulously surveys the
she tells June that she would rather see the enemy than the horrific apparently empty island, the spectral presence of the Indians is
twisted bodies of the fallen troops. Despite June's satisfaction— further highlighted. In order to emphasise the ethereal aspect of the
and even boasting—about the Indians' artifices, Cooper compares Indians, Cooper says that
them to the "revelries of demons" (364). The Iroquois employ
them to ambush the English army, and they do no damage to the Initially, Mabel was shocked to see that the island was devoid of
dead. any sentient beings, whether they were friends or foes. A little white
cloud drifting in front of the wind indicated to her which direction
Returning from their sailing trip, Sergeant Dunham and his group to search for the Frenchmen and Indians, but they were not visible.
are further emphasised in the scenario by the Indians' brutality and The guns had gone off in the direction of the island from where
savagery. According to Cooper, "the war-whoop rang in all the June had come; however, Mabel was unable to determine whether
surrounding thickets" (379) and a deafening noise of gunfire the enemy were on that island or had arrived independently. Upon
erupted as soon as the troops disembarked from the boats and reaching the vantage point that offered a view of the location where
stepped foot on the island. Near the boats, Leatherstocking and McNab lay, her stomach turned at the sight of his three seemingly
Mabel can hear a lot of wailing and groaning from within the motionless men at his side. Almost simultaneously, the unseen
enemy—whom the corporal pretended to hate—shot down these are likewise shown among the other Iroquois Indians. The brutality
guys as they hurried to a unified centre in response to the initial and barbarism of the Indians are most striking in the blockhouse
alert. ..To sum up, the island was located in the stillness of the sequence, when the horrific nature of the scenario causes the
cemetery. (340) audience to go from terrified to horrified. As ghostly forms, these
Indians come and vanish just as quickly, giving the impression that
The Iroquois Indians' invisibility on the island lends credence to they are terrifying phantoms. Cooper helps to create an autonomous
the assertion that Cooper's story depicts them as ethereal entities. national literature by reimagining the gothic style using local
They look like goblins to Mabel because they materialise out of features and resources.
thin air. The scene's gothic undertones are heightened by the
tranquilly of the location, which gives them an eerie, ghostly
quality. They still seem like otherworldly creatures revelling in the References
downfall of Christian men even when they appear on the island
out of nowhere. Their eerie nighttime screams and cries add to the 1. Cooper James Fenimore. The Pathfinder: or, the Inland
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