# XVII explained — The Last of the Mohicans

> Chapter companion for The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper.

## What happens

The chapter depicts the aftermath of the surrender of Fort William Henry, focusing on the massacre of the British troops and civilians by the Huron allies of the French. Magua abducts Cora and Alice, while David Gamut follows. The scene is one of chaos, brutality, and the failure of military honor.

## Themes in this chapter

### Colonial Warfare and Imperialism

The chapter illustrates the brutal realities of colonial conflict, where European powers deploy indigenous allies with devastating consequences.

### Death and Mourning

Graphic depictions of murder, including the killing of an infant and its mother, highlight the pervasive horror and grief.

### Revenge and Justice

Magua's actions are driven by personal vengeance, while the massacre reflects a collective, uncontrolled retribution.

### Racial Prejudice and Miscegenation

The treatment of Cora, who is of mixed race, and the savagery attributed to the Hurons underscore racial tensions.

## Character check-ins

### Magua

Magua abducts Cora and Alice, leading them into the forest after the massacre.

### Cora Munro

Cora is captured by Magua, but maintains her composure and protects her sister Alice.

### Alice Munro

Alice is captured alongside Cora, having wept bitterly; she is placed on a horse with her sister.

### David Gamut

David follows the captors on a deserted horse, singing psalms and acting as a protective presence.

### Colonel Munro

Munro appears dejected after the surrender, moving across the plain to demand escort from Montcalm.

### Major Duncan Heyward

Heyward seeks to assist Munro and rushes to find the sisters, but they are already taken.

### Marquis de Montcalm

Montcalm broods on the unleashed savagery of his Huron allies and orders the army to signal the change of command.

## Key lines

> Magua slept hard in the English wigwams, and the sticks have left their mark

Magua claims he was harshly treated while captive among the English, and the scars remain.

_Magua justifies his vengeance by referencing his past mistreatment._

> the sword of death was stayed until cupidity got the mastery of revenge

The killing only stopped when greed for plunder overcame the desire for revenge.

_The massacre's end is attributed to the shift from vengeance to looting._

> he dashed the head of the infant against a rock, and cast its quivering remains to her very feet

A Huron warrior kills a baby by smashing its head on a rock and throws the body at the mother's feet.

_A horrific act illustrating the savagery of the massacre._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_last_of_the_mohicans_se/chapters/xvii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_last_of_the_mohicans_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_last_of_the_mohicans_se/chapters