Re: Chatty Natty

Posted by Gayle on August 19, 1998 at 14:24:42:

In Reply to: Re: Chatty Natty posted by Marcia on August 19, 1998 at 13:17:39:

: Sarah wrote:
: : I have to say, though, that as much as I am enjoying reading LOTM, I find the most tiresome part is how Natty B. goes on and on and on! I would have thought this would be a man of brevity in his speech, but no no, he's a man of speeches!! He's as long-winded as his rifle is long-barrelled!! For 5 books worth?

: Sarah, now you have hit on the main reason I couldn't finish reading LOTM...I wanted Natty to shut up and be MY Nathanial! But, as I said in another post, I'm going to give it ONE more try!

: MMMM

CHATTY NATTY - I LOVE IT!!! My giggle for the day!

Remember, this is the dude who sometimes went five years at a time in the forest without seeing a piece of sky bigger than a windrow. Whenever he had a human being to talk to, he had a lot of backlog to spill! And granted, he often rambled on unmercifully. However, think about what it would take to explain to someone your feelings about God or about white men's misconceptions about the Indians. He thought about complicated subjects, and sound bites didn't cut it. Also, in Cooper's time, people were used to LISTENING to the whole of what a person had to say before they formed a conclusion and offered a response. Even among the Indians, a person was allowed to present his whole thinking before anyone else's turn came.

Cooper wrote in a time when people had patience (or nothing better to do, whichever). In order to bear with his writing, you have to be in the mood to mull ideas and settings and historical background along with the story. Many times Cooper's stories do not justify the effort, and along with the list of books I love, I can give you a list of his books that, to me, were nowhere near the effort of reading them. But if you're going to read the Leatherstocking Tales, you do need to read Chatty Natty's whole life story, not just an isolated adventure, to appreciate the character.

Gabby Gayle

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• Re: Chatty Natty Kathy S 17:42:21 8/19/98 (0)

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: : Sarah wrote:
: : : I have to say, though, that as much as I am enjoying reading LOTM, I find the most tiresome part is how Natty B. goes on and on and on!  I would have thought this would be a man of brevity in his speech, but no no, he's a man of speeches!!  He's as long-winded as his rifle is long-barrelled!!   For 5 books worth? 

: : Sarah, now you have hit on the main reason I couldn't finish reading LOTM...I wanted Natty to shut up and be MY Nathanial! But, as I said in another post, I'm going to give it ONE more try!

: : MMMM

: CHATTY NATTY - I LOVE IT!!!  My giggle for the day!

: Remember, this is the dude who sometimes went five years at a time in the forest without seeing a piece of sky bigger than a windrow.  Whenever he had a human being to talk to, he had a lot of backlog to spill!  And granted, he often rambled on unmercifully.  However, think about what it would take  to explain to someone your feelings about God or about white men's misconceptions about the Indians.  He thought about complicated subjects, and sound bites didn't cut it. Also, in Cooper's time, people were used to LISTENING to the whole of what a person had to say before they formed a conclusion and offered a response. Even among the Indians, a person was allowed to present his whole thinking before anyone else's turn came.

: Cooper wrote in a time when people had patience (or nothing better to do, whichever). In order to bear with his writing, you have to be in the mood to mull ideas and settings and historical background along with the story.  Many times Cooper's stories do not justify the effort, and along with the list of books I love, I can give you a list of his books that, to me, were nowhere near the effort of reading them.  But if you're going to read the Leatherstocking Tales, you do need to read Chatty Natty's whole life story, not just an isolated adventure, to appreciate the character.

: Gabby Gayle


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