Posted by Elaine on October 12, 1998 at 10:59:40:
In Reply to: Just Questions posted by Janis on October 12, 1998 at 08:48:34:
Hi Janis,
": Good morning. I hope all is peaceful again in the land."
Mohicanland is very peaceful!
"I have two questions that I'm pretty sure many of you will be able to answer. First, in your opinions, are the works of Cooper good literature? Enjoyable? I read somewhere that LOTM was rambling and hard to follow (I have not read it)."
Cooper's works are MOSTLY good literature (with exceptions) IF you can tolerate his verbosity! His writing style was of another era so the flowery, long winded text won't work for some today. However, the tales are great & the mysteries one finds within his writings are addictive! I would definitely urge you to give him a try!
I think you'll get much pleasure from them.
": Second, I am interested in the practice of northeastern Indians in the 1700's taking English names. Was it for political or trade reasons? Was it well accepted by the majority, or did individuals get ostracized when they did this? Thanks for any opinions you might offer."
The practice of taking English names was common among some northeastern Indians but rare among others. Usually the two greatest influences in name change were political alliance & Christianity. The Mohawk & the Mohicans were both strongly allied to the English and received English missionaries into their fold.
(The Mohicans also had close ties with the Moravian missionaries.) Names were most often Anglicized at Baptism.
Trade wasn't a factor & ostracization did occur, though not much within one's own tribe or village. (This was not the case earlier, so much of the Anglicization involved adaptation & acceptance over a period of time. By the mid 1700's, it was common enough.)
These are merely my opinions!
Post again!
Elaine