Posted by Kate on December 28, 2000 at 16:06:17:
In Reply to: Re: The Major's sacrifice posted by Tim on December 28, 2000 at 14:19:03:
: Alice probably would have been gratefull had she not perceived her situation as being just as desparate as fire. I agree that suicide is not a good answer(she might have been saved!), but she had just seen the man she loved and her father murdered. And she had to know that her captor was not going to be very "chivalrous" when he got her home. I forgave her... Her action surely shook her captors and probably contributed to their deaths. In a way she also made a sacrifice. The cycle of revenge finally ending there on the cliff. However, your point not being totally lost on me, the Major was not the uncompassionate character that the viewer imagines. The irony of his sacrifice for them all and Alices' suicide are wonderfull elements of the story. Through out the whole story it is easy to relate to Hawkeye and Cora; slightly disturbing to find your self relating to Alice and the Major in their deaths. Hot dang that's a good story! Thanks Ben!
: Best Regards,
: Tim
: P.S. I'm new here. I hope you guys don't mind that I jumped in with out lurking much. LOTM is one of my fav. movies, and I just couldn't help myself.
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Hi Tim,
Welcome! I'm glad that you 'jumped in' and gave us your 'take' on this question. Being 'new' in Mohicanland, only lasts as long as it takes to 'post' and introduce yourself. After that, you're just another 'Mohicanlander':o)
You raise some interesting points and *I* think you're probably pretty close to the truth of it. From the moment of the ambush on the George Road, Alice was experiencing life as she had never encountered it before - cruel, barbaric, and with little to make her want to go on. To be honest, *I'm* not even sure she was aware of Uncas's interest in her - her face seemed to register only terror and I can't think of an instance where her terror fades and she indicates that she is aware of his feelings toward her.
Because WE see Uncas's face, as he cradles her in the cave, we know HIS feelings, but - she doesn't see his face. Therefore, is SHE aware? DOES she reciprocate those feelings? When she steps off that cliff, it seems to me that it could be as you say - she has been pushed too far and can take no more, especially knowing that the Huron will not be kindly to her, at journey's end. She has just witnessed one of her 'saviours' death - perhaps she feels that Magua and his band are capable of killing the others too. So - what end for her? In weighing it up, perhaps she feels that death is preferable to anything she can imagine.
A lot of people say that 'death is the easy way out' - I'm not one of them. I believe that to CHOOSE to die, must be one of the MOST difficult and loneliest decisions a person can make. But I believe that you are right - the height of desperation and sheer hopelessness that she must have felt, at seeing her 'hope of salvation' die before her, would likely have been the thing that caused her (quite literally, as Bill said! :o) to send her over the edge!
Yes, I think many folks here in Mohicanland agreed that Duncan DID have many redeeming qualities - but he hid them well, sometimes!! :o)
It was interesting reading your thoughts about this.
Kate.