Memoirs and Storybooks

Biographical Insights on the Inspirations of America's First Novelist

Research Paper (undergraduate) , 2013 , 8 Pages , Grade: High School Third Year

American Studies - Literature

While his popular character, Natty Bumppo, was blazing trails across the beautiful, native land of America, Cooper was blazing the trail for American literature. On September 15, 1789, James Cooper, son of the wealthy William Cooper, was born at Burlington, New Jersey. The boy grew up on the ancient, unturned soil of a new nation. As a young man, he was enlisted into the naval service by his father, thereby allowing Cooper to survey the world beyond America. When he later began writing, James Fenimore Cooper’s literary efforts were shaped by various encounters of his lifetime.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Memoirs and Storybooks
• A British Novel
• The First American Novel
• Seafaring Tales
• Cooper and Democracy

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This research paper explores the life and works of James Fenimore Cooper, focusing on the influences that shaped his writing and the themes he explored. The paper examines how Cooper's early experiences, particularly his time at sea and his involvement in the Anti-Rent War, informed his literary output.

• The evolution of Cooper's writing from mimicking British traditions to establishing a distinctly American literary voice.
• The influence of Cooper's personal experiences, including his time at sea and his involvement in the Anti-Rent War, on his writing.
• The themes of democracy, property rights, and the power of the majority in Cooper's works.
• The role of Cooper in shaping American literature and his contribution to the development of a national identity.
• The impact of Cooper's works on later American authors and the enduring relevance of his themes.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Memoirs and Storybooks: This chapter examines Cooper's early life and literary career, highlighting his initial attempt to mimic British literary traditions with Precaution. It then explores his transition to writing the first distinctly American novel, The Spy, which marked the beginning of his success as a writer.
• A British Novel: This section focuses on Cooper's first novel, Precaution, and analyzes its dependence on British literary conventions. It also discusses Cooper's decision to publish the novel anonymously, hoping to avoid any association with American authorship.
• The First American Novel: This chapter explores Cooper's shift towards a uniquely American literary style in The Spy. It examines how the novel's setting and themes reflected a nascent American identity and contributed to the development of a national literature.
• Seafaring Tales: This section delves into Cooper's writing about the sea, specifically his novels based on his personal experiences in the navy and his involvement in the whaling industry. It explores how these experiences shaped his understanding of maritime life and his fictional representations of seafaring adventures.
• Cooper and Democracy: This chapter examines Cooper's views on democracy and his involvement in the Anti-Rent War. It explores his critique of unbridled democracy and his defense of traditional property rights, as reflected in his novels like Satanstoe, The Chainbearer, and The Redskins.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This research paper focuses on the life and works of James Fenimore Cooper, exploring his transition from mimicking British literary traditions to establishing a distinctly American literary voice. Key themes examined include the influence of personal experience on writing, the development of a national literature, democracy and property rights, and the power of the majority. The paper analyzes Cooper's works, such as Precaution, The Spy, Ned Myers, The Pilot, The Two Admirals, The Sea Lions, Satanstoe, The Chainbearer, The Redskins, and The American Democrat, to understand his evolving perspective and the significance of his contribution to American literature.

• Course: 11th Grade English
• Grade: High School Third Year
• Author: Kevin Caravaggio (Author)
• Publication Year: 2013
• Pages: 8
• Catalog Number: V262851
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656515401
• ISBN (Book): 9783656515487
• Language: English
• Tags: america, writing, author, early literature, colonial, historical, natty bumpo, james cooper, fenimore, research