Cooper's characters are outdoors for a vast majority of the novel and constantly battle with the terrain around them. I think Cooper describes the setting well, and not only do we find out a lot about the surroundings through his characters' interactions with the world around them, but we discover specific qualities among the characters as well.
The simplest example would be Hawkeye, who understands and respects the land. His knowledge contributes greatly to his heroism and his ability to lead the group consistently throughout the novel. Contrastingly, Hawkeye's counterpart Heyward does not have a true grasp on the natural world around him. This is evident when he fails to notice the Indian hiding in the forest early in the novel.
As Indian tribes traditionally are, the Native Americans that Cooper describes are incredibly in-tune with nature. One example is Magua's use of caves to hide Cora and Alice after capturing them.
Perhaps an example of what sets Cora apart from the traditional female during this time period is her ability to think on her feet and devise plans to help save the group. She suggests the men escape through the river so that they will not leave a trail behind them, illustrating an intellectual relationship with the world around her.
I like these ideas a lot! When talking about having different qualities and understanding nature I noticed throughout the reading that Heyward, Hawkeye, and Uncas serve different purposes that seem to relate to their own personal upbringings. Uncas seems to have a better sense of traveling through the woods while Heyward seems a little out of place but is still a great leader at times and Hawkeye is a hybrid of the two. I think this says a lot about the theme of interracial relationships in the sense that they can very easily be successful.
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