James Fenimore Cooper
(1789 - 1851)
Born in a wealth family
best known for his stories of frontier life and pioneer adventure.
lived abroad from 1826 - 1833, and during this time he defended American democracy in his writings
The Pioneers-
The Slaughter of the Pigeons
Setting
Time: Close to April; when the snow disappeared
Place: Otsego County, New York; village of Templeton
Major Character
Natty Bumpoo: in his early seventies, six feet tall; gray eyed, sandy hair, robust, but thin to emaciation.
The Slaughter of the pigeons
Respect nature
Cooper reveals the concept of respecting nature (pigeons) by the descriptions dialogues between Natty Bumpoo and other characters (Judge Temple, Edward, Billy Kirby, and other man among the "sportsman" group..etc. )
People in town vs. Natty Bumpoo
Men, women and children with fire-arms, the French ducking-gun…etc.(444)
"What's that, old Leather-stocking!.. Grumbling at the loss of a few pigeons." (446)
Unsportsmanlike execution (444)
"This comes of setting a country,…here have I known the pigeons fly for forty years...as harmless as a garter-snake. (446)
People in town vs. Natty Bumpoo
"You've grown mighty boasting, sin you killed the turkey…(446)"
"It's made the same as all other creators, for man's eating, but not to kill twenty and eat one."(446)
"It's much better to kill only such as you want, without wasting your powder and lead,…I come out for…(447)"
People in town vs. Natty Bumpoo
"Victory! Victory! We have driven the enemy from the field.(448)"
"Sport!"it is princely sport…thousands of the blue-coated boys on the ground so every women may have a pot-pie..(448)
Use, but don't waste. Wasn't the woods made for the beasts and birds to harbour in (447)
People in town
After the first burst of sporting, the shooting of pigeons became a business, for the remainder of the season, more in proportion to the wants of the people.

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