The war novel “The Last of the Mohicans” contains a deep morale in itself. It teaches people that courage is the best solution to fear. Any problems that a person faces can be overcome, and it only takes one step to it-courage.

The characters exhibit courage in many different circumstances. The novel follows three men traveling through the woods. Two of them are Mohican Indians, Chingachgook and his son Uncas, and the other is a white man raised by the Indians, Hawkeye. One day these men encounter a caravan of English soldiers led by Major Duncan Hayward. This caravan is in charge of escorting Colonel Munro's daughters, Alice and Cora, to Fort William Henry where their father is. When the three Mohicans encounter the group they decide that they will help lead the English to the Fort, but what they do not know is that the evil Magua is out to get them, this fact leads to an endless chase.

Through this long game of chase many of these characters exhibit a great deal of courage. Cora overcomes many fears that one would not believe she could handle. When the group decides to hide in a dark cave as being traced by the Hurons, Cora does not seem alarmed by this, "'is then our danger so pressing'" . At one point in the novel Magua captures her sister and Cora is left with a decision to make, surrender herself to the enemy to be with her sister or to run away, "notwithstanding the horror excited by the presence of her captor…she took her seat…and held forth her arms for her sister". Cora knows that she must take care of her sister. At the end of the novel Cora is captured by Magua and is being dragged along as he is trying to escape the Mohicans, and Cora knows that she must stop. She exclaims to the Magua that she, "will go no farther…kill me if thy wilt… detestable Huron…I will go no farther".

Although Magua is an evil character, he shows both moral and physical courage. Magua has a strong moral courage, even after he is struck by Hawkeye; he does not stop trying, "turning a relentless look on his enemy…he shook a hand in grim defiance". He knows that he must not give up. His morals are not good, but he believes strongly in them, "while he was making this ostensible sacrifice to general considerations…Magua never lost sight of his individual motives".

He does not let things stand on his way or change his mind; he will hold close to his morals not matter what. This is what keeps him from being defeated, he is extremely, and physically, courageous and will not stop fighting until he is defeated, but unfortunately for him, he is overcome by Hawkeye and his courageousness finds a quick ending.

Uncas shows a great deal of courage in the novel as well, even though bullets are flying over his head Uncas does not lose his concentration and keeps paddling on. Most of Uncas' courageous strength is due to his physical qualities, he is determined to rescue Cora, and will not give up. He often illustrates, through courage, a superhuman quality that ultimately leads him to death, but he lacks courage in the moral aspect. Uncas is a strong and courageous man, and he is determined that he will never fail in what he tries to do, even if it leads him to death.

Through out the length of the novel Hawkeye exhibits all three acts of courage, expressed in three different ways, inner, physical, and moral, and it would take all three of these acts to be able to leave off the land. He has a strong and brave soul that allows him to do this, he is confident in himself and his actions too.

All of these characters exhibit much strength in the inner, physical and moral aspect. Cora, Magua, and Uncas, all show courage in different ways, but lack in others. Hawkeye on the other hand shows courageous acts abound. It seems like Cooper made the main character of the novel the most courageous, because of all of the problems that he faces, not only does Hawkeye have to face them but he also overcomes them. He is strong at heart and body, which allows him to overcome difficulties. With The Last of the Mohicans Chingachgook, the Indian is meant. He and his son Uncas are the last of the tribe of the Mohicans, and after Uncas was murdered Chingachgook was the last of the Mohicans.