Who Thomas Hutter is
Thomas Hutter lives on Glimmerglass, a lake in New York, before the American Revolution. He has a rough past and makes his home on the water with his two daughters.
His house, called the Castle, stands on stilts and can only be reached by boat. He also keeps the Ark, a large flat boat that he can move around the lake.
What Thomas Hutter wants
Hutter and Hurry Harry March hope to earn money from the colonial government's bounty for scalps. They plan to take Huron scalps, including those of women and children.
Deerslayer refuses to join them, finding their intended cruelty shameful rather than a way to earn money. Their scheme turns the apparent safety of Hutter's household into something much more uncertain.
Thomas Hutter and the others in the story
Hutter's elder daughter, Judith, is proud and clever, while the younger Hetty is deeply devout and plainly honest. Their different characters stand beside a father whose greed puts the household at risk.
Hurry Harry shares Hutter's scheme, but Deerslayer offers a contrast to both men. Through that contrast, Hutter helps bring the novel's questions about greed, cruelty, and duty into focus.
Questions
Who is Thomas Hutter in The Deerslayer?
Thomas Hutter is an old trapper who lives with Judith and Hetty on Glimmerglass.
Where does Thomas Hutter live?
He lives in the Castle, a wooden house built on stilts in the lake. Its position makes it both a home and a fort.
What does Thomas Hutter want?
He wants money from the bounty paid for Huron scalps. He joins Hurry Harry in planning an attack that Deerslayer refuses to support.