Who Hawkeye is
Hawkeye knows how to find safety in a forest where military rank offers little protection. The French call him La Longue Carabine, a name that refers to his long rifle and accurate aim. He values practical skill, truth and a clean conscience more than polished manners.
What Hawkeye wants
Hawkeye wants to protect his friends without giving up his own sense of right and wrong. He fights beside the British, but his loyalty belongs to people rather than their generals. When Magua leads the sisters away from safety, Hawkeye reads the signs and warns Duncan Heyward.
Hawkeye and the others in the story
Chingachgook is Hawkeye's closest friend, and their trust rests on shared work and risk. With Chingachgook and his son Uncas, he helps protect Cora and Alice Munro during their dangerous journey.
Heyward must learn to trust a scout whose manner differs sharply from his own. Hawkeye teaches him that reading tracks and moving quietly can matter more than the rules of European soldiering.
Questions
Is Hawkeye Native American?
No, Hawkeye is white, though he grows up among the Delaware people and learns their ways.
What is Hawkeye's other name?
Hawkeye is also known as Natty Bumppo in the Leatherstocking novels. The French know him as La Longue Carabine.
What does Hawkeye want?
He wants to keep his friends safe and remain faithful to his own code of conduct.