The most realistic of James Fenimore Cooper"s Leatherstocking Tales-which include The Deer-slayer, The Last of the Mohicans, The Pathfinder, and The Prairie-The Pioneers depicts elderly Natty Bumppo struggling to defend his way of life as the open frontier becomes private property. His fight to maintain his fiercely cherished freedom reflects a uniquely American drama of conflicting values and an inspiring, often caustic portrayal of a society in transition.