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James Fenimore Cooper 's Impact On American Literature

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James Fenimore Cooper had a very interesting life, molded American literature, and influenced many popular authors, such as Herman Melville, Richard Henry Dana, Jr., Francis Parkman, and even Mark Twain, through his “literary offenses.”(1) The experiences Cooper had throughout his life shaped his rogue character and literary style. The evidence of Cooper’s impact to American literature is well documented.
James Fenimore Cooper was born on September 15, 1789 in Burlington, New Jersey to William Cooper and Elizabeth Fenimore. James was the last of twelve children; only seven survived childhood: Richard, Hannah, Isaac, Ann, William and Samuel. Within the first year of James’ birth, he moved from New Jersey to the source of the Susquehanna …show more content…

At the age of 12, William Cooper resolved to send James to a Latin based boarding school run by Reverend Thomas Ellison. James’ closest companion in boarding school was William Jay, the second son of governor John Jay. They used to adventure around New York, especially in the excavated plot of land which Saint Peter’s Church would be built on, with other boys who would later become business for the state. This foreshadowed James’ trickster attitude. By the age of thirteen, James entered Yale College.
Some evidence to the claims of James’ rogue character surface during his time at Yale. Simply stated: Cooper was a prankster. It is reported that he put a donkey in a teacher’s classroom, and many other tricks. James never got into large trouble until his biggest prank: he blew up another student’s dorm door with gunpowder. By the age of 16, James Fenimore Cooper was expelled from Yale College.
Shortly after James left Yale, he enrolled in the Navy. There is little to no information about this time of his life other than it being a basis for his first book: Afloat and Ashore: A Sea Tale. On December 22, 1809, his father, William Cooper died from a blow to the back of the head delivered by a political opponent; this was a devastating episode as James was at sea when his father passed. Shortly after, James met Susan DeLancey, whom he married on on January 1, 1811. The DeLanceys were a wealthy family related to

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