blog post 2: The Pioneers Amanda Allen

A reoccurring topic in The Pioneers that I found interesting is the way Cooper is showing the formation of law. In the beginning of The Pioneers we find out that Judge Temple owns a lot of the land therefore he has the most power, yet he isn’t very confident when enforcing the laws. Richard is always in his ear trying to fluff him up a little bit and give him a stronger backbone. For example when he is talking about Temple to Elizabeth, “’Duke is a judicious man, after all, and knows human nature thoroughly. I’m obliged to him…though I would do as much for him any day, as he shall see, if I have an opportunity to perform any of the duties of my office on him. It shall be done, cousin Bess—it shall be done” (173).  The key to this passage is the tone Richard talks in, in this book he does his own thing most of the time so for him to be saying this about the Judge is really just a pick me up for Temple. Enforcing the law isn’t in full force at this time.

Later in the book, Judge Temple takes a turn and begins to stand behind his laws and the formation of the law is beginning to really take form. Where I thought it stood out the most is when they decided to put Natty on trial. They are essentially using Natty, who doesn’t deserve all of the punishments he is receiving, as an example: “He was assaulted a magistrate and resisted the execution of a search warrant by threatening the life of a constable with his riffle. In short, my friends, he has set an example of rebellion to the laws, and has become a kind of outlaw” (339). Judge Temple has a soft spot for Natty since he saved his daughters life, but Temple is now decided to stick to the rules and punish Natty for breaking the law. Basically they are using Natty to scare the other settlers so that they do not break any more laws.

I think that enforcing the law and beginning to have social order is important, but because I was able to learn about Natty’s life I don’t feel that they are being fair in doing so with the law. I understand that this is the beginning of laws and they are still learning how to effectively use them and they need to start somewhere, but using Natty because he was an easy target isn’t fair.  “Is it no harm to show off a man in his seventy-first year, like a tame bear, for the settlers to look on! Is it no harm to put an old soldier, that has sarved through the war of ‘fifty-six and seen the inimy of the ‘seventy-six business, into a place like this, where the boys can point at him and say, I have known harm to bring down the pride of an honest man to be equal of the beasty of the forest!” (357). Natty shouldn’t be the one in trouble, it should be the other men who are using Natty that should be punished and used as an example.

In the end it is interesting to see how enforcing the law plays out. Even though I might not agree with the punishment, I do agree with constructing laws.