The most realistic of James Fenimore Cooper's Leatherstocking Tales, The Pioneers depicts elderly Natty Bumppo struggling to defend his way of life as the once 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. Natty Bumppo is the classic American hero and frontiersman, a leading fictional figure of the American West.