FENIMORE COOPER'S NOVEL THE PIONEERS, OR AT THE SOURCES OF THE SUSQUEIHANNA: THE BIRTH OF ECOLOGICAL PROSE

Smirnov Sergey Vladimirovich

The presented article examines the plot of F. Cooper's novel “Pioneers, or at the Sources of the Susquehanna,” as the first work of world fiction devoted to understanding environmental problems. The novel tells the story of the life of the inhabitants of the small town of Templeton, lost in the woods, the rapid development of which illustrates the stage of active exploration of the eastern part of North America by US residents. The novel reflects attempts to understand the consequences of the predatory destruction of nature by humans, and sets the task of preserving natural benefits in the interests of future generations of people.

Keywords:Environmental problems, nature, people