The Light in the Forest

The book The Light in the Forest was written by Conrad Richter. This book was about a young, white male or was adopted by Indians when he was four years old. Eleven years later, he is forced to go back to his white family. The book describes the hardships and homesickness he goes through while being back with his white family. Conrad was very descriptive during this book. He described the forest and Indian country with great detail, making this an excellent book to read.

The Light in the Forest takes place during the fall of 1764 to 1765. This can be told because in the book it explains that a British flag was hung up meaning it had to be before 1776 because this is when the United States of America claimed its independence. True Son, the main character, was from an Indian village in Ohio called Tuscarawas. His white family lives in a white settlement of Paxton Township in Pennsylvania. The Indian country gave the book a very calming mood and was the place when True Son was the most comfortable and calm. The Indian country also influenced True Son because this is where he would sit in the icy river and put hot stones on his back to make himself stronger against any hardship. Paxton created many conflicts because this is where True Son fought against the white people's ways and traditions because he had always the learned the Indian traditions.

True Son was the main character of this book. He was a fifteen year old boy who had been kidnapped and adopted into an Indian tribe when he was four years old. He learned their ways and traditions and became an Indian. Eleven years later, his Indian tribe was forced to give him up because he was considered a white prisoner. This caused him to act very wild and rebellious against the soldiers taking him to Paxton. Throughout the story he shows strength and stubbornness. He shows that he is stubborn when his white family tries to teach him white people's traditions and way of life.

Another important character was Cuyloga, True Son's Indian father. Cuyloga was a very civilized Indian and was an idol to True Son. Cuyloga often gave True Son advice and even though he didn't want True Son to go, he knew that True Son would have to return to his white family someday and let him go with the white soldiers. When True Son betrayed the Indians, Cuyloga risked his life to save True Son from being burned by the Indians. He often showed courage, loyalty, and nobleness throughout this novel.

Del Hardy was also an important character. He was a strong, white soldier who helped bring True Son and the other white captives back to Paxton. Del could speak the Indian language, Delaware, and was also assigned to translate for True Son and his white family for a while. Del didn't like True Son very much and even viewed him as ungrateful and rude to his white family. Del knew the ways of the Indians though and was sympathetic towards True Son for True Son's feelings towards the Indians and their ways.

True Son was the strongest character throughout the entire novel because he lived with Indians for eleven years and then was