Described by contemporary literary critics as “America’s most influential female novelist before Harriet Beecher Stowe” and “the pioneer” of antebellum women novelists, Sedgwick was one of the nation’s first professional women of letters, and, according to most assessments, its most popular female novelist in the 1820’s and 30’s. Sedgwick is also notable for being held in high regard by her male counterparts, including Hawthorne who had little regard for most female writers, and was even considered competition by men like James Fenimore Cooper (whose work was not compared to any other woman’s). Hope Leslie is controversial for its time because of the interracial marriage between Faith Leslie and Oneco and its giving attention to Magawisca, a Native, as one of the main characters. The novel was, however, well received because of its use of history. Based on the information in our text, compare Sedgwick’s portrayal of interracial friendship to Cooper’s from unit seven.