Heredity
A prominent theme in The Last of the Mohicans is the influence of personal lineage. This concept is depicted in various ways, most notably through the hereditary title of chief, which is passed down from father to son. This is evident in Chingachgook, a chief and a Mohican, who transfers this lineage to Uncas, the titular last Mohican, who will become the last chief, or sagamore, after his father's death. "When Uncas follows in my footsteps, there will no longer be any of the blood of the sagamores, for my boy is the last of the Mohicans." Hawkeye also frequently emphasizes that he is "a man without a cross," insisting that his "white" blood makes him purebred and civilized, despite his extensive time among the Indians. Magua inherits the title of chief from his people as well. Cora's direct and passionate disposition is attributed to her "uncivilized" lineage, as her mother was descended from native peoples of the West Indies. Her sister, who is of white descent, is more reserved and composed.

Cultural Destruction
Although The Last of the Mohicans is primarily an abduction narrative or historical novel, it can also be interpreted as a detailed commentary on the destruction of cultures. The demise of the Mohican tribe, symbolized by the murder of Uncas, the last son of the last chief, serves as a microcosm of the systematic destruction of Native American culture. This theme is further illustrated through the degradation of Magua's character. As a chief, his heritage has been corrupted not by murder but by his interactions with whites—both English and French—and the evils of their culture, particularly alcohol. It is this sin, consuming the "firewater" of the white man, that leads to his savagery, betrayal, and eventual death. A subtler example is the symbolism of Cora's mother, a woman of West Indian slave origin. Her story, and the genetic legacy she passes to her daughter, highlights the earlier destruction of native culture during the initial conquests by whites. Additionally, the destruction of culture is portrayed through "miscegenation"—both metaphorically and literally. Just as West Indian culture has been obliterated, so too has intermarriage eroded the distinctiveness of Cora's racial heritage.

The symbolic role of interracial relationships is emphasized in Uncas's story. His romance with a woman of white descent ultimately results in his demise, mirroring how his engagement with white politics leads to his moral downfall. Similarly, each character in The Last of the Mohicans faces the perils of cultural assimilation and losing their cultural identity. The Hurons have brought about their own destruction by allying with the French and participating in the white man's decimation of their lifestyle and culture. Even Chingachgook has allied himself with a white man, partly due to the absence of his own tribe and the unreliability of other tribes. The "purity" of Native American loyalties has become blurred as they start to choose sides and align with one white nation or another, hastening their own downfall. Chingachgook's fate is sealed the moment he selects Hawkeye as a companion. Though Hawkeye is an isolated white man, not representative of "white culture," and appears largely indifferent to the invaders' conflicts and conquests, Chingachgook has nonetheless departed from his own world and culture. Ultimately, Tamenund remains the only chief loyal to his tribe, foreseeing the end of Native American ways of life. As he states, "The pale faces are masters of the earth, and the time of the redmen has not come again. My day has been too long ... I have lived to see the last warrior of the wise race of the...