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True Grit Book Analysis

673 Words3 Pages

People tend to have a strong desire for power, in any way, shape, or form. In the story True Grit, the protagonist, Mattie Ross, strives to gain power and respect from the many people she encounters during the story. As women were being oppressed during this time, Mattie conveys a powerful message that demonstrates the equality of both men and women. Throughout the book True Grit by Charles Portis, and the movie True Grit directed by Ethan and Joel Coen, the story portrays Mattie as a powerful woman figure in order to exhibit the power a woman can uphold. Throughout True Grit, there are many similarities between the book and the movie that demonstrate the adversity women face. Both the movie and the book convey this message of portraying the …show more content…

When they first encounter face to face, Tom Chaney treats the situation very lightly, despite the fact that Mattie had a loaded gun pointed straight at Chaney. In both the book and the movie, Portis and Coen do a great job of demonstrating the lack of respect that Chaney had for 14-year-old Mattie Ross, and both emphasize the importance of the situation. Josh Brolin, who played Tom Chaney, helped demonstrate the disrespect Chaney had towards Mattie, and also helped highlight the importance of this event. As a result of the mockery from Chaney, and in an attempt to gain power and respect, Mattie proceeds to shoot Tom right in the ribs. This is an important part of both works because it is the final time that Mattie shows what she can do, and eventually leads to the climax of the book in Tom Chaney’s death.
In both the book and the movie, True Grit, power is an important element in the story. Throughout, Mattie has a goal of not only getting revenge for her father, but earning respect and gaining power from other characters in the story. Mattie uses her desire for power to achieve her goal of capturing Tom Chaney, and thus fills her role as the powerful woman figure she is displayed to be. In True Grit, Mattie establishes that characteristics of one cannot be defined by the actions of

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In Mattie’s world the meaning of true grit is to have a lot of courage. I feel everybody except Tom Chaney has some form of true grit. For example Rooster Cogburn showed true grit because he charged against seven armed riders with two pistols on a horse by himself. However Mama has true grit because she is battling death back at home. The reason Tom Chaney has no true grit is because he is a coward.

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“Mr. Rooster Cogburn… They tell me you are a man with true grit.” Are the words of Mattie Ross to Rooster Cogburn who supposedly has true grit according to the sheriff who told Mattie about him. What does it mean? Was Mattie looking for the right thing?

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The Novel True Grit would be completely different if Mattie Ross were to be displayed as a young boy instead of a miss independent, fourteen-year-old who took on the duty of catching her father's killer. The young boy would be seen as a brave teenager doing a job that should be done. People would not look down on the young boy who is leaving home and heading towards the west during winter. People would view the boy as strong and loyal to his late father. As for Mattie, many people did not agree with Mattie leaving home on her own to revenge her father's death.

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She is determined to get what she wants and is demanding with the use of authority. Mattie’s gritty characteristic is also shown when she actually shoots Tom Chaney with the use of her father’s gun. As LaBeouf, the Texas Ranger teamed up with Mattie, was knocked out by Chaney, Mattie reacts by shooting Chaney right in the head. In action, “I hurriedly cocked the hammer and pulled the trigger. The charge exploded and sent a lead ball of justice, too long delayed, into the criminal head of Tom Chaney” (204).

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Portis gives us as readers to see the two sides of Rooster, his cold side and his caring side with regards to Mattie. Mattie Ross is the storyteller of the True Grit story. Mattie is a fourteen-year-old young lady who is determined to get vengeance on Tom Chaney who slaughtered her dad. She chooses the meanest and hardest U.S. marshal named Rooster Cogburn. Mattie was so happy with the marshal; she picked she said he had True Grit.

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