True Grit Essay

Maria Morales

AP Literature

Ms. Mooney

27 August 2015

        Ben Franklin once said that ambition and avarice are two of the most influential factors in regards to the affairs of men, for if presented with a post of honor that brings with it profit, man will “move heaven and earth to obtain it.” Although both the love of power and the love of money, respectively, can push mankind to lose sight of what is right and wrong as they search to obtain they object of their desire, the need for vengeance is just as blinding, influencing mankind to forget the consequences of their actions and forget that everything they do comes with a price. True Grit, by Charles Portis, elaborates on this idea of vengeance, describing the journey of Mattie, a 14-yr old girl who lives during the time of the Wild West, as she travels through the unknown with the help of Rooster Cogburn, a Marshall and a Texas Ranger, LaBoeuf, seeking to avenge the death of her father after he was killed by a drunken man named Tom Chaney.

Angered, grieving, and frustrated with the inadequacy of the treatment her father’s case is receiving, Mattie travels from her home in Yell Country, down to Fort Smith in Arkansas, in order to investigate the situation for herself, for under her eyes, “If you want anything done right you will have to see to it yourself every time.” (Portis, 79). Despite her surge of independence, she realizes that she can’t actually do everything herself and decides to find someone with true grit, someone who will help her track Chaney down and avenge Frank Ross’ life. Certain that Marshall Rooster Cogburn is the man for the job, she convinces him to work for her, offering 100$ under the condition that she gets to tag along to assure Tom Chaney is caught. Cogburn accepts and together with Texas Ranger, LaBoeuf, reluctantly allow Mattie to join on the quest for Chaney’s arrest. On this journey, Mattie is exposed to the ultimate test of endurance, as she is forced to travel at the speed of two experienced riders as well as presence the shootings of multiple robbers and the death of many caught in the crossfire of such shots. Despite their many obstacles, they are able to capture Chaney and Mattie avenges her father’s death but in the process, she loses her left arm to a snake bite and Rooster ends up losing his job after killing an innocent man.

Throughout the course of the book, Mattie mentions that she chose Rooster as the Marshall in charge of her father’s case because he was a man of true grit, notorious for his time as a confederate soldier and the body count he had since he took that position. Yet, in the end, she proves that although Cogburn is strong and independent, it was she who set up the team, who ended up finding Chaney, and it was she who carried the responsibility of her father’s death and legacy on her shoulders when no one else would. Taking place during a period of time in American history (the “Wild West” in the 1880’s) where women didn’t have much power or representation, especially young women her age, she proved that she could handle herself and didn’t need a man to fight for her and protect her place. I think that when Portis titled the book True Grit he wasn’t describing Cogburn, but rather describing Mattie’s strong sense of character and determination for avenging the wrong Chaney had done to her family.