True Grit Character Analysis Essay

Thematic Character Analysis for True Grit

Grit is defined as a firmness of character. It means to be indomitable in spirit. The book True Grit has characters that possess grit. The story chronicles a young girl who pursues the man who killed her father. She recruits Rooster Cogburn to help her avenge her father’s death and bring the killer to justice. LaBouef comes into the picture when Mattie encounters him at the Monarch Boarding House, because he is looking for the man named Tom Chaney as well. Together, the three set off to find him. Mattie shows the notion of grit through revenge; LaBoeuf shows the notion of grit through justice; and Rooster shows the notion of grit through spirituality. First, Mattie shows the notion of grit with

He is a deputy marshal for the United States District Court for Arkansas. His job is to keep order in one of the most lawless regions of the country at that time. Yet, he can also been seen as an evil and lawless man. He is a thief and a murderer. He is tough and corrupted. However, throughout the story, we see a battle of good versus evil in Rooster. It is clear that Rooster desired to do good but struggled with his evil desires. He overcomes his pride and a struggle with alcohol to find and kill Tom Chaney, which helps Mattie avenge her father’s death. Before Mattie leaves on her mission, Colonel Stonehill tells her, “The good Christian does not flinch from difficulties. Neither does he rashly court them. The good Christian is not willful or presumptuous” (92). Stonehill’s words describe Rooster’s behavior in the story. As one can see, the notion of grit was shown throughout the novel True Grit. In her desire for revenge, Mattie showed an indomitable spirit. LaBeouf exemplified a firmness of character in his quest for justice. Rooster was gritty because of the spirituality he symbolized. These characters show why True Grit is a literary