"Well, we done the best we could with what we had. We was in a war. All we had was revolvers and horses."
In True Grit by Charles Portis, Rooster Cogburn compares and relates many of his experiences with those from when he was fighting in the Civil War. It was a major event in his life, and his loneliness that he experienced afterward shaped him into the alcohol-addicted hobo of a character that he has become. The war was a crucial point on Cogburn's timeline, however, because it also serves as the marshal's sturdy backbone for the grit that Mattie Ross believes him to posses. Without the pride for his nation, or at least for his state, he would not have the drive and ambition that he shows in the hunting down of Tom Chaney.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
True Grit Nine
"The wicked flee when no man pursueth"
Even when there is nobody coming after him directly, a man of sins will always be full of apprehension, despite the boldness that he shows on the outside. He will continue to run away from his past to simply distance himself from the events that occurred that have brought on his uneasiness. Charles Portis effectively embeds the first part of Proverbs 28:1 into his novel, True Grit. The proverb then continues, "but the righteous is as bold as a lion." The righteous has true courage; has true grit. They assume innocence and therefore have no need to be constantly looking around to make sure no one is coming after them for their mishaps. It is interesting to note that the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial has a statue of a lion in memoriam of those in U.S. law enforcement who gave their lives in the line of duty dating back to 1794. The memorial honors officers at the federal, state, and local levels. Perhaps Roooster and LaBeouf are similar men, and therefore really have shown that they have true grit.
"The lions represent the strength, courage, and valor of law enforcement officers and they symbolize the protective role of law officers." Protective role. Both men assume affectionate guardian roles to Mattie...
Proverbs 28:1, 1769 Oxford King James Bible, Authorized Version
Even when there is nobody coming after him directly, a man of sins will always be full of apprehension, despite the boldness that he shows on the outside. He will continue to run away from his past to simply distance himself from the events that occurred that have brought on his uneasiness. Charles Portis effectively embeds the first part of Proverbs 28:1 into his novel, True Grit. The proverb then continues, "but the righteous is as bold as a lion." The righteous has true courage; has true grit. They assume innocence and therefore have no need to be constantly looking around to make sure no one is coming after them for their mishaps. It is interesting to note that the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial has a statue of a lion in memoriam of those in U.S. law enforcement who gave their lives in the line of duty dating back to 1794. The memorial honors officers at the federal, state, and local levels. Perhaps Roooster and LaBeouf are similar men, and therefore really have shown that they have true grit.
"The lions represent the strength, courage, and valor of law enforcement officers and they symbolize the protective role of law officers." Protective role. Both men assume affectionate guardian roles to Mattie...
Proverbs 28:1, 1769 Oxford King James Bible, Authorized Version
True Grit Eight
"Nothing is free in this world except the grace of God."
Mattie gets a lot of her courage from the way she knew her father to be, as well as her instilled family morals. However, another crucial source for her grit comes from the Bible. Although most of the highly-mentioned characters posses true grit, Mattie's does not resemble that of anyone else. Because the sources of courage differentiate, so do the outcomes. For LaBeouf, he holds the code of the Texas Rangers to heart, which then becomes his ultimate source for where his grit comes from. Even Lucky Ned Pepper has grit, but that of a different variety. However, in Charles Portis's book, True Grit, it is a recognizable quality even if it never looks quite the same in each person.
Mattie gets a lot of her courage from the way she knew her father to be, as well as her instilled family morals. However, another crucial source for her grit comes from the Bible. Although most of the highly-mentioned characters posses true grit, Mattie's does not resemble that of anyone else. Because the sources of courage differentiate, so do the outcomes. For LaBeouf, he holds the code of the Texas Rangers to heart, which then becomes his ultimate source for where his grit comes from. Even Lucky Ned Pepper has grit, but that of a different variety. However, in Charles Portis's book, True Grit, it is a recognizable quality even if it never looks quite the same in each person.
True Grit Seven
"The chinaman is runnin them cheap shells in on me again."
While reading the book, True Grit by Charles Portis, one may be completely oblivious to the distinct- yet subtle- racism strewn about the text. It is curious that the book was published in 1968, yet did not bring up any major racial or sexist arguments. It is more viewed as a book about morals; of rights and wrongs in the criminal world. The characters take the minorities and women for granted in the novel. This manner evokes the subtleties of race and sex and how the white male is the utmost dominant figure in the human species.
While reading the book, True Grit by Charles Portis, one may be completely oblivious to the distinct- yet subtle- racism strewn about the text. It is curious that the book was published in 1968, yet did not bring up any major racial or sexist arguments. It is more viewed as a book about morals; of rights and wrongs in the criminal world. The characters take the minorities and women for granted in the novel. This manner evokes the subtleties of race and sex and how the white male is the utmost dominant figure in the human species.
True Grit Six
"I won't rest until Tom Chaney's barking in hell."
In Charles Portis's novel, True Grit, Mattie Ross exclaims that people must pay for everything in the world one way or another. After shooting Tom Chaney and thus avenging her father's murder, Mattie loses her balance from the force of the gun and topples back into a pit full of snakes. Mattie's bad karma makes her pay for her act of retribution by having a snake bite her arm. She ends up having to get it amputated. The pit, as well as the loss of her arm, is symbolic of how unjust and deadly revenge can be.
In Charles Portis's novel, True Grit, Mattie Ross exclaims that people must pay for everything in the world one way or another. After shooting Tom Chaney and thus avenging her father's murder, Mattie loses her balance from the force of the gun and topples back into a pit full of snakes. Mattie's bad karma makes her pay for her act of retribution by having a snake bite her arm. She ends up having to get it amputated. The pit, as well as the loss of her arm, is symbolic of how unjust and deadly revenge can be.
True Grit Five
“It is not important where he hangs, is it?”
“It is to me. Is it to you?”
“It means a good deal of money to me. Would not a hanging in Texas serve as well as a hanging in Arkansas?”
“No. You said yourself they might turn him loose down there. This judge will do his duty.”
“If they don’t hang him we will shoot him. I can give you my word as a Ranger on that.”
“I want Chaney to pay for killing my father and not some Texas bird dog.”
“It will not be for the dog, it will be for the senator, and your father too. He will be just as dead that way, you see, and pay for all his crimes at once.”
“No, I do not see. That is not the way I look at it.”
-Mattie and LaBoeuf
Mattie's character and attitude is specifically just so in order for the story to play out the way Charles Portis intended it to. If Mattie were not a stubborn girl, she may not have cared where Chaney hang, and therefore see no need to embark on the journey of hunting down Tom Chaney with Rooster and LaBoeuf. By portraying her as a rather headstrong, boyish character, Portis once again alludes to white male supremacy.
“It is to me. Is it to you?”
“It means a good deal of money to me. Would not a hanging in Texas serve as well as a hanging in Arkansas?”
“No. You said yourself they might turn him loose down there. This judge will do his duty.”
“If they don’t hang him we will shoot him. I can give you my word as a Ranger on that.”
“I want Chaney to pay for killing my father and not some Texas bird dog.”
“It will not be for the dog, it will be for the senator, and your father too. He will be just as dead that way, you see, and pay for all his crimes at once.”
“No, I do not see. That is not the way I look at it.”
-Mattie and LaBoeuf
Mattie's character and attitude is specifically just so in order for the story to play out the way Charles Portis intended it to. If Mattie were not a stubborn girl, she may not have cared where Chaney hang, and therefore see no need to embark on the journey of hunting down Tom Chaney with Rooster and LaBoeuf. By portraying her as a rather headstrong, boyish character, Portis once again alludes to white male supremacy.
True Grit Four
"[To the rat]... I have a writ here that says for you to stop eating Chen Lee's corn meal forthwith. It is a rat writ. It is a writ for a rat and this is lawful service of said writ."
Cogburn sees a rat eating cornmeal in Chen Lee's living quarters in the book True Grit by Charles Portis. Drunk and feeling the need to show off, he ends up deciding to shoot it. However, he ends up missing on his first try, and it takes two tries for Cogburn to hit his mark and kill the rodent, which is clever foreshadowing of a scene later in the book. Mattie is in the position to rid herself of her own rat problem- that being Chaney- where she has to take two attempts in order to kill him with her gun.
Cogburn sees a rat eating cornmeal in Chen Lee's living quarters in the book True Grit by Charles Portis. Drunk and feeling the need to show off, he ends up deciding to shoot it. However, he ends up missing on his first try, and it takes two tries for Cogburn to hit his mark and kill the rodent, which is clever foreshadowing of a scene later in the book. Mattie is in the position to rid herself of her own rat problem- that being Chaney- where she has to take two attempts in order to kill him with her gun.
True Grit Three
"Why, by God, girl, that's a Colt's Dragoon! You're no bigger than a corn nubbin, what're you doing with all this pistol?"
Rooster cannot believe the weapon that Mattie possesses; her father's gun, a Colt's Dragoon. In the novel, True Grit, by Charles Portis, the weapon that the character carries speaks a lot about the character himself. Rooster carries a pair of Colt 1851 Navy revolvers, a Winchester Model 1873 rifle, as well as a belt gun. His character is portrayed to be all show and no game; he brags yet does not prove immediately that he has the true grit that he boasts of. Having four weapons and two hands is a bit much. LaBoeuf carries a pretty gun with an ivory handle, which symbolizes him to be the "pretty boy with the pretty boy attitude." The trio is after the murderer Tom Chaney, who carries a Henry 1860, which he has crafted a scuzzy string holder for. Chaney himself is scum, so his weapon reflects that.
Rooster cannot believe the weapon that Mattie possesses; her father's gun, a Colt's Dragoon. In the novel, True Grit, by Charles Portis, the weapon that the character carries speaks a lot about the character himself. Rooster carries a pair of Colt 1851 Navy revolvers, a Winchester Model 1873 rifle, as well as a belt gun. His character is portrayed to be all show and no game; he brags yet does not prove immediately that he has the true grit that he boasts of. Having four weapons and two hands is a bit much. LaBoeuf carries a pretty gun with an ivory handle, which symbolizes him to be the "pretty boy with the pretty boy attitude." The trio is after the murderer Tom Chaney, who carries a Henry 1860, which he has crafted a scuzzy string holder for. Chaney himself is scum, so his weapon reflects that.
"19th century weapons for military and civilians", Pair-O-Dice Mercantile Historical Resources
True Grit Two
"Do you like being a marshal?" "I believe I like it better than anything I done since the war. Anything beats droving. Nothing I like to do pays well."
The marshal in True Grit by Charles Portis has been living a life full of nostalgia ever since the Civil War ended. He ruins his chance for settling down with a good family, and ends up turning to the drink to solve his depression for him. Unfortunately, being a marshal has its consequences for Rooster, and he is often in trouble for the amount of ruckus he causes and the number of men he has killed on the job. Often times, the author injects pathos into the novel, making the reader feel a certain pity for Cogburn. He is a character who feeds off of pride, obviously gained from fighting in the war, and often feels the need to fuel it. This is demonstrated in one instance when he and LaBouef shoot all the cornbread. However, when Mattie’s life is in danger, the two set their enormous amount of pride aside.
The marshal in True Grit by Charles Portis has been living a life full of nostalgia ever since the Civil War ended. He ruins his chance for settling down with a good family, and ends up turning to the drink to solve his depression for him. Unfortunately, being a marshal has its consequences for Rooster, and he is often in trouble for the amount of ruckus he causes and the number of men he has killed on the job. Often times, the author injects pathos into the novel, making the reader feel a certain pity for Cogburn. He is a character who feeds off of pride, obviously gained from fighting in the war, and often feels the need to fuel it. This is demonstrated in one instance when he and LaBouef shoot all the cornbread. However, when Mattie’s life is in danger, the two set their enormous amount of pride aside.
True Grit One
"I broke in to say, 'It is a personal matter.'
'Did you get your settlement?' said Mrs. Floyd, who could no more keep her mouth closed than a yellow catfish."
In Charles Portis's book, True Grit, a substantial amount of the scenes in which Mattie is staying at Mrs. Floyd's inn display how opposite Mattie is from the typical woman of the day. She chooses to not meddle in gossip, and avoids lace, frills and "shiny things," as Lucky Ned Pepper puts it. This is an extremely defining characteristic of Mattie, singling her out from the others of her sex, and helping her prove that she is capable of tagging along with Rooster and LaBouef.
'Did you get your settlement?' said Mrs. Floyd, who could no more keep her mouth closed than a yellow catfish."
In Charles Portis's book, True Grit, a substantial amount of the scenes in which Mattie is staying at Mrs. Floyd's inn display how opposite Mattie is from the typical woman of the day. She chooses to not meddle in gossip, and avoids lace, frills and "shiny things," as Lucky Ned Pepper puts it. This is an extremely defining characteristic of Mattie, singling her out from the others of her sex, and helping her prove that she is capable of tagging along with Rooster and LaBouef.
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