"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.
nice character work
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