Literature Essay
For the literature essay assignment, I have chosen to explore on Charles Portis’ literature work of the True Grit. Grit means being courageous or fearless, and it is a trait that Charles Portis is demonstrating through various characters who include Mattie, Rooster, and LaBoeuf. Besides grit, the author is presenting other essential traits like healthy femininity and heroism, and these traits are important for human survival. Living in a country full of challenges, we need the above traits so as to win life’s challenges. Portis’ literature work has also been supplemented by other authors like Lloyd Daigrepont, who has elaborated on the character of Mattie, and Thomas Doherty in his article, The Duke and the Dude. Charles Portis presents the themes of true grit, and healthy femininity through the characters of Mattie, Rooster, and LaBoeuf.
Portis is presenting Mattie’s grit through her various fearless actions. Mattie is a female character, and some of her actions are a show of true grit. At one point, Mattie has to fight for her place because it reaches a time when Rooster is telling Mattie that she needs to be left in McAlester’s place. Rooster is giving an excuse that he needs to go fast and, he cannot do that with Mattie. Mattie seems unreluctant to be left behind, and she insists that she is going along with the two men. According to Portis, Mattie hints that “Do you think that I am ready to quit when we are so close?” and this is a show that she has true grit not to quit because she is aware of her mission (Portis 40). The argument between Rooster and Mattie prompts LaBoeuf to intervene, and he tells Rooster that Mattie has a meaning to her words, and so far, she has done an excellent job.
Portis also presents the true grit of Mattie when she faces Tom Chaney, the killer of her father. Mattie meets Tom Chaney when she goes to fetch water during one of the night rests in the mountains. Mattie does not fear Tom even after he has pointed his rifle to Mattie’s shoulder. Mattie manages to get hold of her revolver, and she courageously tells Tom that she is on a mission to take him to Fort Smith. More interesting is that Mattie does not fear Tom even after Tom has killed her father. Ideally, it is expected that Mattie should fear Tom because she might be the next person he is planning to kill. Mattie is confronting Tom that he should surrender to be taken back to Fort Smith. According to Portis, Mattie ordered Tom that “If you refuse to go, I will have to shoot you” (Portis 118).
Daigrepont uses Mattie as a replica of healthy femininity. Mattie is in her adolescence, but she is determined to seek justice for her father. Mattie is only fourteen years, and at this age, many girls are school-going, but Mattie is determined to go after his father’s killer at whatever cost. Daigrepont hints that “It is the 14-year-old-girl, armed with a righteous certainty about her errand into the wilderness, which best fits the title” (Daigrepont 2). Mattie is not only determined to seek justice for his father, but she is also seeking justice for her mother, and she is proving to be of value to other people, and this is a show of healthy femininity. Also, Mattie courageously faces Stonehill, and she is demanding him to buy back the horses that he sold to her father. Mattie is also adding that Stonehill should be responsible for the loss of one of her father’s female horses, Judy. Mattie insists that if Stonehill does not heed to her call, she is going to seek legal justice, and this prompts Stonehill to refer to her as an unnatural child (Daigrepont 3).
Additionally, Rooster demonstrates true grit when he fearlessly exchanges gunshots with the bandits in the dugout. Rooster is first shooting the bandits alone since Mattie has been left behind while LaBoeuf has been sent to cover the chimney. Rooster is courageous enough to order the two bandits out of the dugout; otherwise he will burn them from inside. Mattie asserts that Rooster tells the bandits, “Chuck your arms out clear and come out with your hands locked on your head and you will not be harmed,” and this was a show of true grit since Rooster is one against two (Portis 82). Later on, LaBoeuf joins Rooster, and they jointly order the two bandits to lie down on their bellies. After Rooster and LaBoeuf have searched the two bandits, Rooster gets them handcuffed.
Besides, Mattie demonstrates healthy femininity through her selfless actions to Rooster and LaBoeuf. Mattie is responsible for fetching water and collecting firewood whenever the three whenever they camped during the night. Mattie has to travel yards in unknown places to get the water, and she risks her life since she might encounter dangerous wild animals in the hills. During one of the trips to fetch water, Mattie asserts that “I had no lantern and I stumbled and fell with the first bucket before I got far and had to retrace my steps and get another” (Portis 76). On a second trip, Mattie is tired and, and she has to make several rests while climbing the hill. Mattie states that during the second trip, she is holding her gun in one hand, but it is not strong enough to balance the weight of the bucket. Instead, the bucket is pulling her sideways, and through this, she demonstrates healthy femininity in her endeavor to sustain Rooster and LaBoeuf.
Mattie is able to endure the tedious and long exodus, but she is determined to accomplish her mission even despite harassment from LaBoeuf at the beginning of the journey. Mattie states that “I was hungry and aching, but I kept my peace for I knew the both of them were waiting for me to complain or say something that would make me out a tenderfoot” (Portis 73). Mattie fights for her place, and she does not give up until Rooster and LaBoeuf accommodate her. Mattie also demonstrates true grit when she confronts Tom Chaney and shoots him down, and Tom’s rib is broken. It is the courageous actions of Mattie that makes Doherty recommend her as the true grit. Doherty notes that “The sly feminist joke savored by all three versions of True Grit is that it is the 14-year old girl, armed with a righteous certainty about her errand into the wilderness, who best fits the title” (Doherty 6).
Moreover, Rooster and LaBoeuf demonstrate true grit when they fire guns to Lucky Ned Pepper and his bandits. Rooster and LaBoeuf are two, and they are shooting several bandits who might turn and disarm them. The exchange results in the death of Haze, one of Lucky Ned’s bandits. Rooster is also courageous enough to face Rooster and his three bandits. According to Mattie, Rooster tells Lucky Ned that “I mean to kill you in one minute, Ned, or see you hanged in Fort Smith at Judge Parker’s convenience! Which will you have” (Portis 19)? Following the exchange, Farrell and Harold, two of the bandits are killed. LaBoeuf courageously killed Lucky Ned, demonstrating true grit.
Work Cited
Daigrepont, Lloyd M. “The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism in True Grit: The Lovelorn Character of Mattie Ross.” Western American Literature 50.2 (2015): 1-15.
Portis, Charles. “True Grit. 1968. Kindle ed.” (2004): 1-150.
Doherty, Thomas. The Duke and the Dude. Chronicle of Higher Education: (2011): 1-6.