Analytical Essay: True Grit
Analytical Essay: True Grit
What defines true grit? Is it a tough outer shell displayed by a person having a strong physique? Or is it the ability to face your fears and conquer any obstacle that stands in the way between you, and your passion in life? The dictionary defines grit as “strength of character” and in the 2010 film version of True Grit, a 14 year old girl proves that she has just that when she seeks out the man who murdered her father for retribution. Faced with several obstacles along her way, the young girl battles through and proves that nothing in life comes without a price to pay.
Mattie Ross, an anger driven girl with strong morals makes it her mission to find Tom Chaney, the man who killed her father and have him properly punished. Although she is only 14 years old, her knowledge, wit, and ability to negotiate make her wise beyond her years. She hires Rooster Cogburn, a U.S. Marshal who is described as being the meanest around to join her on her crusade for justice. Although Rooster Cogburn wanted to go alone, Mattie refused to go home until “business” was finished, showing her commitment to vengeance. She says that she will kill him herself if the law won’t. Mattie knows that finding Tom Chaney will probably bring forth a fight and surely won’t come easy, but her intentions are for him to lose his life just as her father lost his. Throughout the course of the journey, a childhood is lost as a 14 year old girl is forced to face adult situations and persevere through hardships. With the help of the Marshal and a Texas Ranger, Mattie does find Tom Chaney and without hesitation, she shoots him. The shot fired does not come without a price of its own though. The force of the gun shot throws Mattie backwards, into a snake pit that eventually leads to the amputation of her arm, a seemingly small price to pay for avenging the murder of her father.
The Marshal, Rooster Cogburn, does not come across as a man who would owe anything to anyone. Described as being trigger-happy, the one eyed man also had a problem with heavy drinking. A lifestyle consisting of killing others would take its toll on any good man’s conscious and in this particular situation, it seems as though the Marshal chose to self-medicate by turning to the bottle showing that it is possible to become our own victim. While the Marshal spent his time chasing down the bad guys, somewhere along the way he lost himself. Still though, his wisdom and knowledge from years of experience make him a valuable asset to the girl. Although he did not want the girl joining him in the beginning, he ended up not only helping her take down Tom Chaney, but he also took on a fatherly role to her. The gritty Marshal was willing to give his own life to save Mattie’s when he exerted himself to get the medical help that she needed after she had been bitten by the rattlesnake.