True Grit

True Grit, one of the more eventful yet realistic literature pieces I’ve read thus far, has gotten me a bit confused. While I did enjoy the tale, Mattie had me at a bit of a crossroads. While I can thoroughly understand the insatiable yearn for revenge for her beloved father, I could not understand why she would be so stubborn at times to place herself in dire danger unnecessarily. She could have easily avenged her father without the consequence of harming herself and losing her left arm.

Thinking about it a bit more, its possible that the personality of Mattie’s father is what drove her so completely to show her bravery for him, just as he did when she knew him. 'True grit' has a rooted identity in our main characters, and all of them show it in a different way. Frank Ross, a noted gentle and kind character who had minimal time to make an impression on the reader before his death, still managed to display strength and determination. 

Attempting to save then hired hand, Chaney, from making a dire mistake by placing himself in front of the ready shotgun, Mattie’s father was clearly a man who strongly believed in helping others make the right decision, no matter how difficult it was.

Something that I cannot fathom, however, is: after having such an adventure filled with going after gangs and killers, how is it possible that this fearless trio did not reunite after ridding the world of Chaney? They accomplished their feat together and grew close - so close that animal lover Rooster, was driven to harming his horse in his mad drive to get Mattie to much needed medical attention. Even with their protests and their endless fights, it is clear they grew close as a group when Mattie moves her beloved friend onto her family plot of land several years after.

From what I can make sense of, its likely that Mattie’s sense of grit and duty led her to stay on her land to work and flourish as a young lady in the place of her father. It is unfortunate that Rooster had passed away before meeting again, but the ending leaves Mattie reminiscing about her unforgotten old friends and possibly foreshadowing a reunion with LaBoeuf in the near future.