1. Key points about the novel
True Grit

2. Overview Character Plot Theme Setting

3. Title True Grit = determination
How does the title link with the story?

4. Main character 1: Mattie
independent
determined
bitter
Give examples to support each of the points above

5. Main character 2: Reuben ‘Rooster’ Cogburn
pitiless/cold-hearted
lonely
Give examples to support each of the points above

6. Minor characters La Boeuf: law abiding
Lucky Ned Pepper: clever criminal
Tom Chaney: evil

7. Problem Mattie has to avenge her father’s death.
In what ways will this be a difficult task?

8. Lessons learned Revenge cannot be achieved without personal sacrifice.
Explain this statement with an example from the story.

9. True Grit by Charles Portis
Important
themes

10. If a person wants to get revenge, they must take matters into their own hands.
Revenge is a matter of honour.
Revenge
In order to get revenge, a person sometimes has to suffer themselves.

11. Gender For Mattie, gender is no barrier to achieving revenge.
True Grit is a male-dominated world.
Gender
Many of the male characters show sexist attitudes towards women.

12. True Grit by Charles Portis
Setting

13. Setting of ‘True Grit’
The story of ‘True Grit’ takes place in 1875 in the state of Arkansas, USA and the Native American territory known as the Choctaw Nation.
It is quite a lawless society - there is no police force in the Choctaw Nation, but men known as marshals who try to capture bandits.
Life is cheap in the world of ‘True Grit’. There are many deaths throughout the novel. Capital punishment is used to deal with criminals. The novel opens with three men being hanged publicly at Fort Smith.

14. Setting of ‘True Grit’
One value that is very important to Mattie is her religious faith. She uses her religion in order to cope with the lawless society in which she lives.
In the world of ‘True Grit’, women are treated differently to men. For example, Mattie has to fight to be allowed travel to the Choctaw Nation with Rooster and La Boeuf. La Boeuf makes sexist comments towards Mattie.
Some groups in society experience discrimination, in particular the Native American population. For example, Mattie says as she witnesses the hanging at Fort Smith ‘If you are like me you will probably think of Indians as heathens’.