About True Grit
True Grit by Charles Portis follows fourteen-year-old Mattie Ross as she pursues the man who killed her father. She recruits U.S. marshal Rooster Cogburn and travels from Arkansas into Indian Territory, accompanied by Texas Ranger LaBoeuf.
Justice, Determination, and Memory
Mattie tells her story from later life. Her forceful voice gives this frontier adventure its wit and moral tension, inviting readers to consider how a remembered experience becomes a personal account of justice. Determination, money, violence, and loyalty all shape the pursuit.
Reading and Discussion
How does Mattie’s narration influence your view of the adults around her? When does the pursuit of justice become revenge? Consider what the story gains from its distance between the young participant and the older storyteller.
First published in 1968, the novel inspired films released in 1969 and 2010. The listed Overlook paperback edition was published November 5, 2010; edition dates should be distinguished from the original novel’s publication.
Read the True Grit Book Club reading guide.
