Aside from being one of my favorite John Wayne movies of all time, this great story is one that I can't wait to read aloud to my kids. I found an almost new first edition here during one of the library sales.
Anyways. Back to my typical format here. So let's, as John Wayne would say, "git to the rat killin'."
True Grit by Charles Portis
224 pages, reading time: about 2 days
Because I don't actually have a dust jacket for this book, I had to find a picture of it on the internet. This is not the original publisher's summary, but one found on the back of the newer editions:
Charles Portis has long been acclaimed as one of America’s foremost writers. True Grit is the basis for two movies, the 1969 classic starring John Wayne and the Academy Award® winning 2010 version starring Jeff Bridges and written and directed by the Coen brothers.
True Grit tells the story of Mattie Ross, who is just fourteen years of age when a coward going by the name of Tom Chaney shoots her father down in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and robs him of his life, his horse, and $150 in cash. Mattie leaves home to avenge her father’s blood. With the one-eyed Rooster Cogburn, the meanest available U.S. Marshal, by her side, Mattie pursues the homicide into Indian Territory. True Grit is eccentric, cool, straight, and unflinching, like Mattie herself. From a writer of true status, this is an American classic through and through.
Initial Reaction: Now, if you've seen either of the movies, you've read the book. Both movies are pretty true to the book, and most of the dialogue is taken from Portis without many changes or omissions. I'm not sure whether I'm grateful that I experienced the movie first. I think that if I had read the book first, I may not have liked the movies as much. And, let's just have it said right now, that I think Hailee Steinfeld can't hold a candle to Kim Darby. Kim Darby all the way. Hailee does a great job, but she's not Kim Darby. Plus Kim Darby along side the Duke. Boom. More changes were made in the Coen Brothers film- more additions, but I don't think that they detract from the story, but nor do they add to it. I CAN NOT take Matt Damon seriously as a cowboy.
He's better off as a space pirate.
Also, I must have missed the first few descriptions of Rooster having only one eye. That is made a bit clearer toward the end of the book. However, it is not mentioned that he wears an eye patch.
This whole story took place over the course of about two weeks (197). It seems much longer not only in the book, but in the movies, too.
My favorite scene in the movie is taken word for word from the book:
Rooster said, "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?"
Lucky Ned Pepper laughed. He said, "I call that bold talk for a one-eyed fat man!"
Rooster said,
and he took the reins in his teeth and pulled the other saddle revolver and drove his spurs into the flanks of his strong horse Bo and charged directly at the bandits (200).
Overall, a fabulous book. I can't wait to use it as a read-aloud.
Promote Virtue? Yes. Mattie is full of virtue. She is choleric to the Nth degree, but she is respectful, truthful, faithful, and determined to get the job done. She doesn't even want to kill Cheney; she knows that would be wrong. She wants to see him brought to justice, not be a victim of murderous revenge. The only point that Mattie falters into despair is when Rooster and LaBeouf leave her with Ned Pepper. It was a stark contrast to her character throughout the rest of the story. She is a hard-as-nails young woman who takes the triumphs and defeats of the journey in stride. At this point, though, she starts to blame her situation on Rooster instead of just going with it. But, I can identify. She's only, what, 14? And has just been abandoned by any sort of help from the people who are supposed to be on her side.
I also like the way that Portis illustrates the humanity of Ned Pepper- a notorious bandit and murderer. Instead of just shooting Mattie so he won't have to deal with her, he honors the fact that she is a woman, and just takes her prisoner. He even feeds her and chats with her a bit, and I kind of forget that he's a criminal- there is a sort of nobility in him. His character is a great juxtaposition to the likes of Tom Cheney, a whimpering, whining man who blames everyone else for his "bad luck."
Transcendentals? Yes. Mattie is certainly a staunch defender of Truth. Yes, she is angry about the murder of her father, but she desires justice instead of cold-blooded revenge. Beauty isn't as prevalent, but I'd say it's more present in the descriptions and language that Portis uses. Mattie's character itself is a thing of beauty: she is a strong young woman (only 14!) who takes on a difficult task with courage and perseverance. I'm not sure how many 14-year-olds today would be willing to do such a thing. Mattie is concerned about truth and goodness at the same time. While she does desire justice for the villains, she is kind and charitable to all she meets, regardless of their backstory. She is at least civil to Tom Chaney when she finally meets him. Mattie strives to be a good and faithful person, that much is clear.
Overcome human condition? Yes. While Mattie struggles with certain things (She is dealing with the death of he father, after all, and is going on a wild-goose chase for bloody cutthroats twice her age with a drunkard), she remains faithful to her mission: justice for her father and for Tom Cheney. She only falters once, but that's because she doesn't know that Cogburn and LaBoeuf planned to return for her. Chalk that up to the character's age and inexperience. Mattie is a good Christian who is aware of her faults, and she does her best to check them. She also strives to be charitable and civil, even when she doesn't agree with someone. She is definitely a bit of a mouthpiece, but she's not sassy or disrespectful. She does well holding her own with rough men twice her age.
Attitude toward Catholicism? I absolutely love how Mattie treats Catholics in this book: with respect. She is not Catholic herself, but judges them to be faithful believers. She is a devout Presbyterian, and frequently quotes Scripture. See Notable Quoteables.
Paganry? Nope. Christian to the core.
Swearing? Mild: damn, SOB, one GD, a few western cuss words. Easy enough stuff to smooth over when read aloud to kids.
Violence? Well, it's about a daughter avenging her father's death. There are a few head shots, someone's teeth get bashed out by the butt of a gun, someone's fingers get chopped off, etc. Mattie is slapped around by Tom Cheney. However, none of the descriptions of these things are gory or bloody. They're stated rather matter-of-factly.
Appropriate age? Great for boys and girls. I'd say, for the most part, it's a little more advanced than the reading level of the Little House series. I'd recommend 12+ to read by themselves because of some of the language. I think kids 7+ would enjoy having this read to them.
Writing Style: Mattie's narration and tone are masterfully done by Portis. At times, I forgot that a man even wrote the book! Mattie is straightforward and has no time for nonsense. Portis paints a realistic picture of who she is just by the way she tells her own story. His writing is clear, descriptive, and has a great hold on the linguistic styles and colloquialisms of Mattie's time. It isn't romantic. It ends as abruptly as it began. The story is set at a great pace- it is a quick read, but it's also a hearty one. I never grew bored with the story or the writing style; Portis does an excellent job of sustaining the reader's engagement.
Notable Quoteables:
"Like Martha I have always been agitated and troubled by the cares of the day but my mother had a serene and loving heart. She was like Mary and had chosen 'that good part'" (13). LOVE that my girl is in here!
"The wicked flee when none pursueth" (Prov. 28:1 on page 15) and "You must pay for everything in this world one way or another. There is nothing free except the Grace of God. You cannot earn that or deserve it" (38). The Coen brothers decided to begin their adaptation with these two quotations. I loved the movie instantly.
"On his deathbead [the judge] asked for a priest and became Catholic. That was his wife's religion. It was his own business and none of mine. If you had sentenced one hundred and sixty men to death and seen around eighty of them swing, then maybe at the last minute you would feel the need of some stronger medicine than then Methodists could make. It is something to think about" (39-40). I had liked Mattie already at this point, but this made me absolutely love her. A feeling of relief washed over me. It's always great to see this kind of respect toward my faith, especially coming from characters who could be very hostile toward it. Mattie is a young woman of integrity and respect, so far from a lot of the literary characters we see today. After I read this excerpt, I knew I wouldn't have any problems with the rest of the book, and I was excited that I'd be able to read it to my kids.
BAHAHAHAH. I laughed for about and hour. It was true, though.
"He reminded me of some of those Slovak people that came in here a few years ago to cut barrel staves. The ones that stayed have made good citizens. People from those countries are usually Catholics if they are anything. They love candles and beads" (125). Yes, we do! Especially back then because all of the Masses were in Latin.
Light ALL THE CANDLES!!!
Great words: impertinent, sanguinary ambuscade, gibe, audacity, perturbed, chagrin, addled
Final Summation: True Grit is a solid and timeless adventure story that any kid would love to hear, and most tweens and older would love to read. Our heroine is a strong, upstanding character and phenomenal role model for any youngster. After I finished reading, I reopened it to bury my nose in it and breathe in it's musty, old-book smell, grateful to have found such a treasure for less than a dollar.
Henceforth, it is
PS- it's my second niece's birthday! She's FIVE already!
No comments:
Post a Comment