True Grit

True Grit

1. Characters

   • Mattie
     • hero
       • Is a girl, not a typical hero
         • Sexism was a major problem in the 19th century
         • Not conveyed in the same way which girls are normally are in westerns
         • Usual to have a female protagonist
     • Stubborn
       • Isn't easily made to change her mind
       • Reckless
   • Rooster Cogburn
     • the helper
       • only helps out because he wants "lucky" Ned Pepper and by helping he can get him
     • Played by John Wayne,
       • Became type cast for the western films
     • Secondary hero
       • Secondary protagonist
     • alcoholic
   • La Beouf
     • The false hero, his death stops him from being a hero
       • doesn't want Mattie to be a part of the trip
     • Wants to be the lone hero
       • Typical in westerns
   • "Lucky" Ned Pepper
     • Secondary villian
       • Defeated by the hero
       • is wanted by the secondary protagnise
   • Tom Chaney
     • villian
       • Defeated by the hero
     • although he is one of the major characters we do not know a lot about him until the end of the film as until then we're only told what to think about him
     • Killed Matties' father
       • Goes on the run with "lucky" Ned Pepper

2. themes

   • revenge
     • Mattie wants revenge for her fathers death
       • gets her revenge at the end of the film
     • Rooster wants to capture "lucky" New Pepper for his wrong doings
   • Greed
     • Tom Chaney takes Mattie's fathers money after he kills him
     • La Beouf wants all the credit
     • Rooster only goes as he knows it will help him, doesn't really want to help Mattie
   • Underdogs of society
     • Mattie would be considered an underdog as she is female and male were not equal
       • this may be why La Beouf does not want her to come on the trip
       • Mattie is not the typical female through the way in which she acts

3. scenes

   • when Chaney shoots Matties father
     • very dark lighting
       • negative connotations
     • saloon setting
       • connotations of drinking and prostitution
   • when Mattie shoots Chaney
     • very bright lighting
       • positive connotations
     • much more country location