The Western Genre-True Grit by Charles Portis



I must say, I was a bit skeptical of reading a Western! I always wondered what the appeal was, but now I know! The great thing about this class is that I'm reading genres that I never would on my own and gaining a new understanding and broader knowledge of different types of books.  Here are the key characteristics of a Western novel:

• an adventure story usually taking place in the American West between the Civil war and the 20th century.
• There is a hero
• The landscape is so important and detailed it almost becomes a character in the book
• There is usually a struggle between good and evil

If you enjoy Westerns or want to try one for the first time, check out the Western Writers of America web page for more information and for a list of the 100 best Westerns!


The book I read for this assignment was True Grit by Charles Portis, which was actually recommended to me by Ames Free Library patron Brad Sultan (Thanks Brad)! As a librarian, it's important to remember  that Reader's Advisory works both ways and I have gotten a lot of great recommendations from patrons I talk to every day! Thanks to all of you! Here is my report on True Grit:

 Portis, Charles.  True Grit. New York, NY: Overlook, 2010. ISBN: 978-1-59020-459-7

True Grit, originally published in 1968, tells the tale of Mattie Ross, a fourteen year old girl out to seek revenge and redemption for her father’s murder in the 1870’s.  Despite being fourteen and female Mattie is incredibly sharp, intelligent and tough.  She seeks out U.S. Marshall “Rooster” Cogburn to help her hunt down Tom Chaney, her father’s killer.  She hears one-eyed Rooster has “true grit,” and hopes he will have what it takes to take on hunting Chaney down.  They travel through the rough Oklahoma landscape of Choctaw Nation where they encounter robbers, Indians and a harsh landscape until they find Cogburn and a scary confrontation ensues.

 True Grit has many characteristics of the Western genre.  It is an adventure story, of a young girl on a perilous yet brave journey to revenge her father’s death.  The story is action packed, particularly the scene where they find Chaney, which keeps the reader on the edge of their seat.  The book is packed with gun fights, death, robbers, outlaws and Indians set against the backdrop of the beautiful yet dangerous Oklahoma Choctaw Indian Territory.  There are a few characters that take on the role of hero, most notably Mattie herself.  The fact that Mattie is a main hero strays from traditional Westerns being called “man’s tales.”

 Initially, I groaned at the thought of having to read a Western.  They've never been a favorite of mine.  At the library where I work, a patron actually recommended this book to me because he thought I would enjoy that the main character was female.  To my surprise, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and couldn't put it down when it got to the nail-biting end! The way Rooster and fellow traveler LaBoef treat Mattie at times is annoying, but taking into consideration Mattie’s age and sex in that time period and on that particular journey I believe they were just trying to protect her.  I loved Mattie’s hard-headed ways and how she could out smart and out talk anyone she came into contact with! I enjoyed the characters in the book, those that were bad and good.  They were all well developed and had interesting personalities.  I would definitely recommend this book to anyone wanting a good read because the writing is of high quality.   True Grit is told magnificently through Mattie’s perspective, through a narrative that is sharp and descriptive.  In the end, it is Mattie that has “true grit.”

In addition to fulfilling the requirements of a good Western, this book would be enjoyed and appreciated by fans of the adrenaline genre including adventure, suspense and thrillers because of the high energy scenes.  It would also be a good book to recommend to fans of historical fiction.  In addition, women and teens would also enjoy this title because Mattie is not only a good strong female character; she is also a young adult.  I love that Mattie diverged from the traditional Western hero because of the simple fact she is female.  However, that fact does not make the book less appealing to males, as Rooster and Leboef play important roles in this adventurous tale.

Are you a Western reader? What's your favorite Western? If you're not, I definitely recommend True Grit as a great introduction to the genre!