True Grit Analysis

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Parit Patel October 7th, 2014 Dr. Wright English 282 Claiming Independence The novel True Grit by Charles Portis, is about a young girl known as Mattie Ross, and her journey to avenge the death of her father. She accompanies a U.S. Marshall and a Texas Ranger in 1873 to hunt down a man name Tom Chaney. Time was very tough for women because of society’s norms competing against them. Mattie Ross was considered an extraordinary women for accomplishing what she did, and not being afraid to be independent and different from rest of society. Women were considered the weaker sex and therefore, had a lower standard of employment and education, were judged on their sexual behavior, and faced social norms that were in place to dictate how they should dress. Mattie Ross was different from other women of her time, and how she compared to them was just remarkable. The 1870s was a time when women and men were seen as unequal. Females were thought of as the weaker sex of society, and were expected to be obedient to men. According to the Women’s International Center, “Women were long considered naturally weaker than men, squeamish, and …show more content…

Women had set principles in society that dictated their education, employment, and even their fashion. Mattie Ross was different from the other women, she was not afraid to do as she pleased without giving a second thought of how she’ll be judged in society. When compared to other women of her time, we got a chance to see what made her so different. Her extraordinary pursuit of education and occupation while others of her social class stayed at home and learn how to take care of a home. Her persistence on standing up to men and letting them walk all over her. Although her fashion was a lot like her peers, she was not afraid to dress how she needed to for circumstances no matter how she may end up looking. Mattie Ross showed tremendous courage and independence for her age and

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