With the Help of Grit: Novel Review

Angela Lee Duckworth defines grit as “passion and perseverance to pursue long term goals” (Duckworth and Winkler, True Grit). Grit is putting your mind towards a goal and not to give up, no matter what obstacle that stands in front of you. By becoming a gritty individual, a person gains courage within their self. Having courage, people manage fear of failure and being true within oneself to aim for things they would have never thought they could achieve. Grit is to aspire and succeed in ones future goals in college. Grit is to help maintain effort and interest over time, also to stay committed in spite of adversity. In Duckworth’s studies she showed how gritty people are more likely to become successful than talented people. In a study conducted

Grit, what is this? Is it success, is it failure, or is it talent? As Angela Duckworth said “Grit is passion and perseverance for very long-term goals. Grit is having stamina. Grit is sticking with your future, day-in and day-out. Not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years. And working really hard to make that future a reality. Grit is living life like it’s a marathon, not a sprint.” Grit is a combination of strength, persistence, focus, and dedication that helps a person to maintain the optimism and discipline needed to persevere in their goals even if they are head to head with failure. Grit does not depend on talent, IQ, or success. Grit is the ability to fail and learn from your mistake, in order to come back next

There are a lot of different ways people could think of grit. My concept of grit would be having the passion and perseverance to accomplish something. My goal is to one day be a travel nurse. There are alot things that come with nursing, becoming a travel nurse will be challenging but with courage, follow through and excellence rather than perfection you can achieve that goal.

“I put my heart and soul into my work, and have lost my mind in the process.”- Vincent Van Gogh. Grit is having the effort to achieve something despite the obstacles. Grit is an intense desire to achieve your goals. Grit is adapting well in the face of tragedy or trauma. Vincent Van Gogh was a man with an immeasurable amount of grit. Vincent Van Gogh used perseverance, passion, and resilience to overcome the hardship he faced in his life.

“True Grit” is about a fourteen year old girl trying to bring justice to the man who killed her father. She hires a sheriff named Rooster to help her. Through characterization, setting, and law enforcement, Charles Portis in “True Grit” sets an accurate portrayal of the time period know as the old west to create a more riveting story.

Grit is a predictor of academic, professional, and personal success. Grit can be defined as strength of character or the ability to overcome failure and continue to work toward success. People with grit are not always the people with the most natural ability, but their work ethic and ability to overcome obstacles allows them to achieve success. Grit is a very valuable characteristic in almost any venture, as it gives someone an advantage in overcoming the inevitable obstacles they will face. However, grit is much easier adopted when an individual has a growth mindset.

My uncle promised he would buy me a real coconut if only I could say it right in English. I had not savored real coconut water in what seemed like years. Apparently, here in Yakima you could not simply stroll to the beach and grab one like in my hometown. In fact, there was no beach. But I had arrived to the United States only a week ago and I was already enrolled in kindergarten. I had to learn the language no matter what it took, so I studied. I gritted my teeth and sat down with a book and a mug-full of determination. After a whole lot of crying, learning, failing and more learning, I could finally not only say the word, but I was able to demand my coconut all in English. I accepted the challenge, set my focus on the goal, and did not stop until I succeeded. Many people say I am stubborn, and perhaps I am, but that coconut was the best delicacy I have ever enjoyed. Therefore, it is certain that it is not intelligence or luck but perseverance and grit that yields success and although my story is nothing like the compelling tale Charles Portis describes in his novel True Grit, they both express the true meaning of grit. In this novel, fourteen year old Mattie Ross and marshal Rooster Cogburn go on a life changing quest to find Tom Chaney, the murderer of Mattie’s father. The meaning of true grit is explored through Mattie Ross’s revenge seeking journey. Essentially, true grit refers to being strong-minded, determined, and unafraid of confronting difficult situations.

One literary element the author uses is setting. True Grit takes place in the Wild West. The Wild West setting is known to be a place with a significant amount of crime and drama, and Fort Smith is an example of a Wild West location. Fort Smith was surely not a place for an average 14-year-old girl. Even Mattie Rosses Lawyer said this in the book. “Fort Smith is no place for a young girl alone, not even a ‘Mattie’.” (Portis 78). Living in a dangerous city like Fort Smith may be impossible for an average 14 year old girl, but not for Mattie. Mattie Ross proves him wrong and survives the dangerous place. She built up her strength and level of maturity in the town. She sold horses for $325, watched three people get hanged to death, lived with a random old lady and hired a Marshal, that she had never met in her life, to help her kill Tom Chaney. Charles Portis uses the setting of the story to show us the struggles and hardships Mattie had to go through in Fort Smith. He portrayed that a small girl that can live in a town like Fort Smith is no match for evil bandits and murderers.

1. Rooster Cogburn is also a man with true grit. Throughout this book True grit, Mattie Ross was told that Rooster was one the goodies marshals for the job to go after Tom Chaney. He was known as the meanest and show no merciless in his job and fear is not something in his thinking. He well loves shot if he has to that something that he loves to do. He brings his men’s alive and also believes that even the worst should have a say in court.(pg. 25) That is the self-esteem he has to motivated him to achieve his duty in getting keeping bad guys away. Rooster was a man that believe that seeking justices, which is doing the right thing was always Rooster motive. Also, Rooster has this attention or regard well doing his job is also make Rooster a stronger

A Journey in Courage: Characters of True Grit Very few people have “unyielding courage in the face of hardship or danger” (Merriam-Webster). Charles Portis uses this concept of grit to create interesting characters that influence events his novel True Grit. Mattie Ross, LaBeouf, and Rooster Cogburn are a few characters that display true courage through their actions and dialogue. Mattie’s assertive and stubborn personality contribute to her grit, which creates new challenges she overcomes. In the novel, she discusses debatable ideas with other characters and appears convincing through her confidence and certainty.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines grit as; “firmness of mind or spirit: unyielding courage in the face of hardship or danger.” (1) Throughout the whole story of Gary Pulse’s book, “Hatchet”, Brian Roberson, the main character shows grit when his life is transformed in an adventure where he always demonstrates determination, he is up to challenge, never gives up even when things go wrong. Brian constantly approaches every problem he faces with thoughtful mind and remaining in calm. After being stranded in the wilderness of Canadian Woods, Brian needs to fight for his survival, at the beginning; it started as a result of his instincts but as the story evolves he realizes the possibilities of him being rescued decrease each passing day: “…Not hope that he would be rescued-that was gone. But hope in his knowledge.

In my opinion someone with true grit is not being pitiless, tough and fearless. Mattie reiterates this grit description by telling him, “They tell me you are a man with true grit” (Portis 59). I disagree with Mattie on this one, to me there are other traits of true grit shown later that describe the meaning of grit better. This tells us that Rooster has a grit that is different from Mattie’s grit shown in the book, and that grit can also mean being harsh, resilient and fearless. Rooster and them finally run into the gang that Chaney is in, led by Lucky Ned Pepper. At this point Ned’s gang has left Chaney with Mattie, to cash their stolen goods when La Boeuf and Rooster come to halt them in their tracks. La Boeuf knocks Chaney out while Rooster challenges the band of four bandit’s head on, like so, “He took the reins in his teeth and pulled the other saddle revolver and drove his spurs into the flanks of his strong horse and charged directly at the bandits” (Portis 201). This action quote is my favorite display of Rooster’s true grit because he shows it as being bold and courageous. Rooster kills all but one, by means of this action he illustrates grit in his boldness, strength and roughness by literally gritting his teeth together to perform this act of true grit. After this event, Mattie is poisoned by a snake bite and Rooster shows grit again by risking many things, including his hat, “Rooster lost his hat and never looked back” (Portis 215). I have a favorite hat and would be sad to lose it, so for me this shows that Rooster’s meaning of grit changed. If it wasn’t for his care about Mattie, he probably would have turned back for his hat. He did it to save Mattie’s life, displaying a different type of grit, one of valor, resolution and care of her. While Rooster showed us more sides to grit, La Boeuf surprisingly proved that even Texas

What is Grit? Grit is passion. Grit is perseverance. Grit is what everyone including teachers and students should possess. Along with passion and perseverance, to me, in order for one to possess grit in their life, they must be determined and focused no matter what obstacle life may throw at them. Life is hard, but; resilience is key in order to stay determined and focused in the worst of times.

According to Google.com, grit is the courage and resolve of a character or person. Angela Lee Duckworth, a psychologist, teacher, and public speaker understands this when she spoke at the Ted Talk Conference. During her speech she said this, "... One characteristic emerged as a significant predictor of success. It wasn't social intelligence, it wasn't good looks, physical health, and it wasn't IQ:

True Grit is a Novel about a girl, Mattie Ross, who is only fourteen. Mattie has bad blood with the man who murder her father, and she seeks avenge for her late father. Mattie leaves home with little money in her pocket to start her journey to West, but on the way, she met up with Rooster Cogburn, the meanest Marshal around. Mattie believe that Rooster has true grit, and that is way she chooses Rooster to join her in getting revenge for her father. Mattie also happens to fortunately meet Le Boeuf on the way meeting Rooster. The three of them set out to the west to seek revenge. If Mattie Ross was written as a young boy instead of a young girl, the novel True Grit would have a completely different point of view. The relationship with Rooster