Mattie Ross
A fourteen-year-old girl from Dardanelle, Arkansas and the narrator of True Grit. Mattie is a strong-willed young woman who uses her intelligence and determination to succeed in a world where she is consistently undervalued…
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Rooster Cogburn
A hard-drinking, one-eyed U.S. marshal known for his “grit.” Rooster fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War, though Mattie learns that he was part of Quantrill’s Raiders, a group of guerilla soldiers who used…
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LaBoeuf
A Texas Ranger working on “detached service” for the family of a senator whom Chaney killed several months ago. When LaBoeuf arrives in Fort Smith, he tells Mattie that he’s looking for Chaney, and Mattie…
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Tom Chaney (Theron Chelmsford)
An outlaw with a black mark on his face who murders Mattie’s father, Frank Ross. Before Chaney kills Frank, Mattie’s family believes he’s simply a man from Louisiana who is down on his…
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Frank Ross (Mattie’s Father)
Mattie’s father, and a veteran of the Civil War. Traveling from Little Rock to Fort Smith to buy a group of ponies from Stonehill, Frank Ross stays with Tom Chaney—his employee who…
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Stonehill
A “stock trader” who buys and sells horses. On the day of Frank’s death, Stonehill sells him a group of ponies, letting them go for a low price because he’s having trouble finding buyers…
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Lucky Ned Pepper
A notorious outlaw who leads a band of criminals, including Haze, The Original Greaser Bob, Harold Permalee, and Farrell Permalee. After killing Frank Ross, Tom Chaney falls in with Ned…
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Quincy
An outlaw whom Mattie, LaBoeuf, and Rooster find in a dugout in Indian Territory. Along with his companion Moon, Quincy is waiting for Lucky Ned Pepper and his gang, planning to give…
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Moon
An outlaw whom Mattie, LaBoeuf, and Rooster find in a dugout in Indian Territory. Along with his companion Quincy, Moon is waiting for Lucky Ned Pepper and his gang, planning to give…
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Captain Boots Finch
A Native American policeman in “the Choctaw Light Horse,” which is the police force that strictly deals with Native American crimes in Indian Territory. Captain Finch is a good friend of Rooster’s because of…
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Lawyer Daggett
Mattie’s family lawyer. When Mattie convinces Stonehill to buy back the ponies he sold to her father, she sends a telegraph message to Daggett explaining that she needs him to write out the…
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Mrs. Floyd
The owner of the boarding house where Mattie stays while she’s in Fort Smith. Mrs. Floyd knows all about the death of Mattie’s father, since Frank and Tom Chaney were staying in her boarding house…
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Odus Wharton
A criminal from a family of outlaws. Rooster has been chasing down the Whartons for a long time, killing most of them whenever he encounters them. On one particular occasion, Rooster tracks down Odus, C.C.…
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Yarnell Poindexter
An African-American man who works for Frank Ross. Yarnell accompanies Mattie when she travels to Fort Smith to claim her father’s body. When she informs him that she won’t be returning to Little Rock…
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Mattie’s Mother
Mattie’s mother, who is a relatively absent character. In the wake of Frank Ross’s death, Mattie’s mother stays at home in Little Rock with her two youngest children, sending Mattie and Yarnell to…
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Blackie
Mattie’s pony, which she buys from Stonehill. Blackie belongs to the group of ponies that Frank Ross bought from Stonehill just before dying, meaning that Mattie effectively sells Blackie back to Stonehill only…
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Columbus Potter
A U.S. marshal, and Rooster’s best friend. Potter and Rooster were both part of Quantrill’s group of guerilla soldiers during the Civil War. Afterward, they escaped and went their separate ways, though their…
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William Quantrill
The nonfictional leader of a pro-Confederate group of men who tore through Kansas and Missouri fighting Union soldiers and sympathizers. Quantrill is known for his violent ways, as he led his men in the infamous…
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Frank James
A nonfictional outlaw, and the older brother of the notorious Jesse James. Like Rooster, Frank James was part of William Quantrill’s group of guerilla soldiers, who fought against pro-Union forces during and…
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Jesse James
A nonfictional outlaw, and the younger brother of Frank James. Like Frank and Rooster, Jesse was part of William Quantrill’s group of guerilla soldiers, who fought against pro-Union forces during and after…
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Cole Younger
A nonfictional outlaw, and another member of William Quantrill’s group of guerilla soldiers. When Mattie goes to the traveling circus to see Rooster, Cole tells her that he recently passed away. When he…
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The Sheriff
The head police officer in Fort Smith. The sheriff tells Mattie about her father’s murder and gives her Frank’s dragoon revolver. He also gives her Rooster’s name when she asks for a list…
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Minor Characters
Grandma Turner
An old woman Mattie has to share a bed with at Mrs. Floyd’s boarding house. Mattie doesn’t like having to room with Grandma Turner, though she enjoys reading books to her when she’s sick and they’re both on a very strong “Bile Activator” medicine.
C.C. Wharton
Odus Wharton’s brother, who is shot and killed by Rooster after he and his father, Aaron, attack him and kill his partner, Potter.
Aaron Wharton
Odus and C.C. Wharton’s father, who is shot and killed by Rooster after he and C.C. attack him and kill his partner, Potter. Odus’s lawyer Mr. Goudy reveals that Aaron’s body was found in the fire, suggesting that Rooster must have dragged him there on purpose.
Judy
Frank Ross’s horse, which Chaney steals after murdering him. Although Mattie tracks down Chaney himself, she never manages to find Judy.
Haze
One of the bandits in Lucky Ned Pepper’s gang. Haze helps Ned rob a mail train shortly after Chaney murders Frank Ross. When Rooster, LaBoeuf, and Mattie corner Ned’s group in front of a small dugout in Indian Territory, Haze is one of the few bandits to die.
Harold Permalee
A bandit who runs with Lucky Ned Pepper. According to Mattie, Harold is “simpleminded.”
Farrell Permalee
A bandit who runs with Lucky Ned Pepper, and Harold Permalee’s brother.
The Original Greaser Bob
A Mexican bandit who’s part of Lucky Ned Pepper’s gang of outlaws. To Mattie’s great amazement, Greaser Bob manages to escape Rooster and LaBoeuf twice, lying down on his horse both times in order to avoid gunfire.
The Undertaker
An Irish man who asks Mattie to identify her father’s body. When Mattie does this, the undertaker takes advantage of her by charging an exorbitant fee to ship Frank’s body back to Little Rock, but Mattie decides not to argue.
Mr. Barlow
The state prosecutor in Odus Wharton’s trial. Mr. Barlow questions Rooster, giving him an opportunity to explain why and how he chased down Odus, C.C., and Aaron. Mattie sets down this interaction in her transcript of the trial, which is the first time she hears Rooster speak.
Polk Goudy
Odus Wharton’s lawyer, who cross-examines Rooster and suggests that he is unnecessarily violent, arguing that he has a personal vendetta against the Wharton family. Mattie sets down this interaction in her transcript of Odus’s trial, which is the first time she hears Rooster speak.
Judge Isaac Parker
The judge who presides over Odus Wharton’s trial. A man known for his ruthless but moral decisions, Judge Parker doesn’t tolerate any nonsense in his court, though he’s forced to prolong Odus’s trial by a day because Mr. Goudy’s cross-examination of Rooster takes too long.
Lee
A Chinese man who owns a grocery store, in the back of which he plays cards with Rooster stays.
