True Grit
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Chapter 1  Chapter 2  Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7
Themes
All Themes Revenge Maturity, Independence, and Expectations Collaboration, Companionship, and Loyalty Violence, Courage, and Intelligence
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Mattie Ross Rooster Cogburn LaBoeuf Tom Chaney (Theron Chelmsford) Frank Ross (Mattie’s Father) Stonehill Lucky Ned Pepper Quincy Moon Captain Boots Finch Lawyer Daggett Mrs. Floyd Odus Wharton Yarnell Poindexter Mattie’s Mother Blackie Columbus Potter William Quantrill Frank James Jesse James Cole Younger The Sheriff
Symbols
All Symbols Frank Ross’s Gold Pieces
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True Grit

by

Charles Portis
Download this LitChart! (PDF)
Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on True Grit makes teaching easy.

Columbus Potter Character Analysis

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 paths eventually crossed when Potter—by that time a marshal—picked up Rooster in connection to a murder. Instead of arresting him, though, he took his friend back to Fort Smith and helped him become a marshal himself. Potter is later killed when he and Rooster pursue Odus, C. C., and Aaron Wharton.

Columbus Potter Quotes in True Grit

The True Grit quotes below are all either spoken by Columbus Potter or refer to Columbus Potter. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Revenge Theme Icon
).
Chapter 3 Quotes

Judge Parker knows. He is a old carpetbagger but he knows his rats. We had a good court here till the petti­fogging lawyers moved in on it. You might think Polk Goudy is a fine gentleman to look at his clothes, but he is the sorriest son of a bitch that God ever let breathe. I know him well. Now they have got the judge down on me, and the marshal too. The rat-catcher is too hard on the rats. That is what they say. Let up on them rats! Give them rats a fair show! What kind of show did they give Columbus Potter? Tell me that. A finer man never lived.

Related Characters: Rooster Cogburn (speaker), Mattie Ross, Odus Wharton, Columbus Potter, Polk Goudy, Judge Isaac Parker
Revenge Theme Icon
Violence, Courage, and Intelligence Theme Icon
Page Number: 66
Explanation and Analysis:
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True Grit PDF

Columbus Potter Quotes in True Grit

The True Grit quotes below are all either spoken by Columbus Potter or refer to Columbus Potter. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Revenge Theme Icon
).
Chapter 3 Quotes

Judge Parker knows. He is a old carpetbagger but he knows his rats. We had a good court here till the petti­fogging lawyers moved in on it. You might think Polk Goudy is a fine gentleman to look at his clothes, but he is the sorriest son of a bitch that God ever let breathe. I know him well. Now they have got the judge down on me, and the marshal too. The rat-catcher is too hard on the rats. That is what they say. Let up on them rats! Give them rats a fair show! What kind of show did they give Columbus Potter? Tell me that. A finer man never lived.

Related Characters: Rooster Cogburn (speaker), Mattie Ross, Odus Wharton, Columbus Potter, Polk Goudy, Judge Isaac Parker
Revenge Theme Icon
Violence, Courage, and Intelligence Theme Icon
Page Number: 66
Explanation and Analysis:
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