Mattie engages Colonel Stonehill in negotiations at the beginning of Chapter 3. What do you learn about her from the way she handles herself? Are you impressed by her, or do you find her pushy and annoying? What kind of person is she?
"You must pay for everything in this world in one way and another. There is nothing free except the Grace of God. You cannot earn that or deserve it" (40). Mattie's worldview is neatly summed up here. Does this help explain her desire to avenge her father's murder?
Rooster Cogburn is described as an "old one-eyed jasper that was built along the lines of Grover Cleveland" (43).
What does Rooster's testimony indicate about the kind of U.S. Marshall he is? Why do you think Mattie chooses him to pursue Tom Chaney?
The trial scene takes place in Judge Parker's courtroom. Visit the useful links section to learn more about the "hanging judge."
Rooster kills a rat on page 64. Before he kills it, he tries to serve it a writ to force it to stop stealing. This seems like a little thing, but it says a great deal about Rooster's view of the law and how best to enforce it. What do you think about his actions here?
The central question Chapter 3 forces us to consider is this: what is the difference between justice and vengeance? And, which one is Mattie Ross after?
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Ask your parents what they think "justice" is. Try to come up with examples that highlight the difference between a legal action and one that represents justice.
Chapter 4 introduces us to LaBoeuf, the Texas Ranger. What do you think of him when you first read about him? Is there a difference between the way he seems to see himself and the way the author portrays him?
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LaBoeuf chides Mattie for being disrespectful to him, saying, "The youth of Texas are brought up to be polite and to show respect for their elders" (76). Do you think this is still true for your generation? What does this look like?
Mattie Ross is after vengeance. She wants Chaney to pay for her father's death, not to simply pay for his crime. Justice is linked to lawfulness and Mattie's choice of Rooster Cogburn makes it clear that she wants to have Chaney dead even if the law stands in her way. You can her intentions when the sheriff describes the marshal Rooster Cogburn, "The meanest one is Rooster Cogburn. He is a pitiless man, double-tough, and fear don't enter into his thinking" (25) and then marshal Quinn, "He is as straight as a string. Yes, I will say Quinn is about the best they have" (26) and Mattie chooses Cogburn showing her true emotions and how she wants vengeance for her father's death above justice. A key example of Rooster's character and view on criminals is shown when he shoots the rat after it does not accept the writ offered by Cogburn. This is what attracts Mattie to Cogburn because he views criminals with the hard eye that Mattie does, looking at them as "[rats]." I'm a fan of Laboeuf. He obviously thinks highly of himself. So much so that he was gave thought to "stealing a kiss from [Mattie], though [she is] very young, and sick and unattractive to boot" (76) in his own words as if it would be a gift to Mattie. Laboeuf seems to see himself as a Walker: Texas Ranger type of guy, and Portis portrays him in a way similar to that, but in a way that makes everything LaBoeuf does and says ridiculous.
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