I had no say in the matter. Every moment in your life is a
turning and every one is a choosing. Somewhere you made a
choice. All followed to this. The accounting is scrupulous.
The shape is drawn. No line can be erased. I had no belief in
your ability to move a coin to your bidding. How could you?
A person's path through the world seldom changes and even
more seldom will it change abruptly. And the shape of your
path was visible from the beginning.
2) The opening and ending soundtrack plays and old hymn called 'Leaning on the Everlasting Arms' -
What a fellowship, what a joy divine, leaning on the everlasting arms; what a blessedness, what a peace is mine, leaning on the everlasting arms. Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.
- Why is this important? How does this apply to Mattie? Does Mattie change? If so how?
True Grit begins with a quote from the Old Testament:
ReplyDelete"The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion." [Proverbs 28:1]
The New Testament conveys a dramatically different perspective on revenge:
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. [Romans 12:17-21]
It is relevant to note that Mattie is quite religious, but despite her observant Christian ways, she embraces an Old Testament approach and seeks revenge against the man who killed her father. This ultimately leads to her loss of innocence, symbolized by the physical amputation of her left arm.
Confucius say, "Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves." It is quite obvious that Mattie is intelligent, quick-witted, and well-spoken. I am curious as to how she would justify her decision to pursue Tom Cheney.
Well put Mr Clark - she gets revenge, but at the cost of an arm and never marrying. I think Gandhi said, "an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind"
ReplyDeleteGandhi's perverbial blindness also comes into play when considering her disdain for Rooster. She feels justified in her vengeance and judges Rooster for NOT acquiescing to her morality. She, on the other hand, cannot stomach what she perceives as Rooster's moral ambiguity. However, Rooster's views reflect a relaxed perception of justice that is similar to Anton's view of fate. Life will ultimately decide it's own course toward justice. While Anton is ultimately evil, and Rooster is ultimately good, both men know that life dictates the nuances that lie between those poles. It's a hit man's version of "que sera, sera," and a favorite device of the Coens.
ReplyDeleteSo it goes...
ReplyDelete2.) I feel opening and ending the movie with "Leaning On the Everlasting Arms" is very significant for True Grit due to Maddie's hopefullness of having just that, someone to lean on. As Weisback stated in class, it's as if Maddie had lost two father figures. First, she dealt with the murder of her own father and next the man who had filled that spot during her adventure for vengeance. Also, it applies to Maddie through her transition throughout the film. The lyrics "safe and secure from all alarms" do not pertain to her towards the end. Seeking the revenge against the man who murdered her father in the end, lead to the loss of not only Maddie's innocence, but her left arm as well. Thus, although Maddie did change in the film, her need to find someone there for her did not; making this soundtrack perfect for both the beginning and end of the film.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Yon Yohnson, I come from Wisconsin
ReplyDeleteJah
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ReplyDeleteThe quote Anton Chigurh states to Carla Jean, right before he kills her, about fate and the choices we make can shape the rest of our lives.This quote correlates with Mattie's desire of vengeance because in the beginning she makes the decision to go after her father's killer thinking it's what he deserves. In the long run this decision destroyed her innocence, in the scene where Rooster shoots her beloved horse, you can see in her eyes that this trip is no longer the trip she imagined, and she'll never return to the girl she used to be. Chigurh saying, "Every moment in your life is a turning and everyone is choosing" goes in hand with Rooster choice to suck the venom out of Mattie's arm. This scenerio could of ended with Mattie dying, if Rooster didn't take the right action. His action saved her life but costed Mattie her arm. Losing her arm and going on the trip affected her life dramatically. She grew up to be a widow and strong willed women who has seen a lot for her day.
Fate and our decisions can change our life greatly. We make one decision and it can make or break somebody's life. Today in our high school lives the choices we make now holds the key for our future. In a sense we don't have "free choices" each decision we make will some shape or form change our lives. Though the change be small or large it changes the outcome. In the end, we never know what it would be like to walk down the other road.
Great job! It's hard to see the results of your choices at first many times, but as you get older and look back it's easier to see the big picture.
DeleteIt’s interesting how much Anton Chigurh’s (no matter how crazy he is) quote can be applied to True Grit and Mattie’s situation. Her desire for revenge leads her towards a dark path, and it “all followed to this”, the ending that we see in the film.
ReplyDeleteThe choice Mattie makes in killing Tom Chaney for retribution changes her life in many ways, like the major loss of her arm, which was probably a negative factor in her possibility for marriage. She also loses her much of her innocence after the entire ordeal seen in the film – which is to be expected, as she was committing murder, but she loses it at such a young age (still in her teens – thirteen, or fourteen years old). This could have all been changed if she had reconsidered her decision to avenge her father. She could have continued her life without blood staining her hands (or hand, unfortunately).
In a way, we do and don’t have “free choices”. We’re free to make the choices that we want, but there are always consequences to every action, seen or no, it is those consequences that control the path that we choose. It is these consequences that appear that confine the way we act – what choices we make, the paths we choose, etc. Mattie may have chosen to take revenge on Tom Chaney, and she probably did expect some danger, but she probably didn’t expect to be in so much danger until she experienced it firsthand, nor did she expect to lose her arm trying. And the worst part is, she can’t take it back. She can’t take back killing Chaney, or the decision to do so thereof. It’s already done. What’s left is what happens afterward, and we get to see it through a glimpse of the future.
I’m not entirely sure what sort of role fate plays in my life. I’ve thought about it, and there seems to be a dichotomy between fate and choice, as fate is what happens beyond your control, and choice is control over what happens. In that case, I guess that fate points toward the consequences behind our actions – what we can’t control. So, I guess fate plays out in my life according to the choices that I make. What happens in my life after I choose or do something is left to fate.
I’d also like to add a quick note – the old hymn “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” seems to represent Mattie’s dependence upon other people. No matter how strong-willed she looks or how independent she may be, Mattie often has to rely on Cogburn or LaBoeuf to save her. She does seem much more cold and independent in the future, though that was only through a quick glance. It’s also interesting to note that the hymn has an alternative refrain referring to Jesus, which can be reflected in Mattie’s religious slant in the book (http://www.steamboat-electric.de/Steamboat_Electric/Sheet_Music_files/leaning_on_the_everlasting_arms/). The Coen brothers also said that hymns “would remind you that what’s driving the whole story is a biblical sense of righteousness.” (http://variety.com/2010/film/news/burwell-in-tune-with-coen-brothers-1118028850/)
Chigur's quote applies to Mattie because the moment she had heart set on finding and killing Cheney, her life changed. Every step or misstep someone takes leads them to a point in life, whether it was in their game plan or not. If she had went home to her mama like every man told her, she would have got married with two arms and she wouldn't have aged so quickly. At age thirty-nine, she looked like she had crawled out of an attic of cobwebs. All the death and disposability of people that she witnessed caused her taps aging. People were idiots back then so they probably believed a missing limb was genetic and a serious disability. Things couldn't have changed because she grew connected to her employee and colleague. The whole experience was more than she could ever have imagined because she killed Tom Cheney and got a new father, who ended up being her guardian angel. It's hard to tell at seventeen but I can already tell every choice has a cost. Broken friendships, not studying for a test, and tumultuous relationships have all lead me to the perception of the world I have today. The way people deal with the cards their dealt will lead them to the path they are meant to be on.
ReplyDeleteSo when Anton looks Carla Jean in her fragile eyes and tell her, et an her husbands choices led her here, he is right. The love, dedication, and confidence she had in Llewellyn's abilities is parallel to the love Mattie must of in her father in order to avenge his death. And this type of love repeats itself with Mattie and Rooster.
Anton Chigurhs’ quote can be related to pretty much everyone’s life. Every choice has a consequence. Every action, has a reaction (we can even prove that with science). In Mattie’s case her seeking revenge for her father came to a higher outcome then she would have imagined. Every action in the movie True Grit, lead to a different reaction. He most significant of all was when Mattie lost her arm because she killed Tom Chaney. Her life would have been completely different if she first had not set out on the journey to kill Tom. I am a firm believer that decisions define our destiny, and it not just pre-written in some holy book. Each person has a say on how their life will turn out. When it comes down to free choices, I would have to say nothing in life is free. It all comes out to cost something. In Mattie’s case She lost her arm, her innocence, and her social status.
ReplyDeleteNice job everybody!
ReplyDeleteDo we have to do that 2nd question for True Grit???
Delete- Isaiah
I see Kenny outdid us all once again and wrote another book. I wonder if his fingers ever get tired from all that typing...
ReplyDeleteAnyways moving on to more important things,the quote applies to Mattie's choice to embark on a quest for revenge because she makes a conscious decision to pursue her father's killer, but somewhere down the road, she will have to pay for her choices. In Mattie's case, revenge costs her an arm (I kind of wish she lost a leg as well so I could've thrown in the "cost an arm and a leg" phrase but alas, I digress) The experience out being with Rooster and losing an arm harden Mattie's outlook on life and ruin any chance of her getting married. Her life is ruined because of her decision to pursue Tom Chaney.
Fate and decisions play a huge role in everyday life. One stupid tweet or an embarrassing photo posted to a social media site may not seem like a big deal now, but down the road, your choice could come back to haunt you when you're denied a job because of it.
Like Weisback had mentioned, it's as if Maddie had lost two father figures. First, she dealt with the murder of her father and then another the man who she looked up to as a father on her adventure. Also, it can refer to Maddie's transformation throughout the film. The lyrics "safe and secure from all alarms" don't refer to her towards the end. As she was seeking revenge on the man who had killed her father, not only did she lose her innocence but also her left arm. Although Maddie did change in the film, her wanting to find someone there for her and close to her did not, which made this soundtrack go smoothly with the beginning and the end.
ReplyDeleteDue to the thirst for revenge that Mattie so desires to quench by killing the man who killed her father, I believe this quote applies to her. She made a very bold choice to peruse the man who killed her father and this ultimately lead to her own downfall. Now that she took this adventure, she lost her arm, will never get married and then always be alone. The path in her life could have went in a complete different direction if she would have never tried to get her vengeance. She could have her arm, be married, and never be alone.
ReplyDeleteI truly believe that every action we do shapes the path that we will be on in the future. Just like Mattie, I make choices everyday that could lead somewhere else, although they are mostly not as big as setting out to murder a man. Every choice we make is a free choice, and every choice we make is the right one. "But Luke, you're saying that killing a someone is the right choice." Well, hopefully you're smart enough to not to that, but if you weren't, then hopefully you're smart enough to learn from this choice and not do it again. I'm sure that if Mattie had to make the same choice to go out and kill a man again, she probably wouldn't from what she lost in her future from past choices.
I really like Jaws . The shark in that movie is freaking sick yo !!!!!!!!! OMG . Im going to watch that movie tonight
ReplyDeletewho is anonymous?
DeleteHey Luke and Gabe
ReplyDeleteIn "No Country for old Men", Anton looks Carla Jean in her eyes and says her husbands choices led her to the exact spot that she is in now. The dedication she had in Llewellyn's abilities was similar to Mattie's love for her father. Everything you do is fate, every step someone takes leads them to where they are now in life. At the end of the movie, I was told (because I didn't finish the movie) Mattie was bit by a venomous snake and she almost died but Rooster chopped her arm off and she survived. Because she went to find Chaney, her arm was chopped off, and since her arm was chopped off she couldn't get married. Everything in both movies was just fate. Mattie's whole experience was more than she could ever have imagined because she killed Tom Cheney and got her revenge for her father. Rooster became her new father because he was just a huge father figure to her but, he died in the end. Anyways, making your own decisions is very important in life.
ReplyDelete-----DEVON GOETZE!
Gabe Castillo here checking in on the blog. The quote seen in #1 relates to Mattie in that she decided she was going to avenge her father no matter what the cost. Once she was locked in on that objective, it was inevitable that she was going to lose her arm. Like Chigurh said, once the choice was made, the events that followed could not be erased. If Mattie hadn't shot Chaney at that particular time and place, she would have never fallen into the ditch and been bitten by the snake. Therefore, that one choice would impact her for the rest her life even though she never could have known. However, given her personality, I would say that she regretted nothing.
ReplyDeleteThe decisions we make in life are ultimately what make or break us. We have free choices, but it's the consequences of those choices that will decide our fate.
@GC_for_three signing out
This quote applies exactly to Mattie in true grit. It basically says that everything a person does in life, it will eventually lead you to where you are in the future or present. For example, it shows how when Mattie was a young girl, she went on an adventure to get revenge for her fathers death with Rooster. After she shoots Tom Cheney, she falls and gets bit by a snake. The movie plays forward to her being a woman without an arm cause of the venom and she is a single lady. If all of the events that didn't happen to her when she was a child then she would probably have two arms and a husband. Her decisions are what make her,her. But that goes for everyone. It could be good or bad but life goes on with whatever is decided
ReplyDeleteAnton Chigur even in his sick twisted ways is correct in his quote. He is saying that the decisions we make in life ultimately determine where we are today or where you will eventually end up.In the movie True Grit, Mattie plays out the meaning of this quote almost perfectly. Her fathers murderer hasn't been punished and she feels that he should. She goes after him and encounters many events and rough roads, and although she does eventually get her revenge by killing her fathers murderer (Tom), she doesn't really benefit from is. She loses and arm n is therefore does not get a husband. Shes stuck now with images of her experiences playing over and over in her mind. She is stuck and its because of a decision she made earlier in life. Anton's quote is absolutely correct and this concept can be very rewarding or very troublesome.
ReplyDeleteMattie's desire for revenge succeeds anything else. The choices she makes involved to get revenge against Tom Chaney result in her losing her arm. I don't think things couldve changed cause Mattie would have done anything to get revenge for her father and nothing was stopping her. In my life, I feel that fate has a-lot to do with the things I do, one thing was done for a reason that affected another thing in my life, FOR EXAMPLE, I ATE CAT WHICH RESULTED IN MY TAKING A HUGE DUMP. Anyways, the whole 'free choices' thing, I do feel like we have free choices in certain situations and whether we make the right choice or not always results in a outcome that we don't always want.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe I'm commenting on this thing.
1)When Mattie made the choice to "settle her father's affairs" she started on a new path in life. If she had of chosen to take the body of her father back home and stay ignorant to the matter of Tom Chaney, she'd be a softer person. Mattie ends up an old maid with one arm because luck wasn't on her side. I believe that life changes make fate take a different course. If Mattie's father hadn't of died, she would not have been dead set on revenge which took her down a path of no return. I don't believe every decision we make is predetermined, but I do think that the decisions we make take us to a place we need to be.
ReplyDelete1.)The storyline of the Coen Brother’s film True Grit is driven mainly by two themes, Vengeance, and Fate. The story begins with a little girl named Mattie Ross seeking vengeance for her father’s death- he having been murdered by a man named Tom Chaney. This is where her story begins. She made a choice- the choice to go after Chaney and seek justice rather than to let him off “scott free” as she puts it. This one choice leads to a chain reaction of other decisions- picking what bounty hunter to contract, going of course with Rooster Cogburn, choosing to accompany him on the mission, which then leads to a whole slew of consequences she must bear the brunt of, like getting kidnapped, or more importantly, getting bit by a rattlesnake and then losing her arm as a result of it. All of her choices led up to that one moment in her life, just as Anton Chigurh believes in Cormac McCarthy’s story No Country for Old Men.
ReplyDeleteHad Mattie gone about her journey making different decisions her story definitely could have had a different ending, but Cogburn and LaBoeuf’s could also have had a different outcome. Had she not gone to seek vengeance she would have never met either of the men and the journey would have never happened; if she hadn’t insisted on going with Cogburn she wouldn’t have put herself in harms way; had she not gone to the river alone she wouldn’t have seen Chaney and wouldn’t have gotten kidnapped; if she had heeded LaBoeuf’s warning she may not have fallen into the cavern and wouldn’t have gotten bitten by the rattlesnake.
When it comes to Fate in my own life, I’m not sure exactly how much Fate affects it- I’d like to think that it plays a significant role- I feel that we do have free choices, we do make our own choices, but we must follow the path we take until the next decision is presented to us, but I also feel there are certain people, or places, or events that we will experience in our lives, like landmarks, there are just multiple routes to get there.
1) Not only does this quote apply to Mattie, it applies to everyone, in every day of their lives. Any decision that you make throughout your day can drastically change your future. In this case, Mattie's decision to do what she felt was right and avenge her fathers death unintentionally led her to never getting married. A matter in which she had no choice because she was missing an arm. Just like you deciding to take an alternate route to work one day can potentially change the safety of your trip drastically. Just as Chigurh stated, no line can be erased. Once you have an outcome for the decision you have made there is no changing it, you must live with it and learn how to cope with it
ReplyDeleteIsaiah Johnson
ReplyDeleteIn reality Anton is correct in his quote. Anton is saying that the decisions we make in life determine where we are today or where you will eventually end up. Mattie's decision to do what she felt was right and avenge her fathers death ultimately led her to never getting married. Also Mattie lost an arm because she killed Tom Chaney. Maddie life would have been completely different if she didn't have that mindset to kill tom. I believe decisions ultimately define your fate in life. Nothing in life is free therefore you don't have free choices in life. At the end of the day maddie lost everything.
I have to point out that Mattie's life would be different in so many ways if it weren't for the things she did trying to avenge her father's death. The big thing is that she would still have her arm if she never tried to take on Tom Chaney by herself. She would've never been kidnapped and she would've never ended up at the top of that mountain. If she was never in that situation she doesn't fall into a snake pit and she never loses her arm. Without her arm she goes through life lonely and somewhat bitter. She also wouldn't have went through life hung up on Cogburn if she never enlisted his services to hunt down Chaney in the first place. The choices she made out of spite caused her life to end up the way it did, and because of this I would also have to say that Anton Chigurh's quote is not only true but directly related to the plot of True Grit.
ReplyDeleteThis old hymn is important because it basically describes Mattie in the moment which she is losing her arm and her life depends on that arm she will be left with. It changes her because in the end she has no father nd her savior the "True Grit" as well. It makes her stubborn as she comes of age
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