Character Relationship Map: True Grit

Characters

• Mattie Ross (played by Kim Darby) — protagonist

  Determined 14-year-old girl seeking justice for her murdered father.

• Emmett Quincy (played by Jeremy Slate) — supporting

  Violent outlaw hiding in a dugout with Moon.

• Ned Pepper (played by Robert Duvall) — supporting

  Ruthless outlaw leader operating in Indian Territory.

• Tom Chaney (played by Jeff Corey) — supporting

  Cowardly hired hand who murders Frank Ross and flees.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Emmett Quincy → Ned Pepper (Social Associated Outlaws)

  Emmett Quincy is hiding at a remote cabin when the plot states that Ned Pepper and his gang are expected there for fresh horses.

• Tom Chaney → Ned Pepper (Alliance Gang Member And Leader)

  The plot says Tom Chaney fled into Indian Territory and joined Ned Pepper's gang.

• Mattie Ross → Ned Pepper (Conflict Hostage Taker And Victim)

  After Mattie shoots Chaney, Ned Pepper and his gang take her hostage and order her pursuers to ride away.

• Mattie Ross → Tom Chaney (Conflict Murderer)

  The plot states that Tom Chaney murdered Mattie Ross's father and fled before she arrived in Fort Smith seeking justice.

Story Analysis

A determined daughter pursues her father's killer through hostile territory and survives a perilous journey toward justice and maturity.

Plot Progression

1. A Daughter Demands Justice
2. Tracks Across Dangerous Country
3. The Hostage And The Hunt
4. The Snake Pit Climax
5. A Hard-Won Return