Superstitious Claptrap - True Grit V

"Some preachers will say, well, that is superstitious 'claptrap.' My answer is this: Preacher, go to your Bible and read Luke 8:26-33" (Portis 32).

From early in the novel, Mattie's strong religion can be seen. Portis probably gave Mattie this characteristic for many reasons: it puts her in the time period; it accounts for her strong opinions about alcohol and how criminals should be treated; and Portis may even be using Mattie's faith as a vessel for his own personal faith and moral standings, as recalling one of the only Bible verses that discusses animals being possessed by demons takes some Biblical knowledge, especially in the days before computer searches would bring up that exact verse. Although the verse itself is discussing swine, not cats, Mattie still gets her point across, and is perceived as being Biblically learned (Luke).

Portis, Charles, and Donna Tartt. True Grit. New York, NY: Overlook, 2010. Print.

Luke. King James Version. Biblical Proportions, 2004-2005. Web. 18 Jan. 2012. .