Western Vs. Noir An Exploration Of Genre In True Grit

Austin Briggs Degener WR100 29 October 2017 Western vs. Noir: An Exploration of Genre in True Grit Even though the novel had already been adapted into a film once, in 2010, the Coen brothers decided to take a swing at their own version of Charles Portis’ classic western, True Grit. Comparatively to the book and even Henry Hathaway’s 1969 film adaptation, however, the Coens have crafted the story into their own. Mattie’s bildungsroman is more uncompromising and realistic, the relationships Mattie forms with Cogburn and LeBeouf become more complex, and the almost separated ending paints a different picture regarding this film’s genre. The film no longer follows the traditional recipe of what a classic western is but instead blends the praxes†¦show more content†¦Not only is Cogburn describing how the whole hunt for Cheney is hopeless, but he also describes Mattie as a harpy. Originating from Greek mythology, harpies are mythological beasts resembling a bird with a woman’s head. These creatures were attributed to stealing food and carrying off victims when such things would go missing (Room). Cogburn’s use of this mythology to describe Mattie explains the femme fatale characteristics of her carrying off Cogburn onto her dangerous adventure. This description helps explore how Mattie is embodying a femme fatale like character by seducing Cogburn into this dangerous and hopeless â€Å"wild goose chase.† Mattie displays another characteristic of a femme fatale in the sense that she becomes a woman where both males in the story are frequently fighting for her recognition. Instances such as LeBeouf claiming that while he was â€Å"watching [Mattie], [he] gave some thought to stealing a kiss† (Coen). The femme fatale is not often won over by love or lust of any characters. Mattie, even when presented by these two beaus, stays very independent. This is reinforced by Portis’ novel where Mattie proclaims that she never really worried about marriage. â€Å"I never had the time to get married but it is nobody’s business if I am married or not married†¦A woman with brains and a frank tongue and one sleeve pinned up and an invalid mother to care for is at