True Grit

by

Charles Portis

Odus Wharton Character Analysis

A criminal from a family of outlaws. Rooster has been chasing down the Whartons for a long time, killing most of them whenever he encounters them. On one particular occasion, Rooster tracks down Odus, C.C., and Aaron Wharton—the only three remaining male family members—right after they’ve just murdered a man and stolen his life’s savings. Although Odus manages to stay alive, Rooster kills C.C. and Aaron because they attack him and kill his partner, Potter. Rooster then has to testify during Odus’s trial, which is the first time Mattie hears him speak.

Odus Wharton Quotes in True Grit

The True Grit quotes below are all either spoken by Odus Wharton or refer to Odus Wharton. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Revenge Theme Icon
).
Chapter 3 Quotes

MR. GOUDY: How many, Mr. Cogburn?

MR. COGBURN: I never shot nobody I didn’t have to.

MR. GOUDY: That was not the question. How many?

MR. COGBURN: Shot or killed?

MR. GOUDY: Let us restrict it to “killed” so that we may have a manageable figure. How many people have you killed since you became a marshal for this court?

MR. COGBURN: Around twelve or fifteen, stopping men in flight and defending myself.

MR. GOUDY: Around twelve or fifteen. So many that you cannot keep a precise count. Remember that you are under oath. I have examined the records and a more accurate figure is readily available. Come now, how many?

MR. COGBURN: I believe them two Whartons made twenty-three.

Related Characters: Mattie Ross (speaker), Rooster Cogburn (speaker), Polk Goudy (speaker), Odus Wharton, C.C. Wharton, Aaron Wharton
Page Number: 51
Explanation and Analysis:

Judge Parker knows. He is a old carpetbagger but he knows his rats. We had a good court here till the petti­fogging lawyers moved in on it. You might think Polk Goudy is a fine gentleman to look at his clothes, but he is the sorriest son of a bitch that God ever let breathe. I know him well. Now they have got the judge down on me, and the marshal too. The rat-catcher is too hard on the rats. That is what they say. Let up on them rats! Give them rats a fair show! What kind of show did they give Columbus Potter? Tell me that. A finer man never lived.

Related Characters: Rooster Cogburn (speaker), Mattie Ross, Odus Wharton, Columbus Potter, Polk Goudy, Judge Isaac Parker
Page Number: 66
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 5 Quotes

Goudy will claim the boy was provoked and he will tell a bushel of lies about me. I should have put a ball in that boy’s head instead of his collarbone. I was thinking about my fee. You will sometimes let money interfere with your notion of what is right.

Related Characters: Rooster Cogburn (speaker), Mattie Ross, Odus Wharton, Polk Goudy
Page Number: 84
Explanation and Analysis:
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Odus Wharton Quotes in True Grit

The True Grit quotes below are all either spoken by Odus Wharton or refer to Odus Wharton. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Revenge Theme Icon
).
Chapter 3 Quotes

MR. GOUDY: How many, Mr. Cogburn?

MR. COGBURN: I never shot nobody I didn’t have to.

MR. GOUDY: That was not the question. How many?

MR. COGBURN: Shot or killed?

MR. GOUDY: Let us restrict it to “killed” so that we may have a manageable figure. How many people have you killed since you became a marshal for this court?

MR. COGBURN: Around twelve or fifteen, stopping men in flight and defending myself.

MR. GOUDY: Around twelve or fifteen. So many that you cannot keep a precise count. Remember that you are under oath. I have examined the records and a more accurate figure is readily available. Come now, how many?

MR. COGBURN: I believe them two Whartons made twenty-three.

Related Characters: Mattie Ross (speaker), Rooster Cogburn (speaker), Polk Goudy (speaker), Odus Wharton, C.C. Wharton, Aaron Wharton
Page Number: 51
Explanation and Analysis:

Judge Parker knows. He is a old carpetbagger but he knows his rats. We had a good court here till the petti­fogging lawyers moved in on it. You might think Polk Goudy is a fine gentleman to look at his clothes, but he is the sorriest son of a bitch that God ever let breathe. I know him well. Now they have got the judge down on me, and the marshal too. The rat-catcher is too hard on the rats. That is what they say. Let up on them rats! Give them rats a fair show! What kind of show did they give Columbus Potter? Tell me that. A finer man never lived.

Related Characters: Rooster Cogburn (speaker), Mattie Ross, Odus Wharton, Columbus Potter, Polk Goudy, Judge Isaac Parker
Page Number: 66
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 5 Quotes

Goudy will claim the boy was provoked and he will tell a bushel of lies about me. I should have put a ball in that boy’s head instead of his collarbone. I was thinking about my fee. You will sometimes let money interfere with your notion of what is right.

Related Characters: Rooster Cogburn (speaker), Mattie Ross, Odus Wharton, Polk Goudy
Page Number: 84
Explanation and Analysis: