Frank James Character Analysis

A nonfictional outlaw, and the older brother of the notorious Jesse James. Like Rooster, Frank James was part of William Quantrill’s group of guerilla soldiers, who fought against pro-Union forces during and after the Civil War. As part of this group, he took part in the infamous Lawrence Massacre in 1863, in which roughly 200 civilians were murdered. Later, he and his brother lived as bandits, perpetrating a number of violent robberies. After Jesse died in 1882, Frank gave himself over to the authorities and spent less than two years in jail. In True Grit, Rooster works with Frank in his old age, as both men join a traveling circus because of their widely known reputations. When Mattie comes to visit Rooster at this circus, she meets Frank but calls him “trash.”