Who is the principal antagonist pursued by the trio?

• A. Ned Pepper
• B. Rooster Cogburn
• C. LaBoeuf
• D. Tom Chaney

Answer: (D)

The main idea being tested is identifying who drives the central pursuit in the story. The trio’s mission hinges on the killer who took Mattie Ross’s father. Tom Chaney is that outlaw; he’s the one who murdered Mattie’s father, so chasing him becomes the primary objective for Mattie and her two pursuers. Rooster Cogburn and LaBoeuf join the effort to bring Chaney to justice, making him the focal antagonist of their quest.

Ned Pepper appears as an opponent later in the journey, but he isn’t the direct target of the pursuit. Rooster Cogburn and LaBoeuf are part of the pursuit team, not the villain they’re pursuing. So the best answer is Tom Chaney.