The nonfiction novel, In Cold Blood, entirely reconstructed a horrific crime scene while depicting the lives of the runaway murderers. The author, Truman Capote, uses montage (a form of writing that switches back and forth) to allow the readers to see into the lives of the killers and the petrified people of Holcomb, Kansas. On November 15, 1959, Richard Hickock and Perry Smith brutally murdered Herbert, Bonnie, Kenyon and Nancy Clutter in their farmhouse. Floyd Wells, a previous cell mate of Dick Hickock, told him previously of a safe that was hidden in Mr. Clutter’s home office. Dick and Perry’s motive was to rob the Clutter family; however, they had no intentions on leaving behind witnesses. Capote tells the tale of Dick and Perry’s roundabout with the police, but he has a paramount reason as to why he focuses on the lives of the murderers. Although Perry was ultimately the murderer of the whole Clutter family, Capote criticizes Dick exceedingly to the point that the readers feel bad for Perry and his nurture. Truman uses his writing style, secondary characters and “nature versus nurture” to convince the reader that Perry is insane and ultimately should not be guilty. Every author has their own style of writing, yet Capote seems to use his as an advantage over the reader. Capote uses syntax to make Dick seem more aware of what they have done; this means that he would have known right from wrong during the time of the murders. Perry talks in short, simple sentences that present him as immature and child-like while Dick uses longer and more complex sentences. “’But hell, Dick. It 's very simple, we can pay off the checks. Once we 're in Mexico, once we get started down there, we 'll make money. Lots of it…This is authentic. I 've got a map. I 've got the whole history. It was buried there back in 1821 - Peruvian bullion, jewelry’” (Capote 62). Truman uses diction (the choice and use or words in writing) to present Perry as extremely short-minded; therefore, the reader can assume that he doesn’t understand the reality of any situation. The tone of a story is used to show the attitudes toward the subject. As Perry was talking about finding treasure, the tone shows his average attitude; excited and playful, just like a child. Capote wrote, “During the past few days he 'd known a hunger that nothing - three successive steaks, a dozen Hershey bars, a pound of gumdrops - seemed to interrupt. Perry, on the other hand, was without appetite; he subsisted on root beer, aspirin, and cigarettes” (Capote 56). The attitude portrayed here presents Dick as if he is a predator; meanwhile, Perry acts as a wounded animal. The syntax, diction and tone used in the novel pushes the reader into feeling sorry for Perry because he has a mind of a young child and doesn’t understand what he has done. Perry continuously presents some signs that prove he is mentally unstable. He has confused thoughts, feelings of extreme highs and lows, excessive anxiety, delusions and hallucinations (yellow bird), and forms of substance abuse. Truman Capote uses secondary characters to allow the readers access to additional information relating to Perry’s mental condition. Perry had three siblings, Jimmy, Fern and Barbara.
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Dick had a stable family life- it seemed as if his criminal background was in his nature. He was oriented towards stealing and committing heinous crimes. His family was well respected, and his father did everything he possibly could to protect him and take care of his problems. Perry on the other hand had an extremely abysmal life; which mentally affected him and his morals. His mother was a raging alcoholic, he lost connections with all of his siblings, his father secluded him from the world and he was greatly abused throughout his lifetime. Dick’s life was reasonably privileged; therefore, it was completely in his nature when he turned to committing crimes for pleasure. Perry had an unstable childhood which mentally scarred him. It was in his nurture to turn to committing gruesome crimes. Capote depicts Perry’s life in such a way that the reader feels bad for him and tends to blame the crime on
Dick had a stable family life- it seemed as if his criminal background was in his nature. He was oriented towards stealing and committing heinous crimes. His family was well respected, and his father did everything he possibly could to protect him and take care of his problems. Perry on the other hand had an extremely abysmal life; which mentally affected him and his morals. His mother was a raging alcoholic, he lost connections with all of his siblings, his father secluded him from the world and he was greatly abused throughout his lifetime. Dick’s life was reasonably privileged; therefore, it was completely in his nature when he turned to committing crimes for pleasure. Perry had an unstable childhood which mentally scarred him. It was in his nurture to turn to committing gruesome crimes. Capote depicts Perry’s life in such a way that the reader feels bad for him and tends to blame the crime on