Despite being a known murderer, when the name Perry Smith is heard a feeling of innocence is felt. Truman Capote, a writer of many breathtaking novels, creates an intriguing impression of Perry Smith, a main character and murderer in In Cold Blood, by outlining his broken childhood, personality and actions, and the sympathy he feels for Smith. Capote shares a deep connection with Smith by their similar upbringings. Capote rarely saw his parents growing up, and after their divorce he went with his mom, as well did Perry when he was put in the same situation. Both of their mothers drinking habits went out of control, and made their life more unstable.
Perry Smith did not lead a very happy life growing up. He lead a normal life up until his …show more content…
While on death row, Perry stops nourishing his body. He would rather kill himself by starvation than give the court the satisfaction of seeing him be hanged. After a letter from his father, Perry accepts his life, and begins eating again. Perry then takes up a new hobby, painting becomes something he does with his free time, mostly self-portraits and then he goes into painting other inmates children. Right before he is killed, there is ink and paint stained on his fingers (340). In contrast to his “partner’, Richard Hickock, Perry walks up to the gallows with a smug expression, and winks at Alvin Dewey, a special agent of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. He immediately sobers up and apologizes when asked if he had any last words by the warden. “His sensitive eyes gazed gravely at the surrounding faces…” (340). The “new” hobby Smith takes up, is added to show what Perry could have been in his future life. Also if his family was not how they turned out to be, he could have finished school, and been very intelligent. Capote adds in how Perry approaches his execution to show his sympathy for …show more content…
Capote describes Perry’s stay at the orphanage with the nuns portrays an image of abuse and malnutrition. They beat him for wetting the bed. Capote describes the nuns as “Black Widows” because the color black represents death, therefore this puts a negative feel towards the nun and a more positive and sorry feel towards Perry (132). Sympathy for Smith is created because the torture does not stop there, Perry leaves that orphanage and is moved into a children’s shelter, where a nurse nearly drowns him. Perry’s criminal record is included to create sympathy for him. Capote explains that Smith’s criminal record is just an extension of the harsh environment in which he had to grow up in. Capote also inferred that Dick was the one who knew about the Clutters first, and made the plan to kill them. Perry only went back to Kansas to see his friend from prison, Willie-Jay. When Perry learns that Willie-Jay had already left, he then makes the decision to go along with Dick. His mind was not set on murder in the first place, and he had no clear motive. After the murders, Perry goes to a hotel room and falls asleep with his shoes on. He is always worried that they will be caught, unlike Dick, who was not worried at all. Perry did not want to murder the Clutter family, and his constant worrying shows that he feels sorry for what he did. When they are finally caught and questioned, Perry is very upset, but still lies to
Perry Smith did not lead a very happy life growing up. He lead a normal life up until his …show more content…
While on death row, Perry stops nourishing his body. He would rather kill himself by starvation than give the court the satisfaction of seeing him be hanged. After a letter from his father, Perry accepts his life, and begins eating again. Perry then takes up a new hobby, painting becomes something he does with his free time, mostly self-portraits and then he goes into painting other inmates children. Right before he is killed, there is ink and paint stained on his fingers (340). In contrast to his “partner’, Richard Hickock, Perry walks up to the gallows with a smug expression, and winks at Alvin Dewey, a special agent of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. He immediately sobers up and apologizes when asked if he had any last words by the warden. “His sensitive eyes gazed gravely at the surrounding faces…” (340). The “new” hobby Smith takes up, is added to show what Perry could have been in his future life. Also if his family was not how they turned out to be, he could have finished school, and been very intelligent. Capote adds in how Perry approaches his execution to show his sympathy for …show more content…
Capote describes Perry’s stay at the orphanage with the nuns portrays an image of abuse and malnutrition. They beat him for wetting the bed. Capote describes the nuns as “Black Widows” because the color black represents death, therefore this puts a negative feel towards the nun and a more positive and sorry feel towards Perry (132). Sympathy for Smith is created because the torture does not stop there, Perry leaves that orphanage and is moved into a children’s shelter, where a nurse nearly drowns him. Perry’s criminal record is included to create sympathy for him. Capote explains that Smith’s criminal record is just an extension of the harsh environment in which he had to grow up in. Capote also inferred that Dick was the one who knew about the Clutters first, and made the plan to kill them. Perry only went back to Kansas to see his friend from prison, Willie-Jay. When Perry learns that Willie-Jay had already left, he then makes the decision to go along with Dick. His mind was not set on murder in the first place, and he had no clear motive. After the murders, Perry goes to a hotel room and falls asleep with his shoes on. He is always worried that they will be caught, unlike Dick, who was not worried at all. Perry did not want to murder the Clutter family, and his constant worrying shows that he feels sorry for what he did. When they are finally caught and questioned, Perry is very upset, but still lies to