Book Content
“The Last to See Them Alive,” Part I: Capote began the account by describing Holcomb, …show more content…
All of the details assist in validating that Capote is an expert on the subject and that he knows the Clutter case exceptionally well. Capote also attempts to keep his personal opinion out of the account, causing In Cold Blood to be more reliable and accurate.
Style/Tone: Capote employed a sympathetic tone in his book. He was not only sensitive to the Clutter family and the town of Holcomb but also thought well of Perry Smith and Richard Hickock, the murderers. Although he was presenting a factual account of the case, Capote allowed his own personal feelings for Smith to permeate his work and influence the tone of the whole book. However, he also utilized a blunt tone when describing the murders.
Delivery: Capote published the book with a red, black, and tan design with solely the title and author residing on the cover. It is simple and establishes a theme of facts and non-fantasy that corresponds with Capote’s true account. The lack of chapter numbers inside of the book, with just empty spaces separating the sections, causes the book to seem more like a journalism piece instead of a novel. The whole book possesses a sense of