The American Nightmare
Seconds after brutally suffocating an elderly man with his own bed at midnight, the narrator “[examines] the corpse” and then calmly states, “Yes, he was stone, stone dead” (Poe 190). Haunted by the old man’s eye, the mentally unstable narrator decides to murder him. The bloodcurdling narrator believes he can get away with murder, until the guilt overwhelms him; consequently, the narrator reveals to the cops that he committed the crime. Similarly, in Truman Capote’s novel, the unrealistic American Dream haunts Richard “Dick” Hickock and Perry Smith, so they fearlessly murder the Clutter family. Dick and Perry grow up in undesirable childhoods that lack conditions for them to grow into successful people. Plagued by failures …show more content…
Throughout Nancy’s life, people knew her as an involved “…straight-A student, the president of her class, a leader in the 4-H program and [in] the Young Methodists League” (Capote 18). Capote lists off Nancy’s accomplishments to show the well-liked Nancy was destined to have the American Dream and be successful. Nancy’s social background gives her an advantage to life. Coming from two loving parents, they make sure she has a good education and on the right track on life. Nancy’s values come from her father, a financially stable farmer that is living the American Dream. Being involved in her community, made people believed she was …show more content…
Capote points out that even in the small, religious town of Holcomb “…class distinctions are … clearly observed…” (Capote 34). The class distinction separates who can have the American Dream and who cannot. Capote reveals the inequality in America and how people will quickly be isolated if their beliefs do not match the norm. Class distinctions differentiate how people live their lives. The lower a person ranks the more their ideals separate from the norm. After Perry’s father discovers Perry in jail, he tires to persuade the Kansas State Penitentiary to allow Perry have parole, by writing “As long as Im alive. & when I die Ive got life insurance that will be paid to him so he can start LIFE Anew when he get free again. In case Im not alive then”(Capote 130). Perry’s father’s letter reveals that Perry does not come from an educated background, which set him at a disadvantage in life. Society values education and a lack of an education will lower the social ranking because well-paid jobs require an expensive college degree. Trying to justify his crime, Perry recalls his abused childhood and points out he, “… never got any encouragement-from him or anybody else”(Capote 133).
Seconds after brutally suffocating an elderly man with his own bed at midnight, the narrator “[examines] the corpse” and then calmly states, “Yes, he was stone, stone dead” (Poe 190). Haunted by the old man’s eye, the mentally unstable narrator decides to murder him. The bloodcurdling narrator believes he can get away with murder, until the guilt overwhelms him; consequently, the narrator reveals to the cops that he committed the crime. Similarly, in Truman Capote’s novel, the unrealistic American Dream haunts Richard “Dick” Hickock and Perry Smith, so they fearlessly murder the Clutter family. Dick and Perry grow up in undesirable childhoods that lack conditions for them to grow into successful people. Plagued by failures …show more content…
Throughout Nancy’s life, people knew her as an involved “…straight-A student, the president of her class, a leader in the 4-H program and [in] the Young Methodists League” (Capote 18). Capote lists off Nancy’s accomplishments to show the well-liked Nancy was destined to have the American Dream and be successful. Nancy’s social background gives her an advantage to life. Coming from two loving parents, they make sure she has a good education and on the right track on life. Nancy’s values come from her father, a financially stable farmer that is living the American Dream. Being involved in her community, made people believed she was …show more content…
Capote points out that even in the small, religious town of Holcomb “…class distinctions are … clearly observed…” (Capote 34). The class distinction separates who can have the American Dream and who cannot. Capote reveals the inequality in America and how people will quickly be isolated if their beliefs do not match the norm. Class distinctions differentiate how people live their lives. The lower a person ranks the more their ideals separate from the norm. After Perry’s father discovers Perry in jail, he tires to persuade the Kansas State Penitentiary to allow Perry have parole, by writing “As long as Im alive. & when I die Ive got life insurance that will be paid to him so he can start LIFE Anew when he get free again. In case Im not alive then”(Capote 130). Perry’s father’s letter reveals that Perry does not come from an educated background, which set him at a disadvantage in life. Society values education and a lack of an education will lower the social ranking because well-paid jobs require an expensive college degree. Trying to justify his crime, Perry recalls his abused childhood and points out he, “… never got any encouragement-from him or anybody else”(Capote 133).