On the shores of a Mediterranean island, one man finds himself naked, afraid, and drained of his strength. This hero, Odysseus, makes his way to the palace of the royal family ruling the island of Scheria with the help of the lovely princess Nausicaa and his protector, Athena. After winning the favor of the king and queen as a mysterious guest and stranger, the king urges him to tell of his life and Odysseus gives in. As Odysseus tells of his travels in a flashback, he recounts his time at sea as if a bard were telling the story. This manipulation of time, similar to the approach used in Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood, helps the author or raconteur to devise a more complex and intriguing tale. Capote expidites time, as well as impedes or reverses
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Because the novel nonfiction, Capote reveals the true lives of the characters. Recounting the life of Mrs. Clutter, Capote first gives details of her present life and her children “don’t need [her]” (22). Capote expresses facts of the character’s lives and quotes from them to deepen his novel. Later, after disclosing Mrs. Clutter’s present life, Capote includes specifics about her “lovely childhood” (30). He adds these trivial facts, increasing the completeness of the characters in his story. Capote practices this technique once more with Dick and Perry’s autobiographies. Instead of including the back stories and earlier lives of the two criminals in the beginning along with the Clutter’s, Capote uses the biographies to finally explain the men. Perry explains “I was born Perry Edward Smith”, a start to solid evidence into the life of Perry Smith. However, Dick “will try to tell” of his “vague” childhood. Capote withholds solid details of the origins of the two and as a result maintains the sense of mystery and Delphian pasts. Capote also uses a similar style to the flashbacks when describing the murders. Susan, the one who first discovers the murders, was shocked to see such a horrible scene. Although Capote includes a ghastly yet vague description of the “blood on the walls”, he skips details of the homicide (60). Capote, however, includes the events preceding and ensuing …show more content…
Although Capote uses the same techniques in identical or alike ways, he accomplishes drastically tasks, adding to the effectiveness of the work. Much like the way Homer incorporates some of the story as flashbacks for the retelling of the story, Capote uses story acceleration and deceleration to create a more interesting novel. The great epic, The Odyssey, although is a fictional work, uses the similar techniques with time. Although Dewey, the KBI agent leading the case, appears to not even match the greatness of Odysseus, he is still a mighty hero, giving closure, peace, and rest to the Clutters and the
Because the novel nonfiction, Capote reveals the true lives of the characters. Recounting the life of Mrs. Clutter, Capote first gives details of her present life and her children “don’t need [her]” (22). Capote expresses facts of the character’s lives and quotes from them to deepen his novel. Later, after disclosing Mrs. Clutter’s present life, Capote includes specifics about her “lovely childhood” (30). He adds these trivial facts, increasing the completeness of the characters in his story. Capote practices this technique once more with Dick and Perry’s autobiographies. Instead of including the back stories and earlier lives of the two criminals in the beginning along with the Clutter’s, Capote uses the biographies to finally explain the men. Perry explains “I was born Perry Edward Smith”, a start to solid evidence into the life of Perry Smith. However, Dick “will try to tell” of his “vague” childhood. Capote withholds solid details of the origins of the two and as a result maintains the sense of mystery and Delphian pasts. Capote also uses a similar style to the flashbacks when describing the murders. Susan, the one who first discovers the murders, was shocked to see such a horrible scene. Although Capote includes a ghastly yet vague description of the “blood on the walls”, he skips details of the homicide (60). Capote, however, includes the events preceding and ensuing …show more content…
Although Capote uses the same techniques in identical or alike ways, he accomplishes drastically tasks, adding to the effectiveness of the work. Much like the way Homer incorporates some of the story as flashbacks for the retelling of the story, Capote uses story acceleration and deceleration to create a more interesting novel. The great epic, The Odyssey, although is a fictional work, uses the similar techniques with time. Although Dewey, the KBI agent leading the case, appears to not even match the greatness of Odysseus, he is still a mighty hero, giving closure, peace, and rest to the Clutters and the