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Differences In Truman Capote's In Cold Blood

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More than Murder In the novel In Cold Blood, Truman Capote exposes the dark worlds of murder and mayhem. More common themes such as abuse and failed plans clash with purity and stability in this novel as portrayed through the differences between its characters. Capote interweaves the idea of one’s upbringing impacting their future throughout the story. Familial ties play a key role in displaying the explicit and symbolic differences among members of the Clutter family and their murderers in Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood. Truman Capote expertly presents the contrasting upbringings of the Clutter children and Smith and Hickock to demonstrate how one’s specific situation defines their lives. Nancy Clutter, for example, was a girl of extreme …show more content…

Alcohol and strong words broke Perry’s family apart when his mother ran away and took her children with her. Perry despised his mother and escaped to his father several times. Finally, his mother placed him in a Catholic orphanage. In this orphanage, the nuns that worked there abused him for wetting the bed. Perry then moved to a children’s shelter where the workers also abused him for his bedwetting; one worker in particular nearly drowned him in a tub. Perry’s mother later died due to her alcohol abuse, and two of his three siblings committed suicide. His relationship with his father began to decline after their falling out, and his relationship with his sister deteriorated as he came to resent her for her formal education and stability. After this scarred upbringing, Perry turned to a life of crime.
In Cold Blood not only tells the story of the Clutter murders but also explains the importance of family. In the novel, the stability of a family dictates the outcome of the family members’ lives. The Clutter murders and other crimes committed by the murderous duo are direct results of their turbulent lives. The Clutter family represents innocence and the wholesomeness of a good, loving family, while Dick and especially Perry’s family lives symbolize corruption and chaos. As this familial chaos bled into their lives, it corrupted and ultimately robbed the lives of Dick Hickock and Perry

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A Rhetorical Analysis Of Truman Capote's In Cold Blood

1254 Words | 6 Pages

In Cold Blood Rhetorical Analysis Typically upon hearing about a murder, especially a brutal and unwarranted one, we find ourselves feeling a great sense of disgust for the murderer or murderers who committed these crimes; however, in Truman Capote’s novel In Cold Blood, the lives and experiences of the murderers, particularly Perry Smith, are displayed in a way the makes you feel pity for him as well as the victims. When comparing Capote’s Novel to a typical news article on a similar topic it is easy to see the that Capote's style varies from typical journalism. An article written by Frances Robles and Nikita Stewart titled “Dylan Roof’s Past Reveals Trouble at Home and School,” discusses the childhood and background of Dylann Roof, a twenty-one

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Rhetorical Techniques In Truman Capote's In Cold Blood

969 Words | 4 Pages

The novel, In Cold Blood, is an anomaly in the literary paradigm. The author, Truman Capote, designed his novel in a way that made it unique when compared to others. His fundamental purpose was to present the problem of American violence and the fragility of the American Dream and how it can be so easily shattered. In order to portray his purpose, he used many rhetorical devices including syntax, diction, tone, ethos, logos and pathos. These devices allowed Capote’s novel to be different from the spectrum of other non-fiction novels and to support his purpose.

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In Cold Blood Quote Analysis

256 Words | 2 Pages

They maintain the utmost integrity and virtue when it comes to family life and this is reflected in Mr. and Mrs. Clutter’s kind, giving, and somewhat perfect children. From this quote we can conclude that Capote wrote this novel to show how our culture of our childhood can affect our way to live,think ,and act. Which is the case of Perry Smith and Dick Hickock. More than that, this quote contributes to the overall theme of The Dynamics of Family

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Destiny And Fate In Truman Capote's In Cold Blood

679 Words | 3 Pages

However, the two murderers never took the time to find out more about the Clutter family. Once they realized there was no fortune, Dick did not mind. Dick’s motive for remaining inside the Clutter home was he knew there was a young girl living in the house. His motive was to rape the young girl, Nancy. Nonetheless, the other murderer, Perry Smith, had no motive for killing the Clutter family after realizing there was no fortune.

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In Cold Blood Perry Smith Character Analysis

514 Words | 3 Pages

He spends his life trying to stray away from his vices, trying to take a step towards a stable and happy life but due to his mental instability and impulsive actions, can never stray from that. There is a lack of connection between Perry’s wants and desires and his actions. Perry Smith is a mentally ill man with a sinister disposition, that without a therapist or any form of treatment, is reckless and loose in a world where murder can be as simple as a gentle pull of an index finger. Perry Smith could be a good person but buried in his illness, only glimmers of the kinder parts of his soul shown through periodically. The contradictory nature of Perry Smith and battle between good and bad throughout the novel is what makes him the protagonist.

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In Cold Blood Normality Analysis

1021 Words | 5 Pages

Normality in Capote’s Text ‘In Cold Blood’ Truman Capote, in his non-fiction journalistic narrative, gives readers the opportunity to reconsider the dichotomy of ‘normal’ and ‘abnormal’. Capote also suggests true normality differs from society’s concept of normality. The concept of normality is challenged throughout the entirety of ‘In Cold Blood’, first in the Clutter family, then in Dick and Perry and in sexuality throughout the text. The Clutters, a seemingly ‘normal’ family who have obtained a wealthy and successful life, are polite and hardworking, community-driven and respected.

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Free Will In Truman Capote's In Cold Blood

1059 Words | 5 Pages

No matter how we try to change our situation or better ourselves in society, variables will obstruct the path we choose. One cannot take control of everything that surrounds us as fate decides what happens to us. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote explains the murder of the Clutter family in the quiet town of Holcomb, Kansas. The murderers, Richard (Dick) Hickock and Perry Smith, try to escape the consequences of their actions, believing that they can get away with what they did. The story tells what the murderers were thinking after and before they committed the crime and their various interactions.

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Symbolism And Diction In Truman Capote's In Cold Blood

1142 Words | 5 Pages

Everybody has desires that constantly weigh over their heads, pushing them to be diligent in all their endeavors, but what would you do if you knew that one day you would no longer have the opportunity to fulfill these desires? Everybody lives their lives so focused on the end goal that they are oblivious to the world around them, and the sad part is that in some cases the end goal is unattainable or never reached because the person dies. In In Cold Blood, Truman Capote utilizes symbolism and descriptive diction to tell his readers Perry’s wants and wishes. Throughout this subchapter the reader is able to learn more about how Perry feels in the moments after the Clutter family murder. The reader learns that Perry wishes he was loved by others

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Sympathy For Characters In Truman Capote's In Cold Blood

573 Words | 3 Pages

Through similar tactics Capote allows the reader to feel sorry for Dewey, even though he is the man who catches the killing pair. Detective Dewey is first introduced in part two of In Cold Blood, where the readers learn that this would not be an easy case and the Dewey would be the head detective, even though he had personal ties with the Clutter family. The reader would automatically feel sorry for Detective Dewey because he was going to do heavy investigating on a murder of a family he knew and there was very little time to mourn the deaths. Detective Dewey spent countless hours trying to chase down every lead that popped up, taking family time away, which wears on all family members. The reader feels sympathy for Dewey as he loses time with his family around the holiday time because he has become so involved in the case.

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Creative Writing: Mr. Truman Capote's In Cold Blood

871 Words | 4 Pages

My entire life has changed due to my kindness. Therefore, should I no longer be kind? Why offer my assistance to others if the outcome is penalization? These questions torment my mind; do I acknowledge what's happening around me, or should I just drive by? All I wanted to do was help people, and now, all I do is suffer.

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Growing Up A Sociopath In Truman Capote's In Cold Blood

1483 Words | 6 Pages

Growing up a Sociopath; Born a Psychopath In Cold Blood by Truman Capote is a true story of a quadruple homicide in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas that greatly impacted the community in 1959. Capote begins his novel by introducing a prominent, well respected family in the community, the Clutters. The Clutters lived average everyday lives until they were abruptly ended at the mercy of a 12 gauge shotgun. The killers were two men unknown to the Clutters, who had two completely different backgrounds and personalities. By choosing to include details about each of the killers, Capote delineates the differences between psychopaths and sociopaths and suggests that the combination of the two personality disorders creates the environment for horrific

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Analysis Of The Death Penalty In Truman Capote's In Cold Blood

432 Words | 2 Pages

Throughout In Cold Blood, Truman Capote hints at his own opinion of the death penalty, yet lets the readers decide for themselves what they believe Hickock and Smith's punishment should have been. When the murderers are being hanged, a conversation occurs between a reporter and an investigator about what it might feel like to be hanged: "'They don't feel nothing. Drop, snap, and that's it. They don't feel nothing.' ' Are you sure?

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Rhetorical Analysis Of Truman Capote's In Cold Blood

539 Words | 3 Pages

How crazy would it be to interview criminals who murdered 4 people in cold blood? Well that’s exactly what Truman Capote did in this chilling book. In the novel In Cold Blood, Truman Capote used different rhetorical strategies to create sympathy and influence the idea that there are always two sides to every story. Some of the mainly used rhetorical strategies throughout the novel were imagery, diction, tone, and pathos. Furthermore, Capote also illustrated sympathetical emotion towards both types of characters, the protagonists and antagonists.

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Language Devices In Truman Capote's In Cold Blood

908 Words | 4 Pages

Truman Capote uses variety of language devices to vividly develop Perry Smith in his novel In Cold Blood. These language devices include, diction, similes and symbolism. Throughout the novel diction is used to develop Perry Smith’s character, and suggest reasons for the murder. When Smith explains what happened that night at the Clutter’s family home, he tells agent Alvin Dewey about his moment with Nancy Clutter.

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Manipulation Of Language In Truman Capote's In Cold Blood

1177 Words | 5 Pages

Facts and Fiction: A Manipulation of Language in Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood English is a fascinating and riveting language. Subtle nuances and adjustments can easily change the understanding of a literary work—a technique many authors employ in order to evoke a desired response from their readers. This method is used especially in In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, a literary work which details a true event about the murders of four members of the Clutter family in the small community of Holcomb, Kansas, in 1959. Although Capote’s 1966 book was a bestseller nonfiction and had successfully garnered acclaim for its author, there is still a great deal of confusion about the distinction between the factual and fictional aspects in the book.

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