How Does Truman Capote Build Suspense

In modern literature, suspense and tension are almost essential in producing works that are both successful and interesting to the reader. These two aspects of literature are especially important in Truman Capote's, In Cold Blood, which delineates the story of how a mere robbery attempt concludes in the death of four well-respected and affable family members. Although the reader is cognizant of various outcomes in the story beforehand, effectively retaining the reader's interest through suspense and tension. Capote particularly engenders this suspense and tension by shifting between simultaneous events, waiting to disclose the details of the murder, and suggesting fallacies in America's judicial system.

Suspense proves to be an essential aspect

For example, the reader would assume what is going to happen after Capote states, “four shotgun blasts that, all told, ended six human lives” (5), that Capote would tell the reader what happened and why. Except Capote takes a different toll making the reader intrigued. By starting off at the beginning of the day, he tells the end result, but not why or how it occurred. By doing this it only leaves the question of when the murder will occur? Thus, forcing the reader to continue reading building suspense. He then states, “he headed for home and the day’s work, unaware that it would be his last” (13) the suspense is once again boosted. Up to this point, the reader has acquired background information on what is known as the victim. Bringing the reader back to the edge of the seat waiting for the murder to

This is when as a reader you know the murder will occur, the victims, which have been described in immense detail so that the reader becomes a fond of and does not want them to go away even though the reader already knows it is inevitably going to happen. Capote prepares the reader from the beginning of the story by stating the murder but not the details. Once the details have been portrayed it takes the reader before the murder occurred creating a level of existence that no tragedy has occurred until the described details take the reader once again to the murder