In Cold Blood Clutter Family

Truman Capote wrote the nonfiction novel In Cold Blood with the accounts from the murderers and investigators of the Clutter family. As Capote grew up, he found himself neglected by his mother and father. Because his mother and father often neglected him, he spent much of his young life with his mother’s relatives. While Capote was young, his mother often made fun of him for being “different” than other children. Although Capote faced many hardships throughout his early life, he was able to overcome them and attain a successful writing career. Because Capote’s strength came from himself, he has a mindset that the benevolence of a family does not determine the life members of a family endure. While writing In Cold Blood, Truman shares this

When Dick first learns of the Clutter family, he attains knowledge of their wealth. Truman writes, “Why should that ‘big shot bastard’ have all the luck? With a knife in his hand, he, Dick, had power. Big- shot bastards like that had better be careful or he might “open them up and let a little of their luck spill on the floor” (Capote 201). Though Mr. Clutter rightfully earns all of his money, Dick labels Clutter’s wealth as luck. Because Dick believes the wealth of the family stems from luck, he develops an aura of jealousy towards the innocent family. Although the Clutters never did any wrong towards Dick, his jealousy fuels anger and hatred. As anger and hatred imbue Dick, he shows his criminality by taking part in the murders of the innocent family. Though Perry participates in the murders, he has a better sense of right from wrong than Dick. Perry states, “I had to get down on my knees. And just then it was like I was outside myself. Watching myself in some nutty movie. It made me sick. I was just disgusted” (240). As Perry commits the immoral acts, he recognizes his actions are wrong. Although Perry continues the horrendous deed, he feels abomination towards himself and the crime he commits. Because Perry feels repugnance for his actions, his morality reveals itself and shows his true character. Before Dick and Perry commit the murder, they have no pervious relation with the Clutter family. Truman pens, “The crime was a psychological accident, virtually an impersonal act; the victims might as well have been killed by lightning” (245). Because the Clutter family was chosen at random, the pernicious violence of Dick and Perry debuts. While Dick and Perry’s random violence emerges, the perpetrators’ abhorrent criminality surfaces alongside the innocence of the Clutter family. Because Dick and Perry have no real reason to murder this specific family, their