In Cold Blood Literary Devices

“In cold blood” was a mysterious yet revealing book about a murder that took place in Holcomb, Kansas. Holcomb was a peaceful town where people were structured and accustomed to the norm. The beginning of the story gives a detailed description of a family called the Clutters. Who were later murdered in their home by Dick and Perry, two men with a criminal record in search of a big score. The family consisted of six people, Mr. Clutter a forty eight year old man who was well known and educated in agriculture. Mrs. Clutter a forty five year old timid, pious and delicate woman. Nancy a skillful, pretty girl who was active in the community and had lots of character. Kenyon was the youngest and only boy in the family, he couldn't play the sports

One literary device used was Juxtaposition ,when the author displays situations, people, ideas, or concepts closely together to stress a contrast or comparison. The device was used to show the great contrast in the mentalities of partner murderers Dick and Perry. Dick is very literal and narrow minded opposed to Perry, who was a dreamer that was willing to take risks and also very open to the arts. Dick was married and divorced twice he became the father of three boys, whose lives he was not a part of. He lived with his parents, which was a condition for him to receive parole. Even after going to jail Dick continued on a bad path, committing crimes for money. He also had terrible hobbies such as pursuing young girls and running over stray dogs. Perry had an unfortunate family situation his mother was an alcoholic who died from strangling to death on her vomit. One of his sisters committed suicide by jumping out of a window and his brother also killed himself. He had a the tendencies of a child and was a very hard person to read. He despised people who couldn't control themselves sexually, but still got along with dick even though he had no

They stopped to picnic and engaged in conversation. The situations weren't two separate scenes, but instead the same scene from different perspectives. One perspective assumably Perry’s was full of regret and questioning of one's character. Such as “When Perry said, “I think there must be something wrong with us.” he was making an admission he “hated to make.”After all, it was “painful” to imagine that one might be “not just right”--- particularly if whatever was wrong was not your own fault but maybe a thing you were born with.” (110)The other that was assumably Dick was full of frustration toward not being able to fully separate himself from what he did. “Deal me out, baby,” Dick said. “I’m a normal.” And Dick meant what he said. He thought himself as balanced, as sane as anyone---maybe a bit smarter than the average fellow, that’s all.”(108) The scenes also show the contrast in the way the two saw the world Perry’s being positive, “Ahead of him, on the dusty road, he saw a dog trotting along in the warm sunshine.” (110) and the other negative, “The car was moving. A hundred feet ahead, a dog trotted along the side of the road. Dick swerved toward it. It was an old half mongrel, brittle-boned and mangy, and the impact, as it met the car, was little more than what a bird might make.