Mr Clutter's Writing Style Analysis

In this novel, Capote uses a compilation of many writing styles such as narrative and descriptive to convey his purpose. Firstly, Capote uses narrative in the text. He tells the story of Susan Kidwell, who was Nancy Clutter’s friend, discovering the dead bodies. Using first person narrative, it makes the scene more emotional, more tragic and it has a stronger connection between the characters in the text and the reader. Capote also uses this writing style to tell the story of the murder and describe the execution of Dick and Perry, which involves many emotional changes. Thus, the use of narrative in the text is effective in conveying Capote’s purpose of telling the reader the story of the characters. Secondly, Capote uses descriptive writing style. Throughout the novel, there are two different stories that take place at different locations and Capote has written it alternative with each other. For example, he begins with a description about Mr. Clutter and his family activities, then a description of the preparation for the murder being made by Dick and Perry and so on. This creative

Clutter is different from the language in describing Perry Smith and Dick Hickock. In part I of In Cold Blood, Capote describes Mr. Clutter’s breakfast: “That morning an apple and a glass of milk were enough for him; because he touched neither coffee or tea, he was accustomed to begin the day on a cold stomach” (page 10). His descriptions are long and detailed. However, when he switches to describe Perry, his sentences change. “Like Mr. Clutter, the young man breakfasting in a cafe called the Little Jewel never drank coffee. He preferred root beer. Three aspirin, cold root beer, and a chain of Pall Mall cigarettes” (page 14). It is short and dry, unlike the flowery sentences he uses for Mr. Clutter. This contrast reveals the difference in social status, especially when Capote use Mr. for Mr. Clutter and no title for Perry- “a young