Summary Of Nancy's Teddy Bear

Susan says, “I only remember Nancy’s teddy bear staring at me (Capote 60).” This description of Nancy’s bear creates an eerie feeling and a strong tension in the setting. A ‘staring teddy bear’ is an unnerving thought, as if it was a line drawn straight out of a horror movie and in the novel’s case, Holcomb is experiencing their own horror movie. The line of the bear changes the way Capote’s audience, people that don’t live in our around Holcomb, feel when they feel like they’re being watched. Having something or someone stare is already as anxious as it gets because it makes the situation more tense. The line sparks pathos in the readers and makes the hair stand up on their necks.
In addition, the diction Capote employs sets the tone since it mirrors and is based off of the real life story of Perry and Dick who murdered the Clutter family. Staring is a fantastic word choice because by having the bear stare with unblinking, soulless eyes, it could pinch nerves on how Nancy’s eyes might have looked when she was killed. Capote’s purpose of this line is to instill fear in the readers and to have them try and grasp the emotions of Susan, who originally discovered the bear. To Susan,

Depending on the character or whether Capote is trying to trigger emotion or foreshadow, the tone of the passage changes. In the second example, Capote conveys a determined tone unlike previously being solemn. Capote uses the determined tone to demonstrate a moral he wants his readers to draw from: Don’t let anything get in the way of achieving what you want. Dewey doesn’t care how long it takes, as long as he gets the answers. He will stop at nothing. This state of mind is how Capote wishes his readers would think and by using Dewey as an embodiment of determination, Capote is able to make his readers feel more confident in going after what they