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The Grapes Of Wrath: Character Analysis

1444 Words6 Pages

WenJie, Zhou
Senior Literature and Composition
Period A
11 December 2015
The greedy desire can make people turn illegal step-by-step leading to the crime abyss. But the inherent personality is the most critical fact of the sin. Dick was one of the murderers, he desired a better life but he failed twice. He thought money could bring him the life that he wanted with a deep certainty. Money brought him the hope of having a complete and happy family. Once Dick heard that the Clutters had a lot of money from Floyd Wells, a prisoner who used to work for Mr. Clutter, he planned to kill the family and take all the money away. Therefore, he found himself a complice, Perry. Dick was not thinking to let Perry get involved in this action when they first …show more content…

In Emporia, Kansas, Dick and Perry buy a pair of rubber gloves and enough rope to tie up 12 people, in case the Clutters have company for Thanksgiving. Perry wants to buy some black stockings to cover their faces, but Dick thinks that 's a waste of money. Since they 're not leaving any witnesses. “‘No witnesses,’ he reminded Perry, for what seemed to Perry the millionth time.” (37) They had already prepared to kill all innocent people. “ ‘This is it, this is it, this has to be it, there 's the school, there 's the garage, now we turn south.’ ” (57) Through the details of the information which Dick got from Floyd before, they found the house. With Dick’s extreme excitement, they housed the headlights, slowed down the car, entered the house, and left the house …show more content…

Dick convinced Perry that they have committed the perfect crime, and went back to Kansas would be completely safe. They tried to hitch a ride but the evil spirit was never gone, Dick planned to kill the driver and took over the car. One guy named "Mr. Bell" stopped and picked up them. Just as Dick gave Perry the signal to bash in Bell 's skull, Bell stopped to pick up another hitchhiker, made him to escape from the death luckily. Their plan failed. After getting dropped off, they noticed a big dark something was at the corner of the barn. It was a 1956 Chevrolet with the key in the ignition. Driving the stolen car, they were back in Kansas. Perry was sick so he stayed in a laundromat with all their clothes, and Dick was late, as usual. Perry suddenly thought of a million awful reasons for Dick to be late this time. He was afraid that Dick was arrested and told the police all about Perry and the Clutter murder. Then, the Kansas police would be heading straight for Perry. The restlessness after the murder drove him crazy, he was afraid to get caught and go to “the corner”. But Dick finally showed up. He figured they would hit a few more places with bad checks that night, then headed to Florida for

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Throughout the book "In Cold Blood," the characters of Dick and Perry undergo significant changes. At the beginning of the book, they are portrayed as cold-blooded killers who show little remorse for their actions. However, as the story progresses, we see a more complex side to their personalities. One of the most significant changes in the characters of Dick and Perry is their relationship with each other.

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Although Dick’s was fully aware of his actions, he even came up with the plan to go and try to steal from the Clutters, another important evidence that separates Perry and Dick is also overlooked by the court. Alvin Dewey states Perry, before signing the confession paper, “admit that Hickock had been telling the truth, and that it was he, Perry Smith, who had shot and killed the whole family” (255). It is revealed that Perry is the one who killed the members of the Clutter family and Dick did not. The court gives Dick the same death sentence that they gave Perry, the guy who actually did the killing. Although Dick is too some extent responsible for what happened to the Clutter and he was aware of his actions and what was happening, his punishment

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Dick did not have any second thoughts about the murder. He had firmly wanted to walk-in and kill the Clutter family despite their innocence. Dick viewed the Clutters’ as an opportunity that was going to make him rich. There was not any

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While Perry is mortified that he and Dick could commit such a gruesome crime, Dick couldn’t care less. All Dick is worried about is how odd Perry is. Because of how quick Perry’s mood could change, Dick thought he was “spooky as hell.” Now, Perry wasn’t your average run of the mill man. He still wets the bed, cries in his sleep, and “could slide into a fury ‘quicker than ten drunk Indians’”.

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From the beginning, Dick had a detailed plan of how they would carry out the murders, and he made sure that Perry was on board with his ideas. The scary part of all of this is that Dick considered himself normal, by saying, “I’m a normal” (Capote 108). In the book, it is clear that Dick was the one in control, and Perry is merely following his lead. For example, when they first discussed the robbery, Dick said, "If it's going to be done, it's got to be done right. No slip-ups...

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This Quote represents Insanity (Sociopathy) because it shows both Perry’s killer natural way of thinking and it also shows Dick’s colossal use of them to get what he desires. Dick suffers brain damage he received from a concussion and Perry has paranoid schizophrenia . This could possibly contribute to their questionable mental state of mind. Some symptoms of insanity include : frequent lying, stealing , fighting , no guilt or remorse for anything whatsoever , breaking the law repeatedly , the ability to act charming and witty, disregarding of the safety of others, manipulating other people 's emotions, and inability to tolerate frustration . Both Dick and Perry poses some of these traits / symptoms which may lead us to believe they could

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Dick never wanted to discuss the murders. He always wanted to change the subject. Floyd Wells, his former cellmate, mentioned to Dick that he was a former employee of the Clutters, and they had a safe on the property, unaware that they never had any cash on them. When he did not find the safe or any money, Dick resorted to killing the whole Clutter family. Dick became a little too confident and thought he could get away with murder.

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However, the Clutters have certain aspects which could be considered ‘abnormal’, especially in the case of Bonnie, a depressed and reclusive mother. Perry and Dick are juxtaposed with the Clutters, they are a seemingly abnormal duo, who are antisocial, have a hunger for murder and are even physically disfigured. Both Perry and Dick have attributes that are still somewhat ‘normal’ despite their surface abnormality. Perry is sensitive, creative and sings, Dick has had an upbringing that was completely typical of any American child, that is, he was brought up in a loving and caring environment, with enough money to live comfortably and attend secondary education. Dick also constantly defends himself saying: “I’m a normal”.

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When Dick realizes that Grandison is not going to go out and explore on his own, he takes matters into his own hands by sending Grandison on pointless errands around the town in order to help him come in contact with other

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Dick knew how to manipulate and get what he wanted. He was who Perry saw as a masculine man, someone to not be crossed, but who Perry looked up to. Perry noted that Dick was not a good role model, but still sought his approval causing him to lie about committing murder which got him roped into going with Dick to murder

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Capote portrays only one of these two seemingly distinct characters (Perry) in a way that the reader feels the need to relate to and even sympathize with him. One can be taken aback by such an attachment to a murderer. This is not surprising as the author uses his compassionate diction to manipulate the reader’s emotions with a use of pathos, the appeal to emotions. At one point Capote goes as far as to write that “Smith’s life had been no bed of roses,” (Capote 245) attempting to have the readers relate to Perry. On the other hand, Capote has Dick say this about himself: “Deal me out, baby, I’m a normal” (Capote 116).

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[He said] it [didn’t] bother Perry a bit” (Capote 255). Dick is honestly trying to make Perry look very guilty instead of him. Even though Perry killed all four of the Clutters, Capote was still against the death penalty for Perry. Capote was also biased throughout the story because of his “relationship” with Perry. An example of Capote’s bias is when he wrote that “Dewey, a believer in capital punishment, its purported deterrent effects, and its justice, witnessed the hangings” but he could not watch Perry’s hanging.

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After lunch they went back to the church , it was on fire. While pulling up, Ponyboy overheard how a bunch snuck into the church before it set flames. Jonny and Ponyboy knew it was their fault, so they jumped out of the car and bolted into the church. As Ponyboy was getting the last kid out of the window, the roof started to cave in while Jonny was still inside. Jonny had a broken back, sever burns and ended up

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However, Perry honestly admired Willie Jay- he was the antithesis of Dick. Perry takes the both paths on the road of manipulation, but they do not meet at the end. Perry would have turned out much differently if he would not have begun following Dick because his actions heavily rely on who he is

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He is portrayed as a mastermind in the cold-blooded killing of the Clutters family, a man with little respect for the lives of others, which can be seen through Dick’s expression before the murder of the Clutters when he converses Perry, “We’re gonna go in there and splatter those walls with hair” (Capote 234). This sudden tone shift enables Capote to depict Dick as a cruel and immoral character. Dick’s lack of empathy and concern for other people beside himself allow him to commit crimes without remorse, which is in contrast to Perry’s moral contemplation after each bad actions they committed. Moreover, Dick is represented as the true criminal with evident motives in murdering the Clutters, while Perry is seen as a vulnerable victim who depends on Dick for validation and acceptance, something in which Dick happily provides in order to manipulate Perry, as Capote writes, “Dick became convinced that Perry was that rarity, ‘a natural born killer,’—absolutely sane but conscienceless, and capable of dealing with or without motive, the coldest-blooded deathblows. It was Dick's theory that such a gift could, under his supervision, be profitably exploited” (Capote 205).

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