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Who Was Responsible For Dick Hickock's Death

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Truman Capote's In Cold Blood is a harrowing account of the brutal murder of the Clutter family in 1959. The book delves into the lives of the two perpetrators, Dick Hickock and Perry Smith, and their motives for committing such a heinous crime. While both men are equally responsible for the murder, it can be argued that Dick Hickock should take more blame due to his intention to rape Nancy Clutter, knowingly using Perry as a weapon, and his involvement in the planning of the murder. One of the most disturbing aspects of the crime was the fact that Dick Hickock had intended to rape Nancy Clutter before killing her. In the book, it is revealed that Hickock had a history of sexual assault and had even spent time in prison for it. He had also mentioned his desire to rape Nancy to Perry prior to the murder. This shows that Hickock had premeditated the rape, and it was not just a spur of the moment decision. He had deliberately chosen Nancy as his victim and had planned to sexually assault her before killing her. This level of premeditation and depravity is unforgivable and should be considered an aggravating factor in his culpability. …show more content…

In the book, it is evident that Perry had a troubled childhood and suffered from severe mental illness. He was impressionable and easily manipulated by Hickock. Hickock had convinced Perry that the Clutter family was wealthy and that they would be able to steal a large sum of money from them. Hickock had also provided Perry with the gun and had instructed him on how to use it. In essence, Hickock had used Perry as a tool to commit the murder, knowing full well that Perry was not entirely in control of his actions. This level of manipulation and control over Perry's actions should be taken into account when assessing Hickock's responsibility for the

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The book In Cold Blood by Truman Capote explains and reconstructs the murder of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas on November 15th, 1959. The Clutter family, Herbert “Herb”, Bonnie, and two of their children Nancy and Kenyon were all killed, each with a twelve-gauge shotgun. No one knew who killed them or why the crime took place, as the family was well-liked and in high standing in their town. Truman Capote wrote this novel based on information he had gathered about the case. He begins the story with a background on the Clutter family and locks in on the actions of Richard “Dick” Hickock and Perry Smith, the perpetrators of the crime.

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Perry wasn’t just included in the plan, he was hand-picked by Dick. Dick believed that Perry had the killer mentality that was necessary to kill the Clutters’. Dick was very opportunistic towards Perry and wanted to use him. By using Perry, Dick proves that he is a manipulator who is also the mastermind behind the plan. The situation of Dick and Perry is comparable to the situation that had occurred twenty years prior to the Clutter family murder.

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In Cold Blood, written by Truman Capote in 1966 tells the story of the murder of a prominent family in 60’s Kansas. Capote traveled to the small town of Holcomb, and befriended many of the townsfolk and the detectives involved in the trial to tell the story of a violent event that shaped this community for the decade until the eventual conviction and execution of the killers. Because of information being told, Capote makes the choice of writing his novel as if it were a news report. This journalistic structure and word choice helps to establish the serious and dark tone of the novel.

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Perry Smith's actions in Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood" paint a chilling portrait of a true monster. In the planning and execution of the Clutter family murder, Perry's capacity for pure evil is unmistakable. As Capote vividly describes, "Then something went wrong, the Clutters didn’t have the safe, or Perry got nervous, or both, and they ended up tied up and shot. " This quote serves as a visceral reminder of the brutality Perry is capable of, appealing to the reader's sense of horror and disgust. Furthermore, Perry's lack of empathy and moral compass is evident, highlighting his monstrous nature.

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“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.

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In Cold Blood is a nonfiction novel by Truman Capote, first published in 1966. The book’s content narrates the account of the savage killing of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas, in 1959. Capote spent six years researching and interviewing the people involved in the case, and the resulting book is a detailed account of the crime and its aftermath, as well as a portrait of the two killers, Richard “Dick” Hickock and Perry Smith. “It seems that for Capote the American society has always been intrigued by the phenomenon of crime, the mystery surrounding it, as well as the suspense connected with crime stories” (Wróbel 8). Capote effectively establishes a sense of intimacy with the characters and their motives through his immersive and descriptive

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Regardless of the criticisms this novel continues to be used in writing, sociology, and criminology classes nationwide even to this day. In cold blood highlights narratives; something severely lacking in previous studies of criminology, are found in abundance in this novel. At its heart Capote reminds the reader that even after this horrific act that these men are still that, men, human beings. Perry smith's neglectful upbringing and Richard “Dick” Hickock turbulent life meet in a meeting of that can be explained by both the traditional rational choice theory of criminology and social learning theory with minimal conflicts between the two theories in fact these men each represent an example of each

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How crazy would it be to interview criminals who murdered 4 people in cold blood? Well that’s exactly what Truman Capote did in this chilling book. In the novel In Cold Blood, Truman Capote used different rhetorical strategies to create sympathy and influence the idea that there are always two sides to every story. Some of the mainly used rhetorical strategies throughout the novel were imagery, diction, tone, and pathos. Furthermore, Capote also illustrated sympathetical emotion towards both types of characters, the protagonists and antagonists.

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The book is divided into four parts, each of which focuses on a different aspect of the case. Part I, "The Last to See Them Alive," provides background information on the victims and the crime. Part II, "Persons Unknown," details the investigation and arrest of the suspects. Part III, "An Asteroid in Human Form," examines the trial and conviction of the men. Part IV, "The Corner," covers the final days leading up to the execution of Smith and Hickock.

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Facts and Fiction: A Manipulation of Language in Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood English is a fascinating and riveting language. Subtle nuances and adjustments can easily change the understanding of a literary work—a technique many authors employ in order to evoke a desired response from their readers. This method is used especially in In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, a literary work which details a true event about the murders of four members of the Clutter family in the small community of Holcomb, Kansas, in 1959. Although Capote’s 1966 book was a bestseller nonfiction and had successfully garnered acclaim for its author, there is still a great deal of confusion about the distinction between the factual and fictional aspects in the book.

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