Character Development In Truman Capote's In Cold Blood
Analytical Article Topics
Based God
Section 1
Character Development
In the book In Cold Blood, Truman Capote uses a very advanced and detailed writing style to describe his main characters, Dick and Perry, but he also uses this style of writing to paint a picture of the secondary characters in which provides a collage of background and helps accentuate the main characters and the plot in general. One of the secondary characters that really stuck out to me would be Mr. Stoecklein. Truman Capote’s use of dialect and character description helps provide a picture of honesty and also a close relationship with Herb Clutter and more than likely the whole Clutter family.
Syntax
“More markings, self-designed and self-executed, ornamented his …show more content…
arms and torso: the head of a dragon with a human skull between its open jaws; bosomy nudes; a gremlin brandishing a pitchfork; the word PEACE accompanied by a cross radiating, in the form of crude strokes, rays of holy light; and two sentimental concoctions—one a bouquet of flowers dedicated to Mother-Dad, the other a hear the celebrated the romance of Dick and Carol, the girl whom he had married when he was nineteen, and from who he had separated six years later in order to ‘do the right thing’ by another young lady, the mother of his youngest child” (31). At the beginning of the novel, before the murders had been committed, you can find that the sentences are longer then after they are committed. The atmosphere of the novel is more relaxed in the beginning because the murderers’ are not faced with the suspense of getting caught. This is shown in the author’s use of commas and semi-colons to separate thoughts/phrases instead of periods. The statement is unique in the fact that it is one of the longest sentences in the book.
Allusion
On page 51, Bobby Rupp is describing his last night with Nancy. In this explanation are included a few allusions to some books, movies and TV shows. All of them, which include the “Rover Boy” book series, the TV show “The Man and the Challenge,” the movie “Five Fingers,” the show “Mike Hammer” and the movie “Blue Denim,” are real things that were popular at the time. This is probably explained by the fact that Capote actually interviewed Bobby, but it still makes allusions to tell the reader what kind of interests the characters had so that he could remind the readers that they are actually people with real interests.
Tone
Objective Narration “Kenyon had built the chest himself: a mahogany hope chest, lined with cedar, which he intended to give to Beverly as a wedding present” (38). This quote exemplifies the objective manor that the narrator obtains. As suggested in the text, Capote simply adds the external actions of the characters and not the characters and not the characters thoughts and feelings.
Section 2
Syntax
“Now it was true—they were on their way—On their way, and never coming back—without regret, as far as he was concerned, for he was leaving nothing behind, and no one who might deeply wonder into what thin air he spiraled.” (106)
A form of syntax that is quite common in the novel is the addition of hyphens. Not only does this punctuation technique allow the reader to focus on the on the info being stated, it also breaks up the sentence and lets the Capote emphasize on certain points. The use of the hyphens in this is to stress that the murderers’ were trying to, in a way, come to terms with what they did and that they were leaving and hopefully would never have to see Holcomb again.
Allusion
They range the field and they rove the flood, And they climb the mountain 's crest; Theirs is the curse of the gypsy blood, And they don 't know how to rest. If they just went straight they might go far; They are strong and brave and true; But they 're always tired of the things that are, And they want the strange and new.
Perry gave this poem by Robert W. Service to a nurse that he fell in love with when she was nursing him back to health. Perry gave her a clip of the poem and acted as if it were his own work. Capote’s inclusion of this reflects Perry’s inability to find a true identity. He took the ideas of the poem just as he took advice from Willie-Jay as his own feelings. It may even lead the reader to wonder if any of Perry’s ideas are truly his own. Was he his own person or was he only a reflection of those who sculpted him?
Tone
Objective Narration “The car was moving. A hundred feet ahead, a dog trotted along the side of the road. Dick swerved toward it. It was old-half dead mongrel, brittle-boned and mangy, and the impact, as it met the car was little more than what a bird might make. But Dick was satisfied.” (112) This quote helps show the objective narration because of the way that Capote describes the scene. He writes as if he is just stating the facts even though he is a reporter he writes with very little bias and even during scenes that should be sad or thought-provoking he makes it easy for them to be read over. Character Development One of the characters that stuck out to me in section two is Alvin Dewey the lead investigator on the Clutter case. He develops unhealthy interest in finding the killers to the point of even sacrificing his mental and physical health. Capote also uses an individual description of Alvin emotions and thoughts about to case to make him realistic and personal.
Section 3
Tone
Objective narration is unbiased and based on fact, where subjective narration is biased and based on opinion. Capote is an objective narrator because most people would look at Dick and Perry’s crime as horrendous and condemn them and look at it subjectively and with bias. Capote instead choses to look at it from different angles and also flashes back and forth between Dick, Perry, and the investigators providing an objective outlook. An example of this would be in the first part of section three (159-163) a story is told about Floyd Well’s life in prison and hearing about the killings but then immediately switches to Al Dewey’s life as an investigator and the immediate situation.
Syntax
“A hush. For ten miles and more, the three men ride without speaking” (245). The way that Capote writes his paragraphs, especially in the later part of the book, also brings a unique form of syntax. The excerpt represents one of the smaller paragraphs in the novel. Even though it only takes up two lines of page, the impact this it provides is much greater. The use of “hush” in the beginning creates a one full of suspense and an overall feeling of un-easy or tension between the officers and Perry.
Allusion
“Dick Hickock!
Don’t talk to me about Dick Hickock! If ever I met the devil! Steal? Steal the weights off a dead man’s eyes!...” (168) Capote includes this allusion to tie a kind of religious theme that extends throughout the rest of the novel. This is exceptionally noticeable during the trial when they reference the bible while arguing the death penalty. It is clear that the rural people of Kansas all have a religious tie.
Character Development In section three the secondary character that stuck out to me the most is Mr. Bell whom Perry and Dick meet when they try hitchhiking. He stands out in my mind because we are given a glimpse at his life, and in the objective tone of Capote, we then learn of Dick & Perry’s intention to rob him of his life. He is only in the novel very briefly but I feel that because he helps accentuate Dick & Perry’s sense of desperation and the attitude of “do anything to survive”, that he is a very well written secondary character. Section 4 …show more content…
Allusion “Outwardly, Hickock seemed to one and all an unusually troubled young man. When he was not socializing or sleeping he lay on his cot smoking or chewing bubble gum and reading sports magazines or paperback thrillers. Often he simply lay there whistling old favorites (“You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby, “Shuffle Off to Buffalo”) and staring at an un-shaded light bulb that burned day and night in the ceiling of the cell.” (262) Capote includes this allusion referring to Dick’s appearance of being un-troubled and so Dick whistles songs as if he has no other care in the world. These songs also attribute to the time of the album as these are references to old songs.
Syntax
“It could mean a long stretch in prison. Or you might get killed. All for someone you don’t know. YOU BETTER THINK IT OVER!! Seriously! Besides how do I know I can trust you?” (265). Capote uses a variety of techniques to change the style in which he writes. Multiple times he includes letters from family members or friends to add new perspectives to the story. The example above is a part of a letter that Perry writes in hope that the two men outside his cell window will help break him free. The syntax stands out because of the way that it shows just how desperate Perry has become. The combination of larger letters and the italicized words draws the reader’s attention to what is being said in the passage. The exclamation points also contribute by showing just how desperate Perry is to get his point across.
Tone
Objective Narration Capote, up to the criminals ' day of execution, shows no bias whatsoever; the trial could have been an easy opportunity for the narrator to express his own opinions on how the criminals should be punished. Capote is adamant in giving the facts to the reader directly and letting the reader formulate his or her own opinion. For example, of the death sentence, Capote writes, "In March 1965, after [Perry] Smith and [Dick] Hickock had been confined in their death row cells almost two thousand days, the Kansas Supreme Court decreed that their lives must end between midnight and 2:00 A.M., Wednesday, April 14, 1965" (336).
Character Development The secondary character I find the most memorable in section 4 is Floyd Wells because he is the one who told the authorities who he thought the murders were. He met Dick in jail, and told him that he used to work for the Clutters and they were very wealthy. Dick began to ask questions about the family, and Floyd provided him answers. Dick decided that he wanted to rob a safe that was supposedly in the Clutter’s home. Floyd said, “Next thing I knew, Dick was talking about killing Mr. Clutter. Said he and Perry were going to go out there and rob the place, and they were going to kill all the witnesses - the Clutters, and anybody else that happened to be around. He described to me a dozen times how he was going to do it, how he and Perry were going to tie those people up and gun them down.” His testimony is what incriminated both Dick and Perry. If he hadn’t of spoken up, then they wouldn’t have been caught.
Setting
Plot/Structure
How does Capote build suspense despite the fact that readers know the ultimate outcome from the beginning of In Cold Blood? Capote does a good job of recreating what had happened before the murders took place. With the extensive research that was done by Capote, he could formulate a good picture of what had happened before the murder. He uses a technique where he splits the story in two, and then moving from one scene with the Clutter family, to the murderers, Dick and Perry and then later between the murderers and the investigating detectives. This allows the reader to constantly be aware of what was taking place and when it had happened. Capote also uses it to create more suspense in the story, leaving you after every scene wanting to know more.
Theme
What is the theme of this novel? One of the themes in this book is the loss of innocence from the town’s point of view. As it’s a turning point for the citizens of Holcomb and Garden City. For the first time the dangerous outside world seemed to invade upon there peaceful existence and darken their colorful town. And for the first time the citizens distrusted each other because of the brutal Clutter killings. Their perceived safety and comfort with each other was undermined by the murders.
Genre
Capote is credited with originating the “nonfiction novel” with In Cold blood. What is the nonfiction novel, and how is its creation significant? Be sure to cite your sources.
A nonfiction novel basically is a non-fiction story about actual events using the dynamic techniques of a novel. The significance of this genre is that is allows a non-fiction story to be told from the different viewpoints of different characters so that there is a wide array of angles on the story.
Prologue
Who is Francois Villon?
From what text are the four lines borrowed? Find at least 2 translations of these lines. Which do you prefer? Why? Why does capote use these specific lines from this specific poet, for this book?
Ballade des pendus (Ballad of the hanged men) Poem
1. Brothers, men who live after us,
Let not your hearts be hardened against us,
Because, if you have pity for us poor men,
God will have more mercy toward you.
You see us here attached five or six:
When our flesh that was nourished so well
2. O Brother men who live, though we are gone,
Let not your hearts be hardened at the view,
For if you pity us you gaze upon,
God is more like to show you mercy too . . .
I prefer the second translation because the way that it interacts with the name of the poem. You can imagine a criminal who is about to be put to death saying these last words to the crowd so that they might show sympathy to their fellow brother. I think that Capote uses this excerpt of the poem as a way to foreshadow and embody the way that Dick & Perry (mainly Perry) feel about walking up to the hangman.
Links
Read and respond to one of the articles on this fascinating website: http://www.ljworld.com/specials/incoldblood/.
Based God
Section 1
Character Development
In the book In Cold Blood, Truman Capote uses a very advanced and detailed writing style to describe his main characters, Dick and Perry, but he also uses this style of writing to paint a picture of the secondary characters in which provides a collage of background and helps accentuate the main characters and the plot in general. One of the secondary characters that really stuck out to me would be Mr. Stoecklein. Truman Capote’s use of dialect and character description helps provide a picture of honesty and also a close relationship with Herb Clutter and more than likely the whole Clutter family.
Syntax
“More markings, self-designed and self-executed, ornamented his …show more content…
arms and torso: the head of a dragon with a human skull between its open jaws; bosomy nudes; a gremlin brandishing a pitchfork; the word PEACE accompanied by a cross radiating, in the form of crude strokes, rays of holy light; and two sentimental concoctions—one a bouquet of flowers dedicated to Mother-Dad, the other a hear the celebrated the romance of Dick and Carol, the girl whom he had married when he was nineteen, and from who he had separated six years later in order to ‘do the right thing’ by another young lady, the mother of his youngest child” (31). At the beginning of the novel, before the murders had been committed, you can find that the sentences are longer then after they are committed. The atmosphere of the novel is more relaxed in the beginning because the murderers’ are not faced with the suspense of getting caught. This is shown in the author’s use of commas and semi-colons to separate thoughts/phrases instead of periods. The statement is unique in the fact that it is one of the longest sentences in the book.
Allusion
On page 51, Bobby Rupp is describing his last night with Nancy. In this explanation are included a few allusions to some books, movies and TV shows. All of them, which include the “Rover Boy” book series, the TV show “The Man and the Challenge,” the movie “Five Fingers,” the show “Mike Hammer” and the movie “Blue Denim,” are real things that were popular at the time. This is probably explained by the fact that Capote actually interviewed Bobby, but it still makes allusions to tell the reader what kind of interests the characters had so that he could remind the readers that they are actually people with real interests.
Tone
Objective Narration “Kenyon had built the chest himself: a mahogany hope chest, lined with cedar, which he intended to give to Beverly as a wedding present” (38). This quote exemplifies the objective manor that the narrator obtains. As suggested in the text, Capote simply adds the external actions of the characters and not the characters and not the characters thoughts and feelings.
Section 2
Syntax
“Now it was true—they were on their way—On their way, and never coming back—without regret, as far as he was concerned, for he was leaving nothing behind, and no one who might deeply wonder into what thin air he spiraled.” (106)
A form of syntax that is quite common in the novel is the addition of hyphens. Not only does this punctuation technique allow the reader to focus on the on the info being stated, it also breaks up the sentence and lets the Capote emphasize on certain points. The use of the hyphens in this is to stress that the murderers’ were trying to, in a way, come to terms with what they did and that they were leaving and hopefully would never have to see Holcomb again.
Allusion
They range the field and they rove the flood, And they climb the mountain 's crest; Theirs is the curse of the gypsy blood, And they don 't know how to rest. If they just went straight they might go far; They are strong and brave and true; But they 're always tired of the things that are, And they want the strange and new.
Perry gave this poem by Robert W. Service to a nurse that he fell in love with when she was nursing him back to health. Perry gave her a clip of the poem and acted as if it were his own work. Capote’s inclusion of this reflects Perry’s inability to find a true identity. He took the ideas of the poem just as he took advice from Willie-Jay as his own feelings. It may even lead the reader to wonder if any of Perry’s ideas are truly his own. Was he his own person or was he only a reflection of those who sculpted him?
Tone
Objective Narration “The car was moving. A hundred feet ahead, a dog trotted along the side of the road. Dick swerved toward it. It was old-half dead mongrel, brittle-boned and mangy, and the impact, as it met the car was little more than what a bird might make. But Dick was satisfied.” (112) This quote helps show the objective narration because of the way that Capote describes the scene. He writes as if he is just stating the facts even though he is a reporter he writes with very little bias and even during scenes that should be sad or thought-provoking he makes it easy for them to be read over. Character Development One of the characters that stuck out to me in section two is Alvin Dewey the lead investigator on the Clutter case. He develops unhealthy interest in finding the killers to the point of even sacrificing his mental and physical health. Capote also uses an individual description of Alvin emotions and thoughts about to case to make him realistic and personal.
Section 3
Tone
Objective narration is unbiased and based on fact, where subjective narration is biased and based on opinion. Capote is an objective narrator because most people would look at Dick and Perry’s crime as horrendous and condemn them and look at it subjectively and with bias. Capote instead choses to look at it from different angles and also flashes back and forth between Dick, Perry, and the investigators providing an objective outlook. An example of this would be in the first part of section three (159-163) a story is told about Floyd Well’s life in prison and hearing about the killings but then immediately switches to Al Dewey’s life as an investigator and the immediate situation.
Syntax
“A hush. For ten miles and more, the three men ride without speaking” (245). The way that Capote writes his paragraphs, especially in the later part of the book, also brings a unique form of syntax. The excerpt represents one of the smaller paragraphs in the novel. Even though it only takes up two lines of page, the impact this it provides is much greater. The use of “hush” in the beginning creates a one full of suspense and an overall feeling of un-easy or tension between the officers and Perry.
Allusion
“Dick Hickock!
Don’t talk to me about Dick Hickock! If ever I met the devil! Steal? Steal the weights off a dead man’s eyes!...” (168) Capote includes this allusion to tie a kind of religious theme that extends throughout the rest of the novel. This is exceptionally noticeable during the trial when they reference the bible while arguing the death penalty. It is clear that the rural people of Kansas all have a religious tie.
Character Development In section three the secondary character that stuck out to me the most is Mr. Bell whom Perry and Dick meet when they try hitchhiking. He stands out in my mind because we are given a glimpse at his life, and in the objective tone of Capote, we then learn of Dick & Perry’s intention to rob him of his life. He is only in the novel very briefly but I feel that because he helps accentuate Dick & Perry’s sense of desperation and the attitude of “do anything to survive”, that he is a very well written secondary character. Section 4 …show more content…
Allusion “Outwardly, Hickock seemed to one and all an unusually troubled young man. When he was not socializing or sleeping he lay on his cot smoking or chewing bubble gum and reading sports magazines or paperback thrillers. Often he simply lay there whistling old favorites (“You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby, “Shuffle Off to Buffalo”) and staring at an un-shaded light bulb that burned day and night in the ceiling of the cell.” (262) Capote includes this allusion referring to Dick’s appearance of being un-troubled and so Dick whistles songs as if he has no other care in the world. These songs also attribute to the time of the album as these are references to old songs.
Syntax
“It could mean a long stretch in prison. Or you might get killed. All for someone you don’t know. YOU BETTER THINK IT OVER!! Seriously! Besides how do I know I can trust you?” (265). Capote uses a variety of techniques to change the style in which he writes. Multiple times he includes letters from family members or friends to add new perspectives to the story. The example above is a part of a letter that Perry writes in hope that the two men outside his cell window will help break him free. The syntax stands out because of the way that it shows just how desperate Perry has become. The combination of larger letters and the italicized words draws the reader’s attention to what is being said in the passage. The exclamation points also contribute by showing just how desperate Perry is to get his point across.
Tone
Objective Narration Capote, up to the criminals ' day of execution, shows no bias whatsoever; the trial could have been an easy opportunity for the narrator to express his own opinions on how the criminals should be punished. Capote is adamant in giving the facts to the reader directly and letting the reader formulate his or her own opinion. For example, of the death sentence, Capote writes, "In March 1965, after [Perry] Smith and [Dick] Hickock had been confined in their death row cells almost two thousand days, the Kansas Supreme Court decreed that their lives must end between midnight and 2:00 A.M., Wednesday, April 14, 1965" (336).
Character Development The secondary character I find the most memorable in section 4 is Floyd Wells because he is the one who told the authorities who he thought the murders were. He met Dick in jail, and told him that he used to work for the Clutters and they were very wealthy. Dick began to ask questions about the family, and Floyd provided him answers. Dick decided that he wanted to rob a safe that was supposedly in the Clutter’s home. Floyd said, “Next thing I knew, Dick was talking about killing Mr. Clutter. Said he and Perry were going to go out there and rob the place, and they were going to kill all the witnesses - the Clutters, and anybody else that happened to be around. He described to me a dozen times how he was going to do it, how he and Perry were going to tie those people up and gun them down.” His testimony is what incriminated both Dick and Perry. If he hadn’t of spoken up, then they wouldn’t have been caught.
Setting
Plot/Structure
How does Capote build suspense despite the fact that readers know the ultimate outcome from the beginning of In Cold Blood? Capote does a good job of recreating what had happened before the murders took place. With the extensive research that was done by Capote, he could formulate a good picture of what had happened before the murder. He uses a technique where he splits the story in two, and then moving from one scene with the Clutter family, to the murderers, Dick and Perry and then later between the murderers and the investigating detectives. This allows the reader to constantly be aware of what was taking place and when it had happened. Capote also uses it to create more suspense in the story, leaving you after every scene wanting to know more.
Theme
What is the theme of this novel? One of the themes in this book is the loss of innocence from the town’s point of view. As it’s a turning point for the citizens of Holcomb and Garden City. For the first time the dangerous outside world seemed to invade upon there peaceful existence and darken their colorful town. And for the first time the citizens distrusted each other because of the brutal Clutter killings. Their perceived safety and comfort with each other was undermined by the murders.
Genre
Capote is credited with originating the “nonfiction novel” with In Cold blood. What is the nonfiction novel, and how is its creation significant? Be sure to cite your sources.
A nonfiction novel basically is a non-fiction story about actual events using the dynamic techniques of a novel. The significance of this genre is that is allows a non-fiction story to be told from the different viewpoints of different characters so that there is a wide array of angles on the story.
Prologue
Who is Francois Villon?
From what text are the four lines borrowed? Find at least 2 translations of these lines. Which do you prefer? Why? Why does capote use these specific lines from this specific poet, for this book?
Ballade des pendus (Ballad of the hanged men) Poem
1. Brothers, men who live after us,
Let not your hearts be hardened against us,
Because, if you have pity for us poor men,
God will have more mercy toward you.
You see us here attached five or six:
When our flesh that was nourished so well
2. O Brother men who live, though we are gone,
Let not your hearts be hardened at the view,
For if you pity us you gaze upon,
God is more like to show you mercy too . . .
I prefer the second translation because the way that it interacts with the name of the poem. You can imagine a criminal who is about to be put to death saying these last words to the crowd so that they might show sympathy to their fellow brother. I think that Capote uses this excerpt of the poem as a way to foreshadow and embody the way that Dick & Perry (mainly Perry) feel about walking up to the hangman.
Links
Read and respond to one of the articles on this fascinating website: http://www.ljworld.com/specials/incoldblood/.