In Cold Blood Perry Intrinsically Motivated

Analysis of Perry In Truman Capote’s spellbinding documentary, In Cold Blood, Capote utilizes various sources to create a first-hand account of murders that claim four faultless lives on November 15, 1959, in the small unheard-of town of Holcomb, Kansas. Capotes resources for the acclaimed book vary from diaries and letters, as well as interviews with Holcomb townspeople, and interviews of friends and family of the killers themselves. Murderers Dick and Perry originally set out to rob the Clutter family but as the scene proceeds, the robbery turns into a gruesome horror story. After the murders, the two men flee the country but soon end up back in Kansas. Almost a year later and while on trial, the blame game bounces between Dick and Perry about who possessed the idea to kill the genuine and innocent Clutter family first. Perry finally yields responsibility for all four murders. Although Rotter’s 1996 published study of internal and external locus of control came much later than the first published 1966 version of In Cold Blood, there is no doubt Perry is in full control of every situation leading up to the murders of a man, women, teenage girl and teenage boy. Perry claims the reason for his irrational behavior is his insecure relationship with his father, and his inevitable and inescapable paranoia, but Perry has more control over the situation than he thinks he does.
Perry was born in a small Nevada town and raised in Juneau, Alaska. His alcoholic mother was half-Indian and dies when he is only thirteen. Perry lives most of his life with his abusive father who was Irish. Growing up with three other brothers and sisters, Perry always feels like he simply isn’t getting enough attention. Throughout the book, Perry remains resentful of his father for discontinuing Perry’s education after the third grade. Perry’s three other siblings went on to graduate high school and Perry chose to mainly work. Perry and his dad never had a strong relationship, but they always worked close with each other. Several weeks before the devastation, Perry set out to Alaska to start a business with his father. Perry and his father bickered and bickered and this left their relationship in complete turmoil. Perry’s actions in the book demonstrate to the audience that his bad relationship with his siblings and father are what make him commit crime. Perry also clings onto Dick, as if Dick is a distraction or a respectable father figure. Just as a son would want his father to think, Capote writes, “…it was because he wanted Dick’s friendship, wanted Dick to ‘respect’ him, think of him as ‘hard’, as much as ‘the masculine type’ as he considered Dick to be” (107). Although Perry had a terrible relationship with many people in his life, he had the choice to fix many of them. He also had the choice to make better decisions then to follow Dick’s footsteps.
Throughout the book, Perry’s conscious follows him like a shadow through every journey. His paranoia for what previously happened in that quiet town haunts him. As the trial precedes Perry’s lawyer pushes to have Perry pled insanity. Dewy simply states,
“The crime was a psychological accident, virtually an impersonal act; the victims might as well have been killed by lightning. Except for one thing: they had experienced prolonged terror, they had suffered. And Dewey could not forget their sufferings. Nonetheless, he found it possible to look at the man beside him without anger—with, rather, a measure of sympathy—for Perry Smith's life had been no bed of roses but pitiful, an ugly and lonely progress toward one mirage or another” (45).
This passage shows the readers the possibility of fate; that no matter what, the Clutter family was bound to die. This passage also gives an excuse for a man killing four innocent people. Enduring a tough life is an acquired characteristic that should make you a stronger and nobler person. Bearing hardships is not an excuse to be wrong, is a reason to overcome adversity. Whether fate is the answer or not, the actions of Perry Smith are unacceptable by moral nature and by law and he had full control over any paranoia that occurred.
Although Capote’s portrayal for Perry Smith is very sympathetic, Perry Smith’s locus of control was intrinsically persuaded throughout the entire book. Perry pointed many fingers at other people, but after all he did say, “Now, that’s something I despise. Anybody who can’t control themselves” (243).