Summary Of Truman Capote's In Cold Blood

Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood documents the quadruple homicide of Herbert Clutter and his family in Holcomb, Kansas. It is not a true memoir, as Capote was not a part of the events that took place; he traveled to Kansas immediately following the murders to write about the ensuing investigation and fill in the blanks about the actual goings-on in Holcomb, 1959. His writing is a true account of the murder from the beginning; not only was he in Holcomb during the investigation, he spoke directly with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Finney County citizens, lawyers involved in the case, and people directly involved in the crime. His narrative is vivid, emotional, and most of all, profound. His contention with crime and violence is apparent through his powerful account of the murder and the investigation. Capote describes the story as if he
were there, in the room, during the murders. Vivid imagery is plastered across his writing; the pain and trauma of the event can be felt through his words: “Somehow he haunts me the most, Kenyon does. I think it’s because he was the most recognizable, the one that looked the most like himself--even though he’d been shot in the face, directly, head-on” (Capote 64). Abrasive words, such as “shot” and “direct,” coupled with his sympathy for the young boy, demonstrate Capote’s complex relationship with his memories. It is clear that each time he recalls his memory, it pains him--the despondent emotion in his writing is obvious. “A thing I can’t get out of my mind,” he says (Capote 65). But at the same time, he conveys a tone of hatred and disgust. He hates the acts performed on these innocent people; he hates the fact that it happened. His diction is littered with vicious language and disdain. He contends with the brutal murders by coping through hatred and sharp language. It is clear that what he witnessed in Kansas deeply resonated with him from an emotional standpoint, and affects his language and writing style. From the beginning of Capote’s account of the Holcomb massacre, I was shocked by his extensive use of imagery and the efficiency of his language; the sentences flow like water coursing along a smooth river. No words are wasted, and every word seems to burst with vivid, but necessary, details: “As for the interior, there were spongy displays of liver-colored carpet intermittently abolishing the glare of varnished, resounding floors; an immense modernistic living-room couch covered in nubby fabric interwoven with glittery strands of silver metal; a breakfast alcove featuring a banquette upholstered in blue-and-white plastic” (Capote 9). Capote’s language is intense, yet efficient. It describes the setting (in this case, a living room), but omits fluffy, unnecessary details. He has a true talent for providing imagery, which is an absolute joy to read. In the scenes describing the murders, Capote’s language is bone-chilling and shocking. Though it is almost impossible to recall such vivid details from memory (admitted by Capote when he described his book as a “non-fiction novel”), it tells a certain truth to the reader that could not be told from memory. His relationship with his memories is close, but distant; he wants to remain accurate but separate himself from the horrors of what he saw in Holcomb, Kansas. Capote’s narrative is distinct, powerful, and reveals much about what kind of a person he is. Truman Capote’s childhood was troubled by divorce and an extended absence from his mother.
It is clear that he knows a considerable amount about pain. Capote must have been emotionally struck by the events in Kansas, for family was something that he always wanted, and yet he witnessed the scene of a massacre of the so-called “perfect family.” Capote once said that the four years that he spent in Western Kansas doing research for In Cold Blood were very lonely and painful for him. He spent an endless amount of time writing by himself and thinking about what horrible things had occurred in Holcomb. His memory of the murder scene and the people who were close to the family both shocked him and deeply affected him. Though he did not witness the murder first-hand, he personally felt as if he were there; as if he were a part of the Clutter family. He copes with this traumatic experience through writing; he uses language to express his anger, sickness, and sorrow. It makes sense, then, that his language is so emotional and profound; it is his outlet for personal expression and his go-to method for the release of his strongest
emotions.