The Influence Of Family In Truman Capote's In Cold Blood
Is one born a murderer or does one become a murderer? That is the question being proposed in Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood . Capote tells the nonfiction story about the horrific murders that occurred in the 1950s regarding four members of the Clutter family that lived in Holcomb, Kansas. In their home the Clutters were tied up and brutally shot to death one by one in exchange for $52. Throughout the novel, the author develops the perspectives of both the murderers and the victims, however, narrows down on that of the murderers, Perry Smith and Richard, also known as Dick, Hickock. In exploring their perspectives, the reader learns what inspired them to commit such a heinous crime. We learn about their motives by diving into their upbringing.
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A strong knit bond between family promotes positive living and will tend to affect the way a child grows and the personality they develop. However, a dysfunctional family with abusive tendencies may create negative experiences for a child, which can traumatize and damage the child's mentality. The image of different types of family relationships are shown throughout the novel, which makes the reader understand why characters are the way they are. The influence of family is a very key theme in the novel because it exposes Perry Smith’s motives as to why he committed the gruesome killings, which makes the reader sympathize with Perry due to his abusive past. Perry came from a dysfunctional family, whose mother left his father taking him and his brothers and sisters. His mother started drinking which caused issues that lead his father to come back and find them. However, Perry’s father, was shunned by his children because they had learned to hate him. His father reveals “She got mad and then said said she would turn the children to hate me, which she did , all but Perry” (126), in regards to his wife. However, Perry and his father lived together and traveled around, until his father abandoned him. Not only was Perry abandoned by his family, but two of his siblings
A strong knit bond between family promotes positive living and will tend to affect the way a child grows and the personality they develop. However, a dysfunctional family with abusive tendencies may create negative experiences for a child, which can traumatize and damage the child's mentality. The image of different types of family relationships are shown throughout the novel, which makes the reader understand why characters are the way they are. The influence of family is a very key theme in the novel because it exposes Perry Smith’s motives as to why he committed the gruesome killings, which makes the reader sympathize with Perry due to his abusive past. Perry came from a dysfunctional family, whose mother left his father taking him and his brothers and sisters. His mother started drinking which caused issues that lead his father to come back and find them. However, Perry’s father, was shunned by his children because they had learned to hate him. His father reveals “She got mad and then said said she would turn the children to hate me, which she did , all but Perry” (126), in regards to his wife. However, Perry and his father lived together and traveled around, until his father abandoned him. Not only was Perry abandoned by his family, but two of his siblings