Unknown In Truman Capote's In Cold Blood
In Cold Blood Analysis Essay: Persons Unknown
In part two of Truman Capote’s thrilling masterpiece, In Cold Blood; Persons
Unknown, religion is observed repetitively throughout the chapters, from the frightened town of Holcomb in the aftermath of the murderers, to the hasty escape of the murderers, Perry and Dick.
The second section of the book begins with a town paralyzed with fear since the recent murders of the honorable Clutter family, because “Of all the people in the world, the Clutters were the least likely to be murdered.” (85) They were good, church going people. “A belief in God and the ritual surrounding that belief--- church every Sunday, grace before meals, prayers before bed” (105) were common in Holcomb. Yet even through the gruesome murders of the respected family, the towns faith never wavered. Their faith in God was so unyielding that even though their towns most beloved family had just been brutally murdered they did not want the killer to be executed because “the deed is done and taking another life cannot change it. Instead, let us forgive as God would have us do.”(107) They knew that “The doer of this act is going to find it very difficult indeed to live with himself. His only peace of mind will be when he goes to God for forgiveness,” and for Dick Hickock and Perry Smith, God forgiveness was …show more content…
the last thing they had on their mind.
“As a child [Dick Hickock] attended church” (109) yet he had never “come near a belief in God.” (109) He was unremorseful, and he couldn’t be “troubled by superstition.
Unlike Perry, he was convinced that a broken mirror meant seven years’ misfortune.” (109) That isn’t the only thing Perry and Dick differed on. Perry believed that “there must be something wrong with [them]” (108) and that he didn’t “believe it- that anyone could get away with” (109) what they did. On the contrary side Dick “believed he was balanced, as sane as anyone” and that they “ain’t gonna be caught” (91) . Perry also was raised in a church, et on the more unorthodox
side.
When Perry’s mother died when he was seven he was living “in a California orphanage run by nuns,”(93) who would beat him, at one point with a flash light, for wetting the bed. It was the reason he had “an aversion to nuns. And God. And religion.” (132) Yet often in his dreams “a parrot […] taller than Jesus, yellow like a sunflower” (93) would punish his tormenters and “haul him to heaven.” (120)
With religion, comes morals, and it is clear that although Perry was raised in a stricter, more severe religious atmosphere, he is a kinder more remorseful person than Dick. Perry envied Dick for having “fathered three sons”(98) where he himself had never been married or had kids. Whereas Dick thought it “would have been fun if [his] second wife had been…” at the Clutter house that fateful night.
In part two of Truman Capote’s thrilling masterpiece, In Cold Blood; Persons
Unknown, religion is observed repetitively throughout the chapters, from the frightened town of Holcomb in the aftermath of the murderers, to the hasty escape of the murderers, Perry and Dick.
The second section of the book begins with a town paralyzed with fear since the recent murders of the honorable Clutter family, because “Of all the people in the world, the Clutters were the least likely to be murdered.” (85) They were good, church going people. “A belief in God and the ritual surrounding that belief--- church every Sunday, grace before meals, prayers before bed” (105) were common in Holcomb. Yet even through the gruesome murders of the respected family, the towns faith never wavered. Their faith in God was so unyielding that even though their towns most beloved family had just been brutally murdered they did not want the killer to be executed because “the deed is done and taking another life cannot change it. Instead, let us forgive as God would have us do.”(107) They knew that “The doer of this act is going to find it very difficult indeed to live with himself. His only peace of mind will be when he goes to God for forgiveness,” and for Dick Hickock and Perry Smith, God forgiveness was …show more content…
the last thing they had on their mind.
“As a child [Dick Hickock] attended church” (109) yet he had never “come near a belief in God.” (109) He was unremorseful, and he couldn’t be “troubled by superstition.
Unlike Perry, he was convinced that a broken mirror meant seven years’ misfortune.” (109) That isn’t the only thing Perry and Dick differed on. Perry believed that “there must be something wrong with [them]” (108) and that he didn’t “believe it- that anyone could get away with” (109) what they did. On the contrary side Dick “believed he was balanced, as sane as anyone” and that they “ain’t gonna be caught” (91) . Perry also was raised in a church, et on the more unorthodox
side.
When Perry’s mother died when he was seven he was living “in a California orphanage run by nuns,”(93) who would beat him, at one point with a flash light, for wetting the bed. It was the reason he had “an aversion to nuns. And God. And religion.” (132) Yet often in his dreams “a parrot […] taller than Jesus, yellow like a sunflower” (93) would punish his tormenters and “haul him to heaven.” (120)
With religion, comes morals, and it is clear that although Perry was raised in a stricter, more severe religious atmosphere, he is a kinder more remorseful person than Dick. Perry envied Dick for having “fathered three sons”(98) where he himself had never been married or had kids. Whereas Dick thought it “would have been fun if [his] second wife had been…” at the Clutter house that fateful night.