Use Of Imagery In Truman Capote's In Cold Blood

Holcomb, Kansas, a town with “hard blue skies” and “desert clear air”, is the focal point of the opening paragraphs of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood. It’s a town with dusty streets and flaking buildings that are consumed by “prairie twangs” and “frontier trousers”. Based on the word choices such as the ones above, it is very easy for us to gather a description of what Holcomb is like. Capote uses imagery and tone to accurately convey how he sees Holcomb: aged, calm, and lonesome.
Capote uses a lot of imagery in these paragraphs to express his view of the town. The use of phrases like “lonesome area”, “ramshackle mansion”, and the word “flaking” provide appeal to the sight. He continues to describe the feel of the town as well as how the