Although In Cold Blood’s second section, “Persons Unknown”, provides, among other things, a chronological recap of Perry and Dick’s adventures in Mexico, Capote also intends to humanize Perry and, to a lesser degree, Dick; therefore he proves that even the lowliest of human caste deserve their perspective acknowledged. Perry and Dick both were initially portrayed as merciless, cold-blooded killers. But in “Persons Unknown”, this characterization is challenged time and time again. After stealing from stores all across Missouri, he breaks down and his speaking goes from eloquent to anacoluthic; “‘What about Dad? I feel--oh, Jesus, he’s such a good old guy. And my mother--well, you saw her. What about them? Me, I’ll be off in Mexico…’” (Capote 99). Multiple times throughout this segment, Dick’s sentence structure breaks down, as demarcated by dashes. Showing that Dick cares about something, anything at all, is proof that he is not a heartless criminal. He cares about his family as any good citizen might. Like any good citizen, he has strengths just as he has flaws. However, Dick is not isolated in his dynamic representation. …show more content…
Almost out of the blue, while sitting in a car with Dick, he says, “‘Know what I think? I think there must be something wrong with us. To do what we did’” (Capote 108). In a tactful combination between anadiplosis and euphemism, Perry’s doubts about his own humanity come to light. The mere fact that these thoughts are plaguing him is proof that he is not wholly an evil man. Like Dick, his inner struggles with wicked actions are not without a psychological price. It is far more realistic an expectation to empathize with Perry when it is clear that his reaction to his own wrongdoings are, at least in some part, akin to the reaction that one of a more noble class might