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Truman Capote's In Cold Blood

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The Clutter family lives a prosperous, although rather quiet life in Holcomb, the Clutter family lives the American Dream they were not born into wealth, but they worked hard and managed a comfortable life, until their murder. Dick and Perry on the other hand, are criminals they squandered their first chance at the American Dream before they ever met each other, but they take any measures to make sure it does no slip through their fingers. In Truman Capotes true crime novel In Cold Blood the idea of the American Dream is interviewed throughout the story of a brutal murder. The American Dream is the idea that people who live in America have the chance, opportunity and right to prosperity. The American dream attracts people rich and poor, rural …show more content…
In Midwestern America, it is believed that a simple life with hard work leads to prosperity, whereas two ex-cons who missed their first chance at the dream, yet still desperate to be rich, feel the only way to achieve their “American dream” is through illegal methods. As the two ideas of the American dream conflict, Capote illustrates the everlasting frailty of the dream and how one wrong move can lead to despair and heartbreak. The Clutter family lives a quiet life in Holcomb, most consider their life to be the epitome of the American dream. Herb clutter the father of the family is a decent man who has built himself up from very little and has achieved great prosperity. ( pg 5-57) This life is broken and destroyed the night, Dick Hickock and Perry Smith came to town with only the idea of money on their mind. ( pg 57-58) Herb who works tirelessly to provide for his family to create a nurturing environment where his children could run wild and thrive finds all of his hard work and dedication undone in the span of 12 hours. The American Dream takes everything to achieve and sometimes even that is not enough as all the work can be unraveled in the blink of an …show more content…
Dick attempts to rob the clutter household, but he finds that there is nothing of value to steal, and so murders the family for no reason other than to remain anonymous.(pg 239-246) Dick’s dream of the American Dream is again destroyed and he must start again, Dick travels to Mexico for a fresh start, but he looses all the money gambling and must start over. (pg 123-125) Dick however, is unable to try again, dick and perry are caught and put in jail for the murders, even in jail dick dreams of escape of living in the Rockies alone without any problems, this is Dicks last attempt at achieving the dream, the idea does not go very far but it shows that the American Dream is easily swayed but hard to end permanently. (pg 262-263) In contrast, Perry Smith, Dicks partner in crime, grew up with an unsupportive family and had a very hard time being educated because his dad did not want anyone smarter than him. (pg 133-140) Perry’s ideas of the American Dream are fantastical and involve a lot of money, or an escape across the border to Mexico.

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