...festering obsession with money and fame. A perfect example of this would undoubtedly be Truman Capote. Capote was a literary mastermind who achieved the American Dream at a relatively young age , only to have it ripped away from him because of his own recklessness and self destructive decisions. Truman Capote was born Truman Streckfus Persons in 1924 in New Orleans, Louisiana (Boon 2). Truman had a childhood that was far from ideal in all aspects. His mother was Lille Mae Faulkner, a former Miss Alabama who would later commit suicide and his father Arch Persons was a businessman whom Truman was never close to (Boon 4). Capote’s parents divorced when he was young and his mother who saw herself not fit to be a mother, sent a young Truman to be raised by her relatives in Alabama. Truman developed a close friendship with his next door neighbor, Harper Lee. As children, Lee and Capote both knew that hey wanted to be authors and would later serve as inspiration for the other’s writing. Truman’s mother who had relocated to New York City remarried a wealthy Cuban businessman, Joseph Capote (Patterson 10). After she suffered from multiple miscarriages and come to the realization that she could no longer have children, Truman’s mother called for him to be sent to live with her. When he arrived in New York, Truman was legally adopted by his stepfather and began using the surname Capote (Boon 6). Truman attended the Trinity School but completely disregarded his education and earned extremely...
Words: 950 - Pages: 4
...The concrete dictionary definition of a protagonist is the leader of the story. Many people would say Perry Smith, the murder of the Clutter family is our protagonist; however, we would need to include Richard Hickock because without him, this novel and crime wouldn’t have happened. There can only be one true protagonist in a story. This is why Truman Capote the author and controller of In Cold Blood is our protagonist. This novel that very obviously is biased. The reader can only view the story through Capote’s eyes. Capote was especially opinionated on two things, capital punishment and the felons themselves. It is very apparent that Capote is against capital punishment. He places several anti-death penalty statements and uses this book to...
Words: 415 - Pages: 2
...Truman Capote once said, “No one will ever know what In Cold Blood took out of me. It scraped me right down to the marrow of my bones. It nearly killed me. I think, in a way, it did kill me.” What about In Cold Blood was so harrowing for Capote? The answer is not clear from the quote but the answer can definitely be found in his book. The answer can be discerned by examining and analyzing his use of rhetorical elements. Thus, Capote’s projected persona must be examined, his audience must be identified, his relationship with the audience must be analyzed, his central message must be dissected, the arrangement of his arguments must be sorted out, the context must be explained, and the influence of the context must be thoroughly understood. By understanding these elements and their roles in In Cold Blood it will give readers an insight into Capote’s purpose and experience as an author. The First Rhetorical Question The first question that must be answered when examining the rhetorical elements is: “What kind of person does the writer or speaker seem to be?” This simply means to look at Capote’s diction and tone and determine his persona. In Cold Blood is alleged to be entirely factual; however, Capote blatantly infuses biases in the novel to further his overall argument and entertain readers. Capote shows himself in the text as a recorder of events, a reporter of the murders of the Clutter family, detailing the lives of every person involved. However, he gives special attention...
Words: 1408 - Pages: 6
...Truman Capote’s non-fiction novel, In Cold Blood, was a breakthrough in literacy in that it was accredited as the first non-fiction novel. There was a lot of controversy when the book was first published because of the incredibility of the work. This could be expected in that time, because people where not familiar with the concept of non-fiction novels yet, but this is where the beauty of this style of writing lies, the recreation of the truth. It would have been impossible for Capote to have documented the occurrence fully, because he only read about the murder after it had happen, after all, this was not what he wanted to do. Capote got a lot of criticism for the book, because of him bending the truth, putting in scenes that never happened and his ways of gathering information, but people still saw the talent that went into creating the non-fiction novel. Truman Capote will forever be recognized for this novel and the contribution he made to literacy. In this essay we will be discussing the strengths and weaknesses of In Cold Blood when it delivers facts and the credibility of the work. We will also be discussing the strengths and weaknesses of the novel when Capote bends reality and ad some parts of fiction. Capote never intended for In Cold Blood to be a documentary of the multiple murder that happened in the small town of Holcomb. When Capote published his novel, people where not familiar with non-fiction novels. People knew of the murders that had happened and started...
Words: 1242 - Pages: 5
...In cold Blood Research Paper In the novel In Cold Blood, Truman Capote explores a true story of two criminals Perry Smith and Dick Hickock who are convicted and executed for killing the Clutter family. The book follows the journey of these two criminals who are revealed to us as, not so much criminals but normal people with a different background and upbringing who have made not so good decisions, this draws us in as readers and we do not see them as dangerous criminals on the run, but troubled people with a sensitive past who have gotten caught up in something they could not have imagined themselves. Capote generates this effect from In Cold Blood, by it being a true story and having one on one personal interviews with the men while they were on trial, or as the book revealed; death row. We pick up on Dick’s more strong and masculine personality traits and learn of Perry’s more laid back and not as strong personality as Dick’s. In the midst of the reader’s coming close to them, both Dick and Perry are caught for the crime they committed together and tried for the murder, ultimately they are given the death penalty....
Words: 588 - Pages: 3
...Books Isn’t Always Bad” discusses how many “concerned group of parents regularly pressure school boards to keep controversial classics out of the classroom” because of the violence and immoral values they portray for underage students. Books like “Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann (about three young women who abuse drugs to escape the pressures of show business); The Godfather by Mario Puzo (about the Italian-American mafia); and In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (about two real-life mass murderers)” are what should be kept out of high schools because those types of books for students who are exposed to the everyday dangers of drugs, gangs, and violence in schools make it seem okay in these books. Dawkins goes further on explaining how many high school teachers, including herself, agree with parents in the sense that these books are not age appropriate to be taught in a high school classroom especially in a setting where all of these issues are present everyday. I totally agree with Rebecca Dawkins that high school students would not relate to most characters in controversial books, teachers have no time to teach long controversial books, and books such as Capote’s and Puzo’s do present behavior that is immoral. First, I agree with Rebecca Dawkins that high school students would not relate to most characters in controversial books. Although many high school students face the dangers of drugs and violence at schools, they would not relate to any of the characters in the...
Words: 860 - Pages: 4
...punishes those who never had a real chance in life. Truman Capote, author of the non-fiction novel ‘In Cold Blood’, published in 1965 tells the story of the Clutter family murders. Capote uses the facts that he collected from the immediate people surrounding the case to establish his story. Capote uses these facts to establish scenes for the reader and allows them to see the Clutter family on their last day and the story of Perry and Dick. Capote also uses his novel to criticise the justice system of Kansas who punishes those who never had a real chance at life. ‘In Cold Blood’ contains details of the bias atmosphere that was present throughout the trial, the slighting of the M’Naghten rule and the stance that the result of capital punishment was unfairly executed. In the state of Kansas, the M’Naghten rule is not recognised and the justice system refuses to allow it to alter their cases. The M’Naghten rule states that the jurors ought to be told in all cases that every man is to be presumed sane, and to possess a sufficient degree of reason to be responsible for his crimes, until the contrary be proved to their satisfaction. Capote implies that this was a major missing link in the case of Perry Edward Smith and Richard Eugene (‘Dick’) Hickok. Capote tries to show his readers at multiple stages throughout the novel that Perry and Dick were not the perfect models for sane people. Capote truly embeds his criticism of the justice system for punishing Perry and Dick, who never had...
Words: 1221 - Pages: 5
...been a perplexing thought within the minds of many humans throughout history. From watching Law and Order or tuning into the famous OJ Simpson Trial, we as people are captivated by why some would commit this atrocious act against their fellow man. Just like in Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood and Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Tell Tale Heart,” where both try to peer into the minds of murderers using symbolism and themes of madness; yet, the narrator's perspective and overall tone differ. Throughout both stories the authors explore themes of madness, be it focused on a main character or the narrator themself. In his book, In Cold Blood, Truman Capote explores sanity through Perry Smith, the man who famously murdered the Clutter family in their home in Holcomb, Kansas; all because him and his accomplice wanted access to the Clutter family’s safe. Perry was a happy child until his father started brutally beating his mother, who then took to drinking and promiscuity. Eventually she dragged her kids to San Francisco, where Perry was getting into trouble constantly. He blamed it on having "no rule or discipline, or anyone to show me right from wrong." (Capote 275) This lead to Perry’s...
Words: 1168 - Pages: 5
...One of the most important aspects of a non-fiction book is that it be truthful. In fact, that is one of the only criteria. Truman Capote's In Cold Blood has raised some serious thoughts on whether or not it can be trusted in the literary world as completely factual, as Capote himself stated. It is extremely important that authors who state the work they have written is true, that it is, for the most part, unbiased and as factual as possible. One of the few pros of spicing up a true story is to make it more interesting. Audiences want to read a story that has a flair. In Cold Blood has recieve rave reviews since its' release in 1965. "Conrad Knickerbocker called the book, 'a remarkable, tensely exciting, moving, superbly written 'true account''" (Source B). However, even with kind literary reviews, Capote is still accused of false information, as examplified by the quotation marks around "true account."...
Words: 456 - Pages: 2
...Truman Capote’s novel “In Cold Blood” was a very monumental step in the genre of real crime, mostly due to his extreme narrative take on this true story. The story in which an average farm family were brutally murdered by two men for a shameful amount of money. These two men are none other than Dick Hickock and Perry Smith. Both being main focal points in Truman Capote’s way of making a true story into a narrative. He uses these two as something to relate to, making the reader understand them and feel more compassion for them. Slowly twisting the truth to make the reader depict the image of two normal men incapable of doing such a misdeed. With all of this in mind I believe Truman does this to make you very confused about the two. Making the readers opinion become the central reason why this novel is considered a narrative because without there would nothing be guiding the narrative....
Words: 476 - Pages: 2
...In the novels Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson and In Cold Blood by Truman Capote both authors demonstrate their use of characters and their change throughout the novel. In Kidnapped, the characters David and Ebenezer Balfour and the characters Herb Clutter, Perry, and Alvin Dewey in In Cold Blood are dynamic characters because they all undergo a change within the novels. Furthermore, Capote and Stevenson use suspense to promote the character dynamics within the novels. Capote and Stevenson cohesively use suspense with irony, the theme of chase and the overall structure of their novels to illustrate the character dynamics. Suspenseful irony is used to show the change in character throughout the novels. Suspense adds to the theme of chase because the characters try to converge on something they are after. The structure of the novels plays to the authors’ use of suspense in their own styles. Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel, Kidnapped, depicts the adventures of David Balfour in search of his inheritance in the perilous Scottish Highlands in 1751. David comes close to retrieving his inheritance, but his uncle, Ebenezer Balfour, has other plans for David. He tries to kill David by coercing him to climb a rickety, old stair-tower. David barely manages to make it out alive because his uncle has lied to him about the condition of the stairs thus the devious side of Ebenezer Balfour emerges. Ebenezer’s failed attempt to get rid of David calls for the use of his secondary plan involving...
Words: 3051 - Pages: 13
...In Cold Blood is a novel written by Truman Capote that is cited as the first nonfiction book. The novel was completely factual and recounted the events of a Kansas serial killing, while being presented like a piece of fictional literature. This book paved the way to creating a new genre and caused an influx of nonfiction work. The novel details the murder case of the Clutter family set in a closely knit, religious Kansas community. It recounts all the gruesome details of their murders. In Cold Blood explores the killers, Dick and Perry, pasts and their motivations. The book also presses a question that can still not be answered today; is the death penalty humane? Despite being a nonfiction novel, Capote’s work still contains a multitude of literary devices. One symbol in the novel was Mexico. Dick and Perry escaped to Mexico and had delusions that it would be a cheap place to stay where they could get a lot of women. They soon learned they were incorrect when they quickly became broke and it didn't crack up to the paradise try dreamed it to be. This symbolizes the line between reality and fantasy. Not everything in life turns out how you think and nothing ever comes easy without hard work. Perry himself is also a symbol. He symbolizes the grayness of morality and the fuzzy line between good and evil. Although Perry is a murderer, it’s hard not to feel...
Words: 684 - Pages: 3
...Analysis of Truman Capote’s Purpose and Language in “In Cold Blood” Truman Capote, author of “In Cold Blood” wrote this book, like most authors, for the entertainment of others, but he has created a new genre, true crime. This wasn’t his intended purpose but it was the start to crime drama. If Capote didn’t write this crime entertainment wouldn’t be the same. This novel was different than anything ever done before, making this genre more appealing to consumers creating a feedback loop expanding the industry. His actions are clearly effective through the strong evidence of crime drama in today’s society. This new genre let readers ‘get into the mind’ of the criminals which is appealing to the average person. A backstory doesn’t justify...
Words: 683 - Pages: 3
...Everyone comes from a different environment. What influences us in becoming the person we are or meant to be? There are several things that influence our life from utero to birth and then form birth to death. Some are the environment around us while some from the natural aspects like our features which we inherit from our parents. Whatever we do, good or bad, it helps form who we are. Family, education, financial status, are some of the factors that come into play when we think about how an individual is molded into who they are. Or is an individual born with these qualities? Are cold blooded killers naturally born as killers? The environment where you grew in may have a great effect on you. It influences the way you behave and respond to situations. What shapes us and how we...
Words: 1190 - Pages: 5
...writers would even look towards fiction for the resources to describe what was considered impossible to describe (Taylor). One way writers have been able to do this is through nonfiction novels. A nonfiction novel is a narrative, of book-length, that unfolds actual events and actual people written in the style of a novel (“Nonfiction Novel”). This style of a novel implies that the book being spoken of can be looked at as art as well as fact (Sharlet). In the mid 1960’s, a nonfiction novel journey began, beginning with the narrative journalistic qualities of Truman Capote, continuing with the story telling of such authors as Norman Mailer, and then continues to stay constant throughout present day literature with works like Katherine Boo’s display of immersion journalism. Truman Capote is said to have invented this new genre in 1966 with, what some call his finest work, the book In Cold Blood (“Truman Capote”). In Cold Blood details the 1959 murders of Herbert Clutter, his wife, and two of their children (Wikipedia). Even before the murderers were captured, Capote decided to travel to Kansas and write about the quadruple crime (Wikipedia). This nonfiction novel represents the genre well, primarily because it was based on approximately six years of research, including interviews with the neighbors and friends of the victims and even the two captured murderers (“Nonfiction...
Words: 1282 - Pages: 6
