In Cold Blood Analysis
In Cold Blood Group Questions Group Member Names: Emmory Stump, Marley Miller, James Rizkallah, David Walzer Directions: Answer the following questions in complete sentences, citing quotes as needed. Do not just "divide and conquer" these questions separately. Work together to discuss your ideas, formulate an answer, then look for quotes to support your claims. In Part One how does the diction (word choice) and syntax (sentence style) change between the segments focused on the Clutter family versus those focused on Dick and Perry? Explain these differences and find three strong examples for each (6 total) which are illustrative of your claim. When the segments are focused on Dick and Perry the sentences become more simple, and there...show more content...
What do these stylistic elements add to the story? Metaphors: These allow the author to compare to subjects while still maintaining the flow of a formal tone such as that of an academic essay. This also allows the author to use a broader vocabulary which keeps their overall writing at a higher level because the author does not have to use the word "like" which is preached as lower level diction which is used in a simile. Diction: Depending on the word choice the author uses they can provide a more complete and detailed analysis of a topic. Advanced and diverse vocabulary use also helps to keep the reader engaged by not creating a monotone voice with author and descriptive language allows the reader to picture in their mind what the author is saying which also helps them to understand the author's argument. Foreshadowing: What is your opinion on the writing of "imaginative non–fiction"? Does this type of book provide a window that one can use to see a realistic view of an historical event? Or does it create a false view of reality? Discuss and come to an agreement as a
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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...show more content...
The true art of the non–fiction novel is the missing information that is filled in by the author. Capote does a good job of recreating what had happened before the murders took place. He had a subjective view of Holcomb in the introduction, but he describes it skillfully, trying to bring out the contrast of the quiet small town and the events that were going to take place there. With the extensive research that was done by Capote, he could formulate a good picture of what had happened before the murder. He uses a technique where he splits the story in two, and then moving from one scene with the Clutter family, too the murderers, Dick and Perry and then later between the murderers and the investigating detectives. This allows the reader to constantly be aware of what was taking place and when it had happened. Capote also uses it to create more suspense in the story, leaving you after every scene wanting to know more. Capote used a third person, omniscient point of view in writing the non–fiction novel. This allowed him to convey the thoughts of some of the characters, allowing the reader to be inside the characters mind, experiencing the emotional reality of each scene. This is what makes it a non–fiction novel, the story that was formed by adding little bits of information created by the Get more content
In Cold Blood
Watching this documentary was very eye opening and I learned a lot from it. I think it's important for us to see real life examples like this and not just listen to statistics so we fully understand and learn more from it. I'm a little bit torn because on one hand I feel that Chris was really strong and brave how he came back after failing his drug test. It would be extremely difficult to get back on the court while everyone from the stands was yelling rude things and calling him 'junkie'. On the other hand though, he should have never done any of that in the first place. Not only would it be hard for Chris, but his family. It must have been extremely difficult for them watching him go through that. I'm sure they wanted to help and do...show more content...
He continuously got so many chances. He received more chances than he deserved. In the end, he did finally learn his lesson, but it took a lot. I feel that once you've done something that serious, it only takes one time of getting caught, to realize that there shouldn't be anymore and that he needed to be done. He had a wife and kids of his own which he really put on the line and left them hanging there for a while. Also, he had put in so much effort, and countless hours in the gym, that I'm not sure how he would be okay just throwing that all away for a little 'fun' or 'relief'. I think that's the reason he kept doing it. He never got any real punishment because he always had a basketball team to go back to. No one ever seriously laid down the law and so he thought he could do whatever he wanted without
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In Cold Blood Analysis
People learn what to expect from life from what has happened to them in the past. Perry Smith from In Cold Blood by Truman Capote gained a completely unrealistic view on reality. From his parents in rodeos, and his father and his search for Alaskan Gold, to his mother's problems with alcoholism and infidelity, he grew to have an extreme disconnect from reality. Perry's traumatic childhood left him with a skewed sense of reality, preventing any chance for him to live a normal life, and ultimately led to him murdering the Clutters. Perry's childhood was an unfortunately tragic, formative time for him. When he was little, Perry's mother was "entertaining" sailors, and when Perry's father got home, he attacked his wife and the sailors scarring Perry for years to come and he later said that he was "scared because I thought my father was going to hurt me, also because he was beating my mother"(Capote274). Later, he was sent to an orphanage where he was abused by nuns who "Had a flashlight and hit [him] with it. Hit [him] and hit [him]." and "Whipped him for wetting his bed"(Capote93). Then, he was sent to another orphanage, this one even worse. One nurse made Perry's life a living hell until she nearly killed him. She would "Fill a tub full of ice–cold water, put [him] in it, and hold [him] under 'till [he] was blue" (Capote132). All of these things led to a biased look at what he thought and hoped his future could hold. Perry's traumatic childhood led to a disconnect from reality and future issues with discerning reality from dreams and fiction. After being beat by the one of the nuns, Perry saw a bird that attacked and killed all of the nuns in the orphanage. For Perry this was the first of many times where he saw a yellow bird after a traumatic event. He believed this bird was his guardian angel: "taller than Jesus, yellow like a sunflower, a warrior angel who blinded the nuns with its beak, fed upon their eyes, slaughtered them as they "pleaded for mercy," then so gently lifted him[Perry], enfolded him, winged him away to "paradise""(Capote93). Once he got out of the orphanages, he met his father and was taught to "Dream of gold"(Capote133). His plan to find gold in Mexico after killing the Clutters ended
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In Cold Blood Analysis
Throughout In Cold Blood, Truman Capote combines fact and fiction to portray the 1959 murder of the Clutter family. Capote divided his novel into four parts, each of which contain some form of falsehood and exaggeration. During Capote's research of the Clutter family murders, he became emotionally involved with the Two murderers, Richard 'Dick' Hickock and Perry Smith. The validity of the claims present in the novel are tainted by Capote's attachment with Perry Smith, Perry's portrayal is one of sympathy rather than malice. Many of the people in the town of Holcomb felt no sympathy for Perry and believed that his execution was just. Capote however, did not want Perry to be executed, this sympathetic viewpoint is likely due to the relationship between Perry Smith and Truman Capote.
In part one of the novel, Perry is shown be a short, disproportionate man with hopes of a better life somewhere else. On the other hand, Dick is portrayed as man who is impulsive, narrow minded and sexually deviant. Dick desires material things such as money, and sex. The novel depict dick as, "very literal–minded, very, he had no understanding of music, poetry" (Capote 16). Perry is the complete opposite of Dick and has no inclination for Dicks material wants. All Perry desires is a place to "shed your clothes, put on a relaxed grin, live like a Rajah" (Capote 14). Capotes depiction of the two characters are very different, and likely skewed from the truth. After all, Perry was the one who murdered the entire Clutter family.
Part two of the novel, Perry's backstory is revealed and the reader is compelled to sympathize with Perry much more than before. It is shown that Perry's father left him and his mother when he was young and that his mother turned to alcohol to cope. Alcohol is demonized in the eyes of Perry due to his mother's dependency on it. This helps to depict Perry as an honest man who wants to be a functioning member of society, rather than the drunken mess that is his mother. Perrys early life is shown to be a very abusive and unwelcoming place for a child, these facts are presented without mention of his involvement with street gangs and petty crime. The true backstory of Perry Smith is indeed a sad one, but it also Get more content
Capote
How Does
Create Sympathy
Our mind's will open to discern what is truly just when distinguishing the similarities between us humans. We fundamentally believe that all humans are equal and the identification of similarities further strengthens our bonds. On the other hand, our distinctive differences can further set us apart and we won't feel acceptance. For example, in the early stages of the story, "Each had hate in his heart, and murder uppermost in his mind" (Saki 7). Ulrich and Georg viewed one another as a polar opposites and strayed apart from each other as individuals. The only thing that concerned them was shooting each other in "cold blood" (7). However, as the story progressed Ulrich "looked across at the man who was fighting so grimly against pain and exhaustion"
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In Cold Blood Analysis
In Cold Blood Analysis
Through Capote's careful use of imagery in his literary nonfiction "In Cold Blood," he effectively conveys tones of distress and sorrow as well as tones of redemption and mercy (often even appearing in the same piece, which can have varying affects on the experience of the reader depending on context). He accomplishes this through the use of spiritual and naturalistic imagery.Capote's purpose is to guide the reader into feeling sympathy for Perry Smith by describing a major part of the Clutter murders and investigation through his point of view, elaborating on Perry's feelings especially. While Capote remains "factual" in his telling of the story, he does include personal dialogue and opinions, especially of Perry's, to emotionally influence the reader, perhaps to suggest that Perry is misguided more than he is "bad." His purpose for intentionally doing this is uncertain. Capote's novel contains a wealth of dark and imagery, especially in regard to Perry. The author's opinion of Perry is clear from the very beginning when he states that six shotgun blasts ended "six human lives." (P1) Capote purposely fails to mention the occurrence of any sort of murder to begin with, and when he states the number of deaths, he includes the very killers with the killed, the guilty Dick Hickock and Perry Smith with the innocent Clutter family. Not only this, but Capote makes sure to surround Perry with a certain air of hopelessness and defeat, making him out to be a victim of the world around him. Throughout almost all of Perry's life, he has always been the victim of his situation, whether it's being mistreated by his parents, being beaten and abused by nuns, having to live without his siblings, "slaving away" for his father in Alaska, getting imprisoned for his own crimes, getting into a motorcycle accident, or being manipulated by Dick. Throughout the novel, Perry believes himself to be a product of his environment, always blaming others for his own behavior and choices. Even so, this intentional depiction of Perry becomes less noticeable when considering that almost everything else, even outside of Perry's own perspective, seems to go wrong. Even the Clutter funeral was horribly depressing, when what could have been a
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In Cold Blood Essay Topics
Since 'In Cold Blood' is an older book, essay topics maybe tired and old by now. So it is important to find new exciting ways to make students think about this book while still using their skills learned in class.
In Cold Blood
Truman Capote's In Cold Blood is a variety of subjects in one, philosophy on life or murder, journalism due to the fact that the story is a nonfiction retelling, literature, english, history with the story of the Clutter murders, and even religion with Perry and his struggles with belief.
Below is a list of different types of essay questions based on the type of essay needed for the course.
In Cold Blood Book and Movie Adaptation
Truman Capote in 1959
Truman Capote
In Cold Blood has many...show more content... What is missing, what was added, and why?
How did the actors in the movie In Cold Blood portray the rotten characters? Did they do a good job of embodying the characters as Capote wrote of them?
Essay Topics for Compare and Contrast
Some other ideas for compare and contrast essay subjects are:
Compare Richard (Dick) Hickock and Perry Smith. How are they similar, and how are they different? What about their background has made
In Cold Blood Essay
them the same or different?
Compare the family dynamics of the Clutters and what Perry Smith and Richard Hickock believe family is? What are the apparent differences between the relationship Capote had with Richard Hickock and the relationship he had with Perry Smith, by how he wrote of each character?
Research the news about the case of the Clutters. Determine what may be creative license or fiction from Capote's story. In Cold Blood is a type of nonfiction novel, what other novels within a decade of this one are similar or different and why? Essay Topics for Cause and Effect
There are also cause and effect ideas that could be fun for this book for students.
What causes within In Cold Blood does Capote infer caused Perry Smith's criminal
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In Cold Blood Analysis
Connor Rethman
Mrs. Franscell
English 3 AP/Dual
2 Dec. 2011
Nonfiction on a New Level Crime and glimpses into the heads of criminal masterminds has always been something that fascinates people. Although crime is a terrible thing, the complexity and intricacy of it is something that people love to hear about. One can turn on the news at any given time and almost certainly hear an account of some form of a crime within ten minutes. In the novel In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, an account to a perplexing crime is taken to a whole new level. The Clutter family was a charming family of four that lived in the little town of Holcomb, Kansas. They were brutally murdered with no apparent motive by Dick Hickock and Perry Smith, two men that had...show more content...
Capote develops the novel to a point that the reader feels like they are a part of the novel, primarily through imagery. Throughout In Cold Blood, Truman Capote uses multiple points of view. He starts out as an outside narrator that knows everything that is going on and everyone's thoughts. This is seen especially when introducing the Clutter family to the reader. When Capote was simply introducing the Clutters, he says, "...since his wife's illness and the departure of the elder daughters, Mr. Clutter had of necessity learned to cook; either he or Nancy, but principally Nancy, prepared the family meals" (Capote 9). Outside narration allows the reader to know things about all of the characters that another form of narration could not provide. This gives the reader a clear understanding of the nature and lifestyle of these characters. Later in the story, Capote switches to first person narration. He has whole chapters composed of quotes from people that were important witnesses to the story. For example, Susan Kidwell, one of Nancy's close friends, is the narrator of one of the chapters. When discussing Nancy, she said "We were like sisters. At least, that's how I felt about her – as though she were my sister" (Capote 94). Capote provides this quote from Susan
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Should Perry have a more intense death then dick or in Vis versa or should they have the same death penalty? The time is 1959 in Holcombe Kansas. The book is called In Cold Blood. The main problem is that these people with the names Dick Hickhock and Perry Smith, killed a family that goes by the name the clutters. The father and loving husband that never drank or smoked and neither did his employees because he would fire them if they got caught. His throat was cut and he was shot. The wife was bound gagged and shot, Nancy was bound and shot as well and so was her brother. All with a double barrel 12 gage shotgun. The murderers ran away to Mexico for a little while then made the mistake of singing their real manes to the forged checks. They...show more content...
Perry states that Dick kept saying no witnesses. This tells you that Perry had been influenced by Dick to kill the clutters. He also said "I thought he was a witness, I don't know what stopped me. I should have done it. Shot him dead" (pg244–245). This also supports because the fact that Perry wanted to kill Dick this helps people see that Perry is guilty of wanting to commit 5 murders instead of 4. Something else that supports the thesis is the matter of both of them doing terrible actions before, during and after the crime. The first example is that dick wanted to rape Nancy. This says that dick has done some bad things in his life and he is into little girls. The second piece of evidence is that Perry killed the clutters, he slit herd clutters throat. Perry stated that "it sounded like someone trying to gasp for air under water"(pg. 243). That is a really brutal way to kill someone. Another reason why Dick and Perry are as equally guilty is the fact that they flew the crime together. For example the book states "The affable young man with whom he was sharing the front said his name was dick and that's Perry the driver said I can take you as far as Omaha dick said thank you sir Omaha's were we were headed hoped we might find some work"(pg. 172). This indicates that dick and Perry were still traveling together all the way to Omaha. Witch helps support the main reason because instead of
In Cold Blood Analysis
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