In Cold Blood Rhetorical Analysis

First, throughout pages 110-113, Capote uses point of view to create a full portrayal of Perry. Capote switches between 3rd person limited, where Capote shares Perry’s thoughts, and 3rd person omniscient, where Capote describes Perry’s conversation with Dick.

Capote manages to effectively create a complete impression of the character of Perry Smith by showing his remorse and how he confides in Dick. By Capote allowing the readers to see Perrys weak and vulnerable side, it gave off the impression that he too, no matter the deed, had feelings. Capote uses sympathy as a tone when Perry confides to Dick. He creates the illusion that Perry's life was difficult. By adding the “murder” story into it, it also gives off the parallel of him being lethal. Capote’s value of character is shown through Perry by enlightening how he feels towards his past actions. He creates a sympathetic tone towards Perry. Capote uses short sentences to emphasis the dramatic and terrible conditions that Perry was put through

In this chapter, Capote includes anecdotes and quotes that suggest the murders were plagued by inconsistencies and contradictions. As a result, the outcome of the crime was doomed, as were the lives of its perpetrators. First, the crime itself was conceptualized in prison, becoming a collaboration between individuals, who, by virtue of their previous actions, were untrustworthy. Based on recollections of a fellow inmate, Floyd Wells, Dick learned about the Clutter family and its affluence. Floyd described a safe in the house that contained cash. Robbing the Clutters, taking their cash and destroying witnesses became the essence of Dick and (later) Perry’s plan.

Capote describes the lightning fast reaction time in which lead investigator Alvin Dewey receives word that likely suspects to the murder of the Clutter family have been found in Las Vegas. Dewey scrambles to send Herbert Nye, one of his subordinates, to the home of Dick Hickock’s parents in the late of night, Hickcock being one of the suspected

Although Dick and Perry are both responsible for the murder of the Clutter family, Capote’s true intent is to portray the innocence and naivety of Perry, therefore, he alludes that morality can still be found despite horrendous actions. To explain Perry’s innocent role he undertakes in this crime, Capote indicates through juxtaposition the toll the crime as taken on Perry. Following the atrocity, Capote describes a scene between the two men, “One-had polished off several chicken-salad sandwiches and was now eyeing his companion’s meal: an untouched hamburger and a glass of root beer in which three aspirin were dissolving” (Capote 89). The one eyeing his companion’s meal being Dick and the untouched meal belonging to Perry. The sharp contrast

In Truman Capote’s captivating nonfiction, In Cold Blood, Capote ventures through the journey and lives of both the killed and the killers all while analyzing the point in which they crossed paths. From the days before the four Clutters were murdered to the last moments of the two killers’ lives, Capote takes into account each and every aspect that creates the ‘famous’ Clutter Case with an in depth look of just how and why these strange and unforeseeable events occurred. What was originally supposed to only be an article in a newspaper turned into an entire book with Capote analyzing both how and why a murder comes to be through the use of pathos, juxtaposition, and foreshadowing.

He foreshadows to the future events in which the Clutter’s lives will end along with Dick and Perry’s in the quote, “At the time, not a soul in sleeping Holcomb heard them--but four shotgun blasts that, all told, ended six human lives.” (pg. 5) With the use of this exquisite foreshadowing he tells the audience that there will not be a happy ending for the four people murdered nor for Dick and Perry who senselessly murdered the Clutter family as in the end, they will all be dead. All of this was due to the four gunshots which eliminated the Clutter family and resulted in the hanging of Dick and Perry in the years to come. Capote does this to show that not only does the actions of Dick and Perry affect those killed, it also affects them as they will pay the price for their unforgivable

Aren’t we all a bit crazy at times? In Truman Capote’s rhetorical masterpiece, In Cold Blood, is about a murder that actually occurred in a small town in Kansas. Richard Hickock and Perry Smith, also known as Dick and Perry, are the criminal minds behind the murder. Capote’s work is regarded to as a masterpiece because he uses many rhetorical devices to convey his message. He uses rhetorical devices such as diction, imagery and pathos. Capote’s purpose for writing the book is to show the insights of what goes on in these two’s criminal minds and to humanize Perry.

The reader has time to analyse each group of events, and make up a general theory of the two men. Dick’s short and underdeveloped thought process unfolds a theory that he is twisted and cruel. He shows no remorse, and can’t understand why Perry does. Perry’s neverending guilt is always with him. He constantly creates scenarios in his head of them getting caught, and can’t fathom how one would get away with what they did. The reader contrasts the two very different men, to see that even though they committed the same crime, one doesn’t think about it, and tried to forget about it, while the other shows extreme remorse and can’t forget the details of such vividly done murder. The short sentences of Dick, and prolonged sentences of Perry, again allow the reader to make a judgement of both men, and then contrast the two. One can see that the juxtaposition of the two similar experiences of the same events is accomplished, impacting the reader substantially and giving them purpose to continue reading Capote’s

At the start of the story, Truman Capote has the intention to make sure the reader gets deeply invested into the environment of the story. He wants us to feel the realistic tone of the story that it’s following. In order to do so, he creates a lot of buildup to the scenery before any major events crop up. Before the main murder of the Clutter family occurs, Capote spends a decent amount of

Although Dick and Perry appear to be two cold-blooded killers on the surface, Capote’s journey into their perspectives reveals a highly contrasting sense of self found in both characters, proving that there is often a large difference between how the outside world sees a person versus how the person sees him or herself. The differences between Beverly Johnson’s thoughts about her brother and Perry’s thoughts about himself capitulate the difference between a person’s outward appearance and their sense of self. While Mrs. Johnson is being interrogated by Dewey, she is quite harsh in her opinion of him, saying, “‘Yes. I’m afraid of him’”

Capote uses Perry as a sympathetic character; asking the reader if Perry’s life had been easier growing up, would he have committed the murders? A point often overlooked is Capote’s detailed exploration into Perry’s childhood and life

Many murder novels have been written but few give the killers the benefit of the doubt. In Cold Blood author, Truman Capote, shows an unusual amount of empathy for the Clutter Killers Dick Hickock and Perry Smith. Capote shows compassion towards the two by focusing on their misfortunate upbringings, tragic life experiences and questionable unstable mental health. Both Dick and Perry had their share of misfortune prior to committing the murders. Capote uses subtle attempts to sway his reader’s outlook on the killers by sharing their backstories and exposing their side to the story.

Throughout In Cold Blood Capote goes through the lives of the killers, Dick and Perry. Both convicts released from jail and at first glance seem to have a lot in common, but as the book continues the reader can see that the two characters are in fact very different. To characterize the killers Capote frequently uses flashbacks into their pasts, giving the reader a sense of what their lives were like and why they became who they are. Capote also utilizes detailed descriptions of the men’s appearances, quirks, and habits to characterize the murderers.

Capote's structure in In Cold Blood is a subject that deserves discussion. The book is told from two alternating perspectives, that of the Clutter family who are the victims, and that of the two murderers, Dick Hickock and Perry Smith. The different perspectives allow the reader to relive both sides of the story; Capote presents them without bias. Capote masterfully utilizes the third person omniscient point of view to express the two perspectives. The non-chronological sequencing of some events emphasizes key scenes.