Book Review Of Truman Capote's In Cold Blood

2126 Words5 Pages

Jae Chang Heo
Kathy Abel
AP Language & Composition .01
13 August 2015
Summer Reading Project 2015
Summary:
In Cold Blood, written by Truman Capote, has been recognized as the foundation in the genre of non-fiction crime. The book depicts the murderous incident in which four members of a family that had been shot in the head with a shotgun. As the book progress, readers are helplessly pulled into the rather intricate minds of the murderers and the case obsessed mind of an investigator leading to and fro the overnight murder. The renowned Clutter family consists of extraordinary people who have done numerous good deeds for the community of Holcomb, Kansas. Herbert Clutter is a well-respected father of four, who plays a prominent part in the …show more content…

However, as the storyline moves forth, Capote alters his use of “meanwhile, back at the ranch” technique (in which two stories go in parallel, when one reaches peak interest, storyline switches to the other, and vise versa) to a good section of a book dedicated to Perry. In Perry’s time in the limelight, readers start to feel sympathetic towards the person they hated moments ago. There are numerous ways readers could interpret Capote’s intent. I believe Capote wrote In Cold Blood in such a way to convey that people are often misled into firm assumptions on situations they do not remotely apprehend, the vulnerability in the liability of men and women. It isn’t in Capote’s literary techniques this is displayed, but in the conversion of his …show more content…

And I thought, Why don’t I walk off? Walk to the highway, hitch a ride.” (Pg.240, Last paragraph)
So was what crossed Perry’s mind when he came out of the house during the robbery. The story could have been different, it may have not exist today if Perry had made a decision to leave, but instead, he lets curiosity lead his way through the green mile. “That squirrel of his, he sure misses Perry. Keeps coming to the cell looking for him. I’ve tried to feed him, but he won’t have anything to do with me. It was just Perry he liked.” (Pg.308, Last paragraph)
This passage lingered to the end of the book. I’m sure other readers, too, weren’t able to think how good of a person Perry could have been if it hadn’t been for the series of misfortune in his lifetime.
Language & Diction:
“He lifted the broom and pressed the bristles against the light bulb that burned in the ceiling. “Just unscrew the bulb and smash it and cut my wrists. That’s what I ought to do. While you’re still here. Somebody who cares about me a little

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