In Cold Blood: Capote's New Non-Fiction

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Literature; it has compelled us, entertained us, educated us, and drove us to madness. It has served as life instruction, by using the characters as the lesson plan. It is sometimes blunt, sometimes ugly, and in Truman Capote’s case, is so gruesome that we do not dare forget it.

Around the time of the novels publication in the late 1960s, a new literary genre had begun to surface: New Journalism. New Journalism sought to combine the elements of news writing and journalism with the elements of fiction writing. Described as being a form of literature that “engages and excites”, it sought to challenge its readers not only “emotionally” but also “intellectually”. Typically, New Journalism consists of four major characteristics such as telling the story by using scenes instead of flowing action, using conversational speech rather than quotations, having a first person view, and recording everyday details throughout the characters life, all of which Capote’s In Cold Blood does flawlessly.

Capote’s use of scene by scene reconstruction allows the readers to be

In the first chapter of In Cold Blood, Capote uses detailed descriptions of Holcomb, every sentence reads as if the reader is actually in the middle of Kansas prairie: “The land is flat, and the views are awesomely extensive; horses, herds of cattle, a white cluster of grain elevators rising as gracefully as Greek temples are visible long before a traveler reaches them” (3). Capote also gives the readers snapshots of the Clutters’ life using accurate descriptions from people who actually knew them. The readers learn that Nancy was devotedly involved in 4-H; that she was organized, well-liked, Class President at her high school, and dedicated to her boyfriend Bobby. Of Ken...

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.../~andrews/newjourn.html>.

Davis, Erica. "In Cold Blood," Capote's New Non-Fiction "Novel."" Suit 101 (2001). 21 Nov. 2007 .

"Fiction." American Heritage Dictionary. 24 Nov. 2007 .

"Historical." American Heritage Dictionary. 26 Nov. 2007 .

Jensen, Van. "Writing History: Capote’s Novel Has Lasting Effect on Journalism." The Lawrence Journal-World (2005).

Lee, Melissa. "Brother, Friends Object to Portrayal of Bonnie Clutter by Capote." Lawrence Journal-World (2005).

Nicholson, W G. "Teaching the New Journalism." English Journal 65 (1976): 55-57.

Plimpton, George. "The Story Behind a Nonfiction Novel." The New York Times (1966).

The New York Times. 24 Nov. 2007.

Standen, Amy. "In Cold Blood." Salon (1995). 25 Nov. 2007 .

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