Truman Capote's In Cold Blood

2070 Words9 Pages
Murder, crime, and mystery these are all things that have been a part of the human culture and literature for centuries; from bedtime stories, which are used to make children behave, to an actual crime happening in a small suburb. But what about these subjects drives us as a culture to them: could it be that people who commit crime defy the norm and that is something we all desire to do--to defy the norm and to stop anyone in our way no matter the cost? Well, could you really do it--murder someone? What about just learning about the crime that was committed, having to investigate it, and write a report on it; think you could at least do that? Well, there is one man who took it upon himself to actually write a book about a crime that was committed…show more content…
Although, I can’t help but still ask myself the same question: why did he care so much about this particular case, these people, and even the killers. Perry Smith and Richard Hickock; the killers that committed the crime were thoroughly interviewed by Capote, some people even say he formed a relationship with Mr. Perry Smith. Perhaps it was because Mr. Smith was even considered to be an outsider himself (Richard). When Capote was left alone to interview Smith, Capote even opened up to him about his past and then later stated, “Were not so different as you might think” (Richard). Capote was seen to be a bit of an “empathic” person towards Mr. Perry Smith; wonder if it was no longer the case Truman Capote was drawn to but the killers themselves, particularly Mr. Smith himself. Well, as the interview goes on we see the two start to almost form a “relationship,” if you could really put it that way. As Capote goes on deeper into the interview with Smith they come up on details of the murder and that is when Smith opens up and goes on to say how he even “nestled their heads on pillows before killing them, protects the girl from his partner. That envy also turns to murderous rage as he describes “why” he killed the father to begin the mass slaughter” (Richard). Smith then goes on to state he “respected the father up until the moment where he slit his throat” (Richard). This type of hatred and emotion all together ties back to the same feelings Smith and Capote have; they both have the same feeling of being considered outsiders. Now allow me to explain into greater detail of them both being considered “outsiders:” “The dialogue is enigmatic, but it suggests that Perry killed the father when he realized that the man
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