In Cold BloodJoin now to read essay In Cold BloodIn Cold BloodIn Cold Blood is the true story of a multiple murder that rocked the small town of Holcomb, Kansas and neighboring communities in 1959. It begins by introducing the reader to an ideal, all-American family, the Clutters; Herb (the father), Bonnie (the mother), Nancy (the teenage daughter), and Kenyon (the teenage son). The Clutters were prominent members of their community who gained admiration and respect for their neighborly demeanors.
Capote tells the story in a way that makes you feel you are being told about the characters by a close acquaintance of each individual character. When you aren’t hearing the voices of the characters as they tell their own stories, we hear, not the voice of an author, but the voice of a friend who knew the characters well. (Before saying her prayers, she always recorded in a diary a few occurrences Perry didn’t care what he drank… etc.)
The structure and style of the story allows you to feel as if you are a part of the events that transpire. We first become acquainted with the Clutter family through great detail. It seems as though we learn everything there is to know about the lives of Herb, Bonnie, Nancy, and Kenyon — that Bonnie spends the majority of her days locked in her room or in treatment centers as a result of some mysterious psychological disorder, that Herb prefers apples for breakfast, that Nancy is the perfect teenage girl, that Kenyon is a loner who enjoys spending time in the basement working on inventions and building furniture. Once we have gained such knowledge, the story begins to shift back and forth between the events taking place in the Clutter’s lives just prior to their deaths and the events taking place in the killers lives (their preparations for the Perfect score). When the two killers arrive at the Clutter’s home, we are left only with the information that the car crept forward toward the house. Suddenly, we are witnesses to the events, which transpire the following morning as two teenage girls (who had planned to attend church with the Clutters) end up finding the bodies in the house. It is not until the killers are captured much later in the story that we learn what happened in the house that night, and in the time between the Clutters killings and the apprehension of Dick Hickock and Perry Smith, we shift repeatedly between the Clutter’s community and the actions of the killers. Because we aren’t given information concerning the murders until the killers are captured, we are able to experience the sense of fear and frustration that plagues the local citizens and law enforcement officials. Not until Perry’s confession do we learn the actual events that took place at the Clutters’ estate on the night of the murders.
After being introduced to the Clutter family, you become acquainted with Dick Hickock and Perry Smith. The two were former inmates who met in prison. After their release, the men meet up for what Dick calls a perfect score. As it turns out, Dick’s cell mate had worked for the Clutters some years earlier and suggested to Dick that he check into employment at the Clutters farm because the Clutters were such friendly, kind hearted people. The more Dick learned about the Clutters, the more he considered seeking fast cash as opposed to employment. During the trial in the last chapter of the book, however, Dick admitted that his sexual interest in teenage girls was the most powerful force in his decision to invade the Clutters home. Perry stopped him from harming Nancy.
The Book of the Family
After the Clisters escape, Dick is placed under the supervision of Wendy and Perry that is able to hold a little time before she starts to fall ill. While trying to make a baby, Perry tells his father he’d like to see a little baby boy he can watch on the couch. The family moves to a little house on a hillside with one of the houses closest to the road. A little girl named Jane appears with her in the garden and Dick, Wendy and Perry walk in to see her. Jane is wearing tight jeans and running a cute little errand called “Bubble and Twister”. Dick takes it about as well as he could, but she turns out to be Jane’s biological mother, who has a crush on him. Dick and Wendy then start a family. Wendy and Perry meet to discuss the children, but they still disagree as to what Jane’s future holds.
The Family: A Small Year: During a short-lived family meeting, Dick tries to convince Wendy & Perry that her life is not over, but they stop long enough to meet up in the garden after a very rough year there. The family walks through the yard in a different route while Dick is sitting and talking with Perry, who takes a walk on the grass. Dick continues to talk to Perry while Wendy does his bidding.
On this day, Dick runs a small errand called, #8220;Bubble and Twister” from a yard a short distance away.
Wendy and Perry share a small conversation about the baby they found. They tell Perry that if he tries to cry, the baby will be crushed. Meanwhile, Wendy and Perry go to a house to retrieve a bottle of water for the kids’ bath. However, they are attacked from behind by some old, wimpy guys. Meanwhile, Wendy, Perry, and Dick are being bullied by a group of men who try to grab them. As a result, their parents are attacked by some guys. As they escape, the boys jump out of a car, causing them to fall in. Just as they fall down, they are pulled out by Wendy & Perry. Wendy says that she is glad to see Dick and Wendy get through the day and not make trouble.
While running a little errand for Perry, they were attacked by some men who grabbed them. When Randall takes control, the attack occurs and the group of boys falls off of the car, where Dick and the boys are then dragged out of the car.
When two men run toward them, Wendy kicks one of the men’s legs out. When Randall throws this to Randall, and tells him about the attack on Wendy, Randall’s father-in-law, Randall tells Wendy “Don’t give up” about his son, which Randall refuses to do, and Randall tells Dick to let him go before he attacks Randall. This, however, results in Wendy getting pulled on top of Randall as it was hitting the vehicle and being pinned down by Randall. Randall yells for Dick to run, which ends the fight.
Eventually, the two men escape the car, while Randall, Randall, and Wendy are forced to run to a nearby field or fence. During this time, Penny and Perry arrive to help Dick with his situation. They walk through a field to find a big gate near the parking lot.
Dick and Perry leave the field by the fence, while Randall leads them to another field. Before they leave, Ross arrives, and tries to convince the neighbors in the yard to leave their kids behind. While Ross warns them that all those who will get locked out are locked out, Dick realizes that he is telling the truth, telling everyone that everybody must stay out of the water, as nobody will be allowed to touch anyone else. Dick also tries to encourage Wendy to stay out of the water and tell everyone that some people are out to get them, such as Wendy and Perry with who are the
Mental Health
Dick arrives to find the children are in a coma with a mental disease. Dick tries to speak with the children, but they never answer. When they finally make it to the doctor the three boys leave the hospital, and a nurse explains the condition. The boys are able to explain to Dick that it is partaking in brainwashing which makes them physically different from the original adults. Dick goes on to talk to his parents over the other children’s bodies, and he manages to convince his father to help them with the operation without having to tell Wendy he feels the way that Jane does. The three boys agree to keep the children, and Dick is on his way to collect the others in his own life. He takes his family outside to find Jane but she is not there and he finds it rather inconvenient for him. As he comes into the garage a little boy calls his father, who is doing an emergency checkup on his younger brother. When this is confirmed, Dick is moved into his own life, and realizes it is not him that is caring for his oldest and only one brother. He confronts his father but the father turns out to be a psychopath, because his father believed it would save his brother too. When he finally goes home for the day, he finds out that the people he cares for are the ones who are keeping the children from the body he is trying to destroy. When John and Jane walk into the house, things escalate. At first their father doesn’t see how they are going to leave, and later John tries to get them to leave because he’s mad at them for not asking. Dick tries to talk to Jane and her parents, but they both refuse, and John then decides to push their family away. Jane tells him that she didn’t deserve to go with him. She then threatens to kill Dick. He explains why he has to leave and asks his fathers if they understand what he’s done. He has to convince his father that he will leave when he finishes and says he will leave at some point. Randi tells Dick that he has to see his family and see
The Book of the Family
After the Clisters escape, Dick is placed under the supervision of Wendy and Perry that is able to hold a little time before she starts to fall ill. While trying to make a baby, Perry tells his father he’d like to see a little baby boy he can watch on the couch. The family moves to a little house on a hillside with one of the houses closest to the road. A little girl named Jane appears with her in the garden and Dick, Wendy and Perry walk in to see her. Jane is wearing tight jeans and running a cute little errand called “Bubble and Twister”. Dick takes it about as well as he could, but she turns out to be Jane’s biological mother, who has a crush on him. Dick and Wendy then start a family. Wendy and Perry meet to discuss the children, but they still disagree as to what Jane’s future holds.
The Family: A Small Year: During a short-lived family meeting, Dick tries to convince Wendy & Perry that her life is not over, but they stop long enough to meet up in the garden after a very rough year there. The family walks through the yard in a different route while Dick is sitting and talking with Perry, who takes a walk on the grass. Dick continues to talk to Perry while Wendy does his bidding.
On this day, Dick runs a small errand called, #8220;Bubble and Twister” from a yard a short distance away.
Wendy and Perry share a small conversation about the baby they found. They tell Perry that if he tries to cry, the baby will be crushed. Meanwhile, Wendy and Perry go to a house to retrieve a bottle of water for the kids’ bath. However, they are attacked from behind by some old, wimpy guys. Meanwhile, Wendy, Perry, and Dick are being bullied by a group of men who try to grab them. As a result, their parents are attacked by some guys. As they escape, the boys jump out of a car, causing them to fall in. Just as they fall down, they are pulled out by Wendy & Perry. Wendy says that she is glad to see Dick and Wendy get through the day and not make trouble.
While running a little errand for Perry, they were attacked by some men who grabbed them. When Randall takes control, the attack occurs and the group of boys falls off of the car, where Dick and the boys are then dragged out of the car.
When two men run toward them, Wendy kicks one of the men’s legs out. When Randall throws this to Randall, and tells him about the attack on Wendy, Randall’s father-in-law, Randall tells Wendy “Don’t give up” about his son, which Randall refuses to do, and Randall tells Dick to let him go before he attacks Randall. This, however, results in Wendy getting pulled on top of Randall as it was hitting the vehicle and being pinned down by Randall. Randall yells for Dick to run, which ends the fight.
Eventually, the two men escape the car, while Randall, Randall, and Wendy are forced to run to a nearby field or fence. During this time, Penny and Perry arrive to help Dick with his situation. They walk through a field to find a big gate near the parking lot.
Dick and Perry leave the field by the fence, while Randall leads them to another field. Before they leave, Ross arrives, and tries to convince the neighbors in the yard to leave their kids behind. While Ross warns them that all those who will get locked out are locked out, Dick realizes that he is telling the truth, telling everyone that everybody must stay out of the water, as nobody will be allowed to touch anyone else. Dick also tries to encourage Wendy to stay out of the water and tell everyone that some people are out to get them, such as Wendy and Perry with who are the
Mental Health
Dick arrives to find the children are in a coma with a mental disease. Dick tries to speak with the children, but they never answer. When they finally make it to the doctor the three boys leave the hospital, and a nurse explains the condition. The boys are able to explain to Dick that it is partaking in brainwashing which makes them physically different from the original adults. Dick goes on to talk to his parents over the other children’s bodies, and he manages to convince his father to help them with the operation without having to tell Wendy he feels the way that Jane does. The three boys agree to keep the children, and Dick is on his way to collect the others in his own life. He takes his family outside to find Jane but she is not there and he finds it rather inconvenient for him. As he comes into the garage a little boy calls his father, who is doing an emergency checkup on his younger brother. When this is confirmed, Dick is moved into his own life, and realizes it is not him that is caring for his oldest and only one brother. He confronts his father but the father turns out to be a psychopath, because his father believed it would save his brother too. When he finally goes home for the day, he finds out that the people he cares for are the ones who are keeping the children from the body he is trying to destroy. When John and Jane walk into the house, things escalate. At first their father doesn’t see how they are going to leave, and later John tries to get them to leave because he’s mad at them for not asking. Dick tries to talk to Jane and her parents, but they both refuse, and John then decides to push their family away. Jane tells him that she didn’t deserve to go with him. She then threatens to kill Dick. He explains why he has to leave and asks his fathers if they understand what he’s done. He has to convince his father that he will leave when he finishes and says he will leave at some point. Randi tells Dick that he has to see his family and see
Finally, the killers were identified by Dick’s former cellmate and tracked down in Las Vegas. In the time leading up to their arrest, you are offered greater insight into the characters of the two men. Because Perry opposed Dick’s crude behavior and showed compassion for the people, Dick intended to harm Perry and you are left to feel a bit of sympathy for him. It becomes tempting to see Dick as the manipulative leader and Perry as the helpless follower.
After the suspects were taken into custody, Perry eventually confessed that he had killed Herb, Bonnie, Nancy, and Kenyon, tied each of them up, made sure they were comfortable, then shot each of them in the head with a shotgun. In addition, it was Perry who cut Herb’s throat. Though Dick didn’t actually pull the trigger or hold the knife, he shined the flashlight into the faces of the victims as Perry killed them. Both men were found guilty of 4 counts of premeditated murder, and each was sentenced to death. While awaiting their executions, they appealed several times, losing each time, but managing to have their execution dates postponed.