As a person who is in love with crime novels and shows, this book came as a surprise for me. Used to the gradual progression of a novel and various red herrings, as a crime novel enthusiast, I was frustrated. Since the novel is based on a true story, I understand that Capote had restrictions when planning out his delivery of the plot. When finally accepting the fact that In Cold Blood would not be a regular crime novel, I slowly started to appreciate Capote’s style of writing. Given that he had an enduring task of describing the murder and trial without the liberty to add plot enhancements, his approach shines of pure genius. His ability to capture the minds of even the most biased readers (including me) is a testament to his skill with the pen.
It is interesting to see that Capote divided up his plot between the actual murder, the criminals, arrest, and the trial. This kind of division allows the reader to stay focused on the plot as it progresses. As a modern reader, I am not disadvantaged by the fact that this story takes place over 40 years ago. His ability to accurately depict the social conditions and implications made by them allows the reader to understand the crime according to circumstances unique to the time period.
Finally I’m slightly conflicted when accepting the fact that this book is non-fiction. Although the author presents the case with tremendous amounts of information as it is implied that the “journalist with whom [Dick] corresponded and was periodically allowed to visit him” was Capote (331), the author seems to have infused some implications of his own. It is constantly argued that Capote had a soft spot for Perry. There are numerous occasions on which the author feels for Perry and his troubled childhood whereas Dick is portrayed to be a cold-hearted criminal who deserves to be in the situation he is. Assuming that Perry’s physiological evaluations were conclusive, Capote’s emphasis on Perry’s “helplessness” adds doubt to the veracity of his writing even though his emphasis might shed light on other angles for reasons of the murder.
Other than my personal reservations on Capote’s unbiased report on the Holcomb murders, In Cold Blood is a one-of-a-kind plot.
I agree with you that the beginning of the novel was quite frustrating. I find it quite difficult to follow stories that start off as slowly as this one had. I, like you, enjoy a gradual build up. This book certainly did not address that craving of mine. I also found it hard to believe that this had been a true story. How could it have been possible to learn or record that much detail? I suppose that is a question that will be left unanswered. Nonetheless, the vivid imagery was a plus that kept me going. In conclusion, regardless of the imagery Capote had used, I found that this novel lacked the power to capture my attention. Also, the fact that Capote did not weave in various usages of rhetorical strategies bothered me. I absolutely love it when my book is dripping in annotations. My copy of In Cold Blood has been left "dry."
ReplyDeleteAfter a small amount of research, it seems that a few parts seem to be fabricated by Capote. There has been some discrepancies when Philip Tompkins investigated further. Whether or not the fabrication was to boost story elements I don't know. I think Capote is only human when he hints at some sympathy for Perry. It remains difficult to draw the line where insanity is involved in such a crime.
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