Announcement:
Finish the novel In Cold Blood by September 3rd. If you complete the novel sooner, please request the next novel The Things They Carried. You will have a formal writing assignment by September 23rd so both novels need to be read by then.
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| (A Kansas Fall) |
Step 1.) While reading In Cold Blood, find a passage that you feel particularly drawn to in terms of Capote's use of language.
Think of Capote as an artist who uses words. If you find this difficult to do, take a passage and then cut it down to its bare bones in terms of what he is saying. Your version should be boring, while Capote takes great effort creating what some claim to be the most influential literary work from the 20th Century. So look at his writing as if you are viewing a piece of art.
Step 2.) Read the two sample student blog responses below:
First Sample Response:
Idyllic descriptions aside, my favorite passage is found on p. 79. Several close friends of the murdered family have cleaned the Clutter household, deeming it their “Christian duty” to purge the home of the family’s blood stained belongings. After accumulating all reminders of the Clutter’s gruesome fate, the troupe transports the relics to an open field on the property of River Valley Farm. Dousing the assortment in kerosene, preparing to ignite the remnants of the victims’ pasts, Andy Erhart, Mr. Clutter’s closest confidante, reflects on the merits of the family and speculates about the repercussions of the atrocity that has befallen the Clutters- “But that life, and what [Mr. Clutter] had made of it- how could this happen, Erhart wondered as he watched the bonfire catch. How was it possible that such effort, such plain virtue, could overnight be reduced to this- smoke, thinning as it rose and was received by the big, annihilating sky?”
The beauty of this passage and the simplistic metaphor it contains is found in its succinct and accurate reflection of the human attitude toward death. The Clutters were prominent citizens in Holcomb: Mr. Clutter was a successful and philanthropic farmer. Nancy Clutter was class president and future prom queen. With such esteem, it seems unnatural, even preposterous, that something as commonplace as death should have the power to desecrate the upstanding reputation that the family has built for itself. This ideal is neatly summarized in Andy’s thoughts. Furthermore, the symbolism of smoke as the Clutter family’s legacy is a clever rhetorical device employed by the author. Even the largest, most impactful fire is eventually reduced to smoke, much like the influential lives of the family. Lastly, the use of the word “annihilating” to describe the expansive sky adds an unexpectedly foreboding aspect to the passage, implying that the Clutters’ memory will dissipate just as surely as the smoke is obliterated by the sky.
Second Sample Response:
“After rain, or when snowfalls thaw, the streets, unnamed, unshaded, unpaved, turn from the thickest dust into the direst mud. At one end of the town stands a stark old stucco structure, the roof of which supports an electric sign – Dance – but the dancing has ceased and the advertisement has been dark for several years. Nearby is another building with an irrelevant sign, this one is flaking fold on a dirty window – Holcomb Bank. The bank closed in 1933 and its former counting rooms have been converted into apartments” (1-2).
There are many reasons that this passage struck me as I was choosing among my favorite passages in the book. Capote employs a complex style and uses many subordinate clauses in his prose. This technique creates a unique cadence, but the cadence of this passage stood out among the rest. He uses three past participles, “unnamed, unshaded, unpaved, to describe the streets of Holcomb. This clever device shows us that Holcomb is a small town that has not caught up with some modern conveniences such as paved roads without coming out and saying it blatantly. Capote subtly gives up some other interesting details about Holcomb, Kansas in this passage. He tells us that the Holcomb Bank closed in 1933, the peak of the Great Depression. He also tells us that there is a vacant dance hall in Holcomb. Presumably, the dance hall was a popular establishment in the 1920’s that went out of business during the Depression. These two details show the reader that Holcomb was hit hard by the Depression and is still recovering from its implications. The way that Capote delicately gives us detail makes this passage one of my favorites in the book. Another aspect of this passage that I thought was interesting was the foreshadowing at the beginning of the passage. He tells us that the streets of Holcomb turned from “the thickest dust into the direst mud” after it rains. The roads can be interpreted as a symbol for the Holcomb community, while the rain symbolizes tragedy for the community, such as the Clutter murders. The rain turns the roads into the “direst mud,” just like the Clutter murders turned the community into a disarray of fear and confusion. He uses the word “direst” to describe the mud, which is interesting because usually that word is used to describe a dire situation. By describing the situation of the roads after rain, he foreshadows the “dire” atmosphere of Holcomb after the Clutter tragedy.
Step 3.) Now choose a passage from the novel and comment according to the sample responses above. Your first paragraph needs to include the passage you will discuss placed in quotes. Make sure to include the page number at the end of the quoted passage. It is also a good idea to set-up your quoted passage just like Sample #1 did before they quoted the passage.
Your subsequent paragraph(s) must elaborate on Capote's use of language and discuss SPECIFICALLY how Capote manipulates and controls language. Think of his use of Diction (word choice), Syntax (the way a sentence is structured such as a periodic sentence verses a loose sentence--google this), sensory details, dialogue, alliteration, or how he creates mood (atmosphere) or tone (attitude) and any other way you see him controlling language in an artistic manner.
Please know that Plagiarism will not be tolerated. You will lose all credit for this assignment if you plagiarize.
This assignment is worth 40 Points.
Due Dates:
Blog Response by Monday, August 26, MIDNIGHT.
Complete the Novel by September 3rd.
Due Dates:
Blog Response by Monday, August 26, MIDNIGHT.
Complete the Novel by September 3rd.
Announcement: Finish the novel In Cold Blood by September 3rd. If you complete the novel sooner, please request the next novel: The Things They Carried.
One passage from In Cold Blood that struck me is found on p. 43-44. Capote talks about a letter from Perry’s “real and only friend”, Willie-Jay, to Perry. “You are a man of extreme passion, a hungry man not quite sure where his appetite lies, a deeply frustrated man striving to project his individuality against a backdrop of rigid conformity. …You are strong, but there is a flaw in your strength, and unless you learn to control it the flaw will prove stronger than your strength and defeat you. The flaw? Explosive emotional reaction out of all proportion to the occasion. Why? …All right, you think they're fools, you despise them because their morals, their happiness is the source of your frustration and resentment. But these are dreadful enemies you carry within yourself--in time destructive as bullets. Mercifully, a bullet kills its victim. This other bacteria, permitted to age, does not kill a man but leaves in its wake the hulk of a creature torn and twisted; there is still fire within his being but it is kept alive by casting upon it faggots of scorn and hate. He may successfully accumulate, but he does not accumulate success, for he is his own enemy and is kept from truly enjoying his achievements.”
ReplyDeleteThis piece in the novel quickly turns from the wondrous mood felt while reminiscing about Perry’s “real” friend Willie-Jay, to a deeper, almost disappointed feeling. I feel that in this letter so much is revealed to the reader about Perry through seemingly complicated but surprisingly simple metaphors. For example, “You are a man of extreme passion, a hungry man not quite sure where his appetite lies”, alludes to the fact that Perry is ardent and intense man who doesn’t have a clear aim at what he is passionate about. Adding to the feeling of dissatisfaction the letter ends with another metaphor. Referring to Perry’s frustration over other people’s happiness, “This other bacteria, permitted to age, does not kill a man but leaves in its wake the hulk of a creature torn and twisted”. By using words like ‘hulk’ and ‘creature’, Capote leaves the reader knowing that Perry is no doubt an interesting character but wondering how charming he really is.
Sincerely,
Colby Sargent
IDEAS
Why is it that so many of us, if not all, posses an element of self destruction? Some more than others, we purposefully sabotage ourselves, doing things we know will only tortuously cripple us later. Perry's extreme case of this condition is reflected by a christian friend in a farewell letter, that almost reads as a sort of condemning ultimatum. It finishes "This other bacteria, permitted to age, does not kill a man but leaves in its wake the hulk of a creature torn and twisted; there is still fire within his being but it is kept alive by casting upon it faggots of scorn and hate. He may successfully accumulate, but he does not accumulate success, for he is his own enemy and is kept from truly enjoying his achievements." (page 44)
ReplyDeleteComparing this affliction to a bacteria casts an initially dirty light upon the given case, along with a strong instinct of aversion. He says it leaves a man "a hulk of a creature", using a metaphor to describe the the way in which Perry will become distorted by the sickness within himself, no longer human. The diction of the word choice "torn and twisted" emanates a deeply foreboding essence to the reader. The most interesting thing about the letter was the brilliant way Capote related self destruction in the last two sentences. The friend, Willie-Jay, claims that Perry's sickness is hating others purely out of disdain for their happiness earlier in the note. He finishes by saying the only way Perry can survive, is to keep adding "faggots" (small twigs) of scorn and hatred, to the fire that is surely devouring him.
This passage is particularly captivating, not only because of the strong literary devices used in it, but the intense message it relates. I have watched so many of the people I love- as well as myself- wallow in the very poison that is doing them in. Why is dis-functionality such a prominent aspect of human nature? The author uses such an extreme case to awaken an awareness in his audience. It is an imperative reality to take into consideration and reflect on in ourselves.
Sincerely,
Zuri Shanklin
IDEAS
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteLike a paint artist, Truman Capote illustrates words of colors that vividly set the reader in the environment of Holcomb, Kansas. Distinct analyzed words were molded like fragile clay to create a masterpiece artwork with unmatched glory. A fragment of that artwork that greatly rooted me to keep reading was when Capote expressed in pg. 30 “ Now, on this final day of her life, Mrs. Clutter hung in the closet the calico housedress she had been wearing, and put on one of her trailing nightgowns and a fresh set of white socks. Then, reading spectacles. Though she subscribed to several periodicals, none of these rested on the bedside table – only a bible. A bookmark lay between its pages, a stiff piece of watered silk upon which an admonition had been embroidered: “take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is”
ReplyDeleteThat portion and manner of writing dealt the greatest impact on me so far as a result of constant bombardment of elusive yet seductive words. Capote almost implies that as Mrs. Clutter adjusts herself for bed, that she is anticipating death at her fingertips. Previously, Mrs. Clutter has been battling an insurmountable amount of internal emotional pain. Capote writes about “her trailing nightgowns and fresh sets white socks “later to be stained in gruesome blood and gore filled hatred. With Mrs. Clutters end closely occurring, I was attentive to the fact that this death, was somewhat of an ominous treasure given to her. As malignant as it may sound, Capote echoes the fact that she has craved this solution of death.
“Though she subscribed to several periodicals, none of these rested on the bedside table – only a bible.” the irony of this sentence is that even when Mrs. Clutters closely clung on to her faith, she was not shielded by the physical torture and essentially death that Perry Smith inflicted on not only her but her innocent family. Furthermore, the bible next to Mrs. Clutter was bookmarked and in between those pages spoke “take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is”. It’s definitely spine chilling to imagine that this phrase became the inevitable for the Clutter family.
Sincerely,
John Ortega
HOPES
“the whitest sunlight descended from the purest sky, and an easterly wind rustled, without ripping loose, the last of the leaves on the Chinese elms. Autumns reward western Kansas for the evils that the remaining seasons impose: winter’s rough Colorado winds and hip-high, sheep-slaughtering snows; the slushes and the strange land fogs of spring; and summer, when even crows seek the puny shade, and the tawny infinitude of wheatstalks bristle, blaze.”(e-book p.26)
ReplyDeleteThis passage in particular fascinated and stimulated my imagination. Just one of the numerous reasons why I chose this passage is because of the way the author used syntax to arrange and present his words. Although the book is like a flat canvas, Truman Capote transforms his written words into a three dimensional piece of fine art. This made me feel as if I were there, in Mr.Clutters shoes, feeling the wind against my skin, and watching the "sunlight descend from the purest sky". The last of the leaves falling from the chinese elms is a gentle prelude to the harshness of the "winters rough colorado winds and hip-high, sheep-slaughtering snows". The way the author presents his words and displays mood by subtly introducing scenarios from everyday life. As in the falling of autumn leaves and the cold winter snow, we are able to automatically know by personal experience what that moment is like in reality. While reading this I was brought back to the feeling of total peace and tranquility as I watched the most majestic sunset on my last night in Greece.
Sincerely,
Aaryn Gray
IDEAS
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOne of the passages that really stood out me was a quote from Perry Smith which said, "I liked to read, too. To improve my vocabulary. Make up songs. And I could draw. But I never got any encouragement from my father, or anybody else for that matter." ( found on page 129 )
ReplyDeleteI found that this part of the book was moving in the fact that Perry Smith was never motivated to do anything in his life. Nobody cared about him and what he was interested in. Wether it was to read or learn to expand his knowledge. The fact that nobody was there for him gives a great feeling why he killed the clutter family. It was an act of revenge towards his father and anyone else in his life that didn't have give any encouragement for him. All Perry ever wanted was for somebody to teach and give the time to he well deserved. I could picture his childhood some what a stray from others because he was treated out like a piece of trash that was never suppose to be alive, like he was a mistake. This really caught my eye because it brings up the fact that everyone, good or bad should be treated with the respect and given a chance to shine among other people.
We should take this into our reality because the person that isn't know could have a great impact to the world around him. The way Capote Brings that sense of loneliness to the table and how he saw it through Perry's eyes, it was really breath taking. I say that because it was really sad how a human being could be taken that low compared to others. This act could trigger something in somebody's brain to trick them in know what is wrong vs. to what is right.
Sincerely,
Kristian Sablay
HOPES
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOne passage that really interested me from Truman Capote’s ‘In Cold Blood” was in the letter from Perry’s inmate and friend Willie-Jay. “You are a man of extreme passion, a hungry man not quite sure where his appetite lies, a deeply frustrated man striving to project his individuality against a backdrop of rigid conformity. You exist in a half-world suspended between two superstructures, one self-expression and the other self-destruction. You are strong, but there is a flaw in your strength, and unless you learn to control it the flaw will prove stronger than your strength and defeat you. The flaw? Explosive emotional reaction out of all proportion to the occasion. Why? Why this unreasonable anger at the sight of others who are happy or content, this growing contempt for people and the desire to hurt them? All right, you think they're fools, you despise them because their morals, their happiness is the source of your frustration and resentment. But these are dreadful enemies you carry within yourself--in time destructive as bullets. Mercifully, a bullet kills its victim. This other bacteria, permitted to age, does not kill a man but leaves in its wake the hulk of a creature torn and twisted; there is still fire within his being but it is kept alive by casting upon it faggots of scorn and hate. He may successfully accumulate, but he does not accumulate success, for he is his own enemy and is kept from truly enjoying his achievements.”(Page 44-45)
ReplyDeleteOne thing that made this passage stand out to me was Capote’s diction. His word choice deepened the meaning of the text and gave the passage a sort of awe because of the power behind the words used. There was a transition in wording that Capote used from the text prior to this passage and during this passage. Capote used words like passion, conformity, explosive and mercifully to create a dark, serious, scornful and brutally honest speech to create the atmosphere. Capote also uses imagery and metaphors to enhance his writing. I particularly like the sentence “You exist in a half-world suspended between two superstructures, one self-expression and the other self-destruction.” This sentence helps to give you the ability to see deeper in to Perry’s character. You are able to see that he is sort of teetering between good and bad and can be very self-harming. This passage really helps to clue us in on what Perry is really like character wise.
Sincerely,
Kai Chase
Ideas
In Cold Blood
ReplyDeleteSo far, in my reading of the novel In Cold Blood this passage stood out to me. On page 47 paragraph 2, Mr. Clutter says, “ yes, yes, Iv’e plenty to be grateful for-wonderful things in my life.” In this passage Mr. Clutter is discussing with an agent named Bob Johnson about the new york life insurance check he is about to sign. Mr clutter then brings up how his life holds many great things he should be proud of. He brings up how his son is on his way to being an engineer, his daughters married and are with good guys that he can trust. He has a lot of good things in his life.
This certain passage caught my eye because of one, his audacity and wide ego for his children and family, and two, the way the author uses syntax to arrange his words. He always has a positive tone throughout this passage. Like when Mr. Clutter talks about his family, its always a proud content attitude. In the passage Capote also tells the reader some information about Mr. Clutter. It says “framed documents commemorating milestones in his career gleamed against the walnut walls in his office; and a college diploma hang down.” In this whole paragraph i believe that capote is trying to tell the readers how successful Mr. Clutter is. Also how proud a father Mr. Clutter is. Capote continues to create a enjoyable mood in the passage when he talks about all of his children and how great they are. He does this by using good diction and ordering his sentences with good syntax throughout the paragraph. It was a very ecstatic passage.
Respectfully,
Chaz Pacleb
HOPES
I agree with Chaz, I really got the same positive tone from the author throughout this same passage. You really got a good sense of the pride Mr. Clutter had for his family; the word choices were also very nice. I also liked how he did have a big ego when it came to his family, it suited his character well.
DeleteIn Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood, there were many passages that interested me. The one passage that peaked my interest can be found on page 88. “Another reason, the simplest, the ugliest, was that this hitherto peaceful congregation of neighbors and old friends has suddenly to endure the unique experience of distrusting each other; understandably, they believed that the murderer was among themselves, and, to the last man, endorsed an opinion advanced by Arthur Clutter, a brother of the deceased, who, while talking to journalist in the lobby of Garden city hotel on November 17, had said “When this is cleared up, I’ll wager whoever did it was someone within ten miles of where we now stand.”
ReplyDeleteThis passage from the very beginning has a depressing, worrisome feel to it. Capote has a way to weave his words into the thickest of emotions, to make you feel worried or depressed. He used the imagery to depict old friends turning into foes; afraid of if they are among a murderer. In this passage Capote is saying that in this old, once safe small town, where your neighbor was like your own, and you trusted them whole-heartily. To all the sudden you worry that your neighbor may be the very ones who killed the Clutter family. Generations of trust was turned upside-down in the blink of an eye. Capote leaves the reader wondering who did it, and if they have any other intentions to do it again.
Sincerely,
Myah Post
H.O.P.E.S
In Cole Blood
ReplyDeleteIn the book, In Cold Blood, the passage that stood out the most to me was, “I didn’t want to harm the man. I thought he was a very nice gentleman. Soft-spoken. I thought so right up to the moment I cut his throat.” (Pg. 244)
This passage stood out to me the most because, Perry claims to have liked Mr. Clutter, as well as the other members of the family; this at first seems ironic, but in fact it says a great deal about Perry’s motive for killing the Clutters. The murders, it seems, were not inspired by a literal hatred of this specific family, but by misdirected frustration and resentment that finds a symbolic object in the Clutters and the values that they represent. The family is unlucky enough to be on the receiving end of this fury, but they are by no means its source.
I find it fascinating how Perry went to the house with no intention on hurting anyone, and then ended up hurting the entire family. This passage really shows Perry’s character, and like I said before, the means of killing the Clutters.
Sincerely,
Amanda Thayer
Hopes Academy
In Cold Blood
ReplyDeleteWhile reading the novel In Cold Blood, there were many passages that stood out to me, but the one that caught my attention was, “ The sound of Dick's voice was like an injection of some potent narcotic, a drug that, invading his veins, produced a delirium of colliding sensations: tension and relief, fury and affection. He advanced toward Dick with clenched fists. “ You sonofabitch,” he said.” (pg.194). In simpler words, Capote was explaining that Perry had mixed emotions at this time, a build up of anger, reassurance, attachment, etc. The way he chose to write this paragraph shows how literal of a writer he is, how simple the paragraph could have been, but instead he went into much more depth on the way he described Perry's feelings.
One thing that Capote does well, not just in the paragraph I wrote about but the entire book, is he choice of diction. Describing Perry's feelings towards Dick's voice at the time being like an injection of some potent narcotic. That alone shows me how well he knows how to describe things with such an odd, but yet brilliant word choice. This paragraph also has an aggressive mood to it that he presented with his wording, explaining the situation.
Sincerely,
Haylei Sheldon
IDEAS
I love this, I completely agree!! His ability to go into such detail to deliver a statement that usually would be boring and simple; and take it and breath life into it... It's a talent I look forward to possessing myself one day. I also agree the tone was aggressive, especially based off the fact he was comparing the voice of Dick to a injection of drugs. Capote really knows how to paint a vivid picture and I marvel at it
DeleteAmong the most capturing descriptions and sections of the novel 'In Cold Blood' can, in my opinion, be found on page 68. In the midst of a conversation right after the murder of the clutter family, the subject of who the killer could be as well as the fear of death is brought up. This exchange is between Mother Truitt(the holcomb veteran) and her daughter Myrt. "When your time comes, it comes. And tears wont save you. She had observed that her mother had begun to shed a few. When homer died, I used up all the fear I had in me, and all the grief, too. If there's somebody loose around here that wants to cut my throat, I wish him luck. What difference does it make? Its all the same in eternity. Just remember: If one bird carried every grain of sand, grain by grain, across the ocean, by the time he got them all to other side, that would only be the beginning of eternity. So blow your nose."
ReplyDeleteThis segment is neat to me because it exposes at least a single character as being what would you would expect from an area like Holcomb in Kansas:Someone tough who had no fears. It seems like up until this point, the author made a concerted effort to make the setting seem benevolent and peaceful but now, after the murders, he could begin to show the reality of things. In addition, the metaphor about the bird carrying grains of sand across the ocean showed Capote's dedication to using Figurative language and other writing styles. Everything about how the paragraph flows and is used made it stand out to me immediately as what I would write about.
Sincerely,
Mason Schwarze
IDEAS
In Cold Blood
ReplyDeleteI was blow away by Capote's use of language even at the very beginning of the book. He begins the book by talking about Holcomb. "The village of Holcomb stands on the high wheat plains of western Kansas, a lonesome area that other Kansans call "out there." Some seventy miles east of the Colorado boarder, the countryside, with its hard blue skies and desert-clear air, has an atmosphere that is rather more Far West than Middle West. The local accent is barbed with prairie twang, a ranch-hand nasalness, and the men, many of them wear narrow frontier trousers, Stensons, and high-heeled boots with pointed toes. The land is flat, and the views are awesomely extensive; horses, herds of cattle, a white cluster of grain elevators rising gracefully as Greek temples are visible long before a traveler reaches them." The way he describes the setting of Holcomb just uses so much imagery that I can almost see what he is talking about.
Capote uses very descriptive diction. He uses twang were other authors might use flavor or something less descriptive. His use of syntax also makes this book a pleasure to read. When he ways "awesomely extensive" is something I would have never thought to do. It just adds so much to the description of the scenery. I also enjoy his use of similes. He compare grain elevators to Greek temples which is so much better than simply saying "grain elevators" because that is bland where as Greek temples is interesting. All and all I am enjoying reading this book immensely.
Sincerely,
Victor Sanchez
IDEAS
Oops, This is on page 1. Sorry
DeleteSincerely,
Victor Sanchez
IDEAS
My favorite passage in the book so far can be found on page 67. In this passage, Capote describes a woman known as Mrs. Clare in great detail. Not only does he just describe the woman, but he hints at her character and general personality. “Mrs. Clare is a famous figure in Finney County. Her celebrity derives not from her present occupation but a previous one-- dance-hall hostess, an incarnation not indicated by her appearance. She is a gaunt, trouser-wearing, woolen-shirted, cowboy-booted, ginger-colored, gingery-tempered woman of unrevealed age (“That’s for me to know, and you to guess”) but promptly revealed opinions, most of which are announced in a voice of rooster-crow altitude and penetration.”
ReplyDeleteWhen Capote went into such great detail about this woman, it really struck me as attention-grabbing. His diction was the most alluring thing about it. He didn’t say old and uncaring about how she looked, he used words that meant so much more: Instead of old, he used gaunt, instead of uncaring about her looks, he used trouser-wearing and woolen-shirted. Capote really makes you start to picture this woman and get to know her in a small way. Making her more than just a name on a page, but a real person. Capote’s diction and detail is what makes this passage so interesting.
Sincerely,
Matthew Steinohrt
IDEAS Academy
One of my favorite passages from the novel "In Cold Blood" can be found on page 29, towards the bottom. This is during a flashback by Mrs. Clutter to the days when she had to be in the hospital. It says "'I've been listening to you, Wilma. All of you. Laughing. Having a good time. I'm missing out on everything...And now, will he remember me? As a kind of ghost, Wilma.'"
ReplyDeleteTruman Capote uses a lot of imagery in his writing. He literally paints a picture for you. In this passage, he tries to paint a picture of Bonnie Clutter with her mother, Wilma, talking in a hospital room. The mood is very sorrowful, as Bonnie cannot leave the hospital due to her medical conditions. He makes the reader feel sympathy towards Bonnie because she cannot be with her kids during their years of development. The way he creates an atmosphere while you're reading is what makes his writing different from other writers.
Sincerely,
Bryson Baligad
IDEAS
In Cold Blood
ReplyDeleteOn page 147, Capote writes “What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the night. It is a breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is as the little shadow that runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.” --- Said by Chief Crowfoot, Blackfoot Indian Chief.
This last entry was written in red ink and decorated with a border of green-ink stars; the anthologist wished to emphasize its “personal significance.” “A breath of a buffalo in the wintertime”--- that exactly evoked his view of life. Why worry? What was there to “sweat about”? Man was nothing, a mist, a shadow absorbed by shadows.” The novel uses this quote to tell the reader about the many books and newspapers paraphrased or quoted inside of Perry's diary.
This passage stood out to me because it surprised me about the way that Perry didn't care about life and existing on this planet. Chief Crowfoot indicates that life is short, like the flash of a firefly, the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime, and a shadow that disappears as the sun goes down, which is how many of us view life. But after thinking that life is short, our minds automatically get the thought that since life is short, we should make the best of it. Well, not Perry. At the end of the passage, he says, “Why worry? What was there to “sweat about”? Man was nothing, a mist, a shadow absorbed by shadows.” This metaphor also caught my attention because it was one that I haven't heard before. To Perry, existence didn't really mean much. Our lives are all going to end someday, so we shouldn't even worry.
Sincerely,
Hazel Jarquio
HOPES
In Cold Blood
ReplyDelete“Now, on this final day of her life, Mrs. Clutter hung in the closet the calico housedress she had been wearing, and put on one of her trailing nightgowns and a fresh set of white socks. Then, before retiring, she exchanged her ordinary glasses for a pair of reading spectacles. Though she subscribed to several periodicals (the Ladies’ Home Journal, McCall’s, Reader’s Digest, and Together: Midmonth Magazine for Methodist Families), none of these rested on the bedside table--only a bible. A bookmark lay between its pages, a stiff piece of watered silk upon which an admonition had been embroidered: ‘Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is’”(30).
There are many passages that Truman Capote truly captures your attention. They make you take a step back and think twice about it. While I was thinking of a passage to consider as my favorite, I came upon this paragraph. This particular paragraph caught my attention because Truman Capote walked you through the last moments of Mrs. Clutter’s life, but what made it interesting is that she knew this was the end for her, she prepared herself for death. She put on a nightgown a clean pair of socks, reading spectacles, and laid a bible on the side of her bed. The way Capote describes this passage is so vivid that it’s as if you are standing there in the room with her. This was definitely a passage that had me go back and reread it because it was so intense it was surreal.
Sincerely,
Naea Oda
Hopes Academy
A passage within 'In Cold Blood' that was cloaked in a beautiful writing style used by Truman Capote was
ReplyDelete"That Monday, the sixteenth of November, 1959, was still another fine specimen of pheasant weather on the high wheat plains of western Kansas---a day gloriously bright-skied, as glittery as Mica." (pg.77)
This passage holds more deep meaning that it shows from a quick glance. For starters, it gives the image of a beautiful sky in which to have a great time in the sun. The mood here is very bright and cheerful. With the visual of glittering Mica, which is a type of stone, you can really picture how nice it is at this particular time in western Kansas. Upon the mention of pheasant weather, the passage shows that the characters in the next few paragraphs enjoy hunting pheasants. This new information now shows the characters love hunting which could mean they are good with guns and tracking. These people could be suspects in the near future of the story.
One particular passage in cold that I was drawn is found on page 43. It was the farewell letter Willie-Jay wrote to Perry. “You are a man of extreme passion, a hungry man not quite sure where his appetite lies, a deeply frustrated man striving to project his individuality against a backdrop of rigid conformity. You exist in a half-world suspended between two superstructures, one self-expression and the other self-destruction. You are strong, but there is a flaw in your strength, and unless you learn to control it the flaw will prove stronger than your strength and defeat you.”
ReplyDeleteI found this part of the book inspiring and moving because this can relate to so many people. Capote is saying that Perry is trying to figure out what to do with life and find himself. He is living in two different worlds and it’s built up between his expression of feelings and thoughts, and the other his act to destroy himself or others. Capote is saying that you need to learn your strength and learn to control it because it will end up controlling you. His diction creates the atmosphere in the book. By using many literary devices, Capote gets the reader’s attention and the readers to connect with his story.
Sincerely,
Zhaira Agrade
H.O.P.E.S
As Truman Capote approaches the deaths of the Clutter family, one particular passage caught my attention on page 41. “‘Because you’re silly,’ he said, tossing her the head of a flower, a wilted dehlia, which she jammed into her hair. Mr. Helm picked up his spade. Crows cawed, sundown was near, but his home was not; the lane of Chinese elms had turned into a tunnel of darkening green, and he lived at the end of it, half a mile away. ‘Evening,’ he said, and started his journey. But once he looked back. ‘And that,’ he was to testify the next day, ‘was the last I seen them. Nancy leading old Babe off to the barn. Like I said, nothing out of the ordinary.’”
ReplyDeleteTo the average reader this passage may just look like a detailed description of a short conversation, but upon closer inspection it is more than that. Capote’s diction hints at the climax of the book, when the entire Clutter family is murdered. There are many examples of this such as, “tossing her the head of a flower, a wilted dehlia, which she jammed into her hair.” The flower represents Nancy’s innocence, beauty and youth whereas the fact that it’s wilted suggests that her time is soon coming to an end. Crows are often depicted as creatures of remorse, appearing in scenes filled with death and darkness. Combined with the setting sun it is interpreted into the end of a well-loved family and the beginning of a long, sad, tragedy that will affect the whole community. When the author includes a quote from Mr. Helm that takes place the next day, it adds to the realization that this is the last of two human lives that anyone will see before they are gone. It sets a dreadful tone. Furthermore, when Nancy lead her horse back to the barn, as usual, it shows how at one moment life can be so simple and bright and the next moment, gone.
Ruby Hawthorne
Ideas Academy
One of my favorite passages from Capote’s novel is found on page 69. Right after the discovery of the murder, Mrs. Clare notices two ambulances headed towards the Clutter’s. She tells her daughter, Myrt, who dismisses it as one of Bonnie Clutter’s “spells”. Mrs. Clare didn’t accept that as an explanation and asks why they would need two ambulances for one person. Her mom tells her to call Mrs. Helm. Mrs. Clare finds out that the Clutters have been murdered and tells her mom. Her mom of course asks who shot them. Mrs. Clare’s response really caught my attention. She says, “The man in the airplane, the one Herb sued for crashing into his fruit trees. If it wasn’t him, maybe it was you. Or somebody from across the street. All the neighbors are rattle snakes. Varmints looking for a chance to slam the door in your face. It’s the same the whole world over. You know that.”
ReplyDeleteMrs. Clare starts off by suggesting someone that doesn’t know Mr. Clutter very well and has something against him. This accusation would make the most sense, because everyone who knew the Clutters liked them. Of course no one knows yet, who killed four of Holcomb’s most prominent citizens. She goes on to suggest that it could be her own daughter, or anyone in Holcomb. This really shocked me because I thought that everyone in Holcomb was friends and that they all knew each other really well. She continues by comparing the neighbors to rattle snakes and varmints. This made me realize that everyone may not be as nice as I had thought. By Capote telling the reader what Mrs. Clare said, it changes their view on the people in Holcomb and makes you more aware of what the citizens relationships are really like.
Sincerely,
Marissa Nikolas
HOPES
While reading the book, In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, I was completely taken by the way in which he wrote and chose to portray certain situations. One passage that stood out above the rest for me was found on page 130. “This biography always set racing a stable of emotions—self-pity in the lead, love and hate running evenly at first, the latter ultimately pulling ahead. And most of the memories it released were unwanted, though not all. In fact, the first part of his life that Perry could remember was treasurable—a fragment composed of applause, glamour.”
ReplyDeleteThe biography that Capote is referring to is none other than Perry’s. Perry had a very challenging life and I think by writing this particular passage Capote is trying to make the reader understand exactly how Perry feels about his own life. I found this paragraph to be especially beautiful, as far as the use of language, for a few reasons. The main reason being, it was just brilliant how Capote depicted Perry’s feelings by comparing it to a horse race, and the emotions Perry felt were like horses being set free whenever he thought about his life. By doing that, not only did Truman make it easier to comprehend the exact emotions, but he also did it in a way that was aesthetically pleasing to read. By saying that the one part of Perry’s life that was treasurable was merely a fragment, that showed exactly how bad his life really was, that he had a “stable” full of bad memories, and a “fragment” of good memories.
Autumn Begley
Hopes Academy
What instantly captured my attention was Capote’s diction when describing Nancy on page 19. “Nancy was a pretty girl, lean and boyishly agile, and the prettiest things about her were her short-bobbed, shinning chestnut hair (brushed a hundred strokes each morning, the same number at night) and her soap-polished complexion, still faintly freckled and rose-brown from last summer’s sun. But it was her eyes, wide apart, darkly translucent, like ale held to light, that made her immediately likeable, that at once announced her lack of suspicion, her considered and yet so easily triggered kindliness”.
ReplyDeleteCapote goes about describing all the physically beautiful traits of Nancy. He starts with common things, such as nice hair and tan skin, which he describes in such a unique way. What truly grasped me was when he referred to her eyes, painting a vivid picture of their beauty but most importantly their gentle kindness. He shows how her physical appearance alone makes you see her as a amazing person.
I believe Captote pointed out her physical beauty to show that yes she was beautiful, but more importantly she was a kind person, willing to help with, or take on any task she could.
HOPES
“It was ideal apple eating weather; the whitest sunlight descended from the purest sky, and an easterly wind rustled, without ripping loose, the last leaves on the Chinese elms. Autumns rewarded Kansas for the evils that the remaining seasons impose: winter’s rough colorado winds and hip-high, sheep slaughtering snows; the slushes and the strange land fogs of spring; and summer, when even the crows seek puny shade and tawny infinitude of wheatstalks bristle, blaze.”
ReplyDeleteThis passage (on page 10) describes the simplistic beauty of autumns in Kansas as seen through the authors eyes. What i find so enthralling about this passage is its ability to touch the senses; paint your imagination with bright visions of sunlight and the icy landscapes of winter the winter to follow. Capote’s imagery and syntax is powerful, and that is what I love about this: it transports you into the characters being you strongly feel what they feel.
Sincerely,
Emily Faretta
IDEAS Academy
A paragraph in this book that made me actually think and reread for pure understanding was a paragraph on page 72."The boys live in the bunkhouse, the girls 'at home.' They found Bobby making his bed. He listened to Mr. Ewalt, asked no questions, and thanked them for coming. Afterward, he stood outside in the sunshine. The Rupp property is on a rise, an exposed plateau, from which he could see thee harvested, glowing land of River Valley Farm-scenery that occupied him for perhaps an hour. Those who tried to distract him could not. The dinner bell sounded, and his mother called to him to come inside-called until finally her husband said, 'No. Id leave him alone.'
ReplyDeleteAt the start of this paragraph the author uses short sentences to convey the harshness and sadness that Bobby is actually feeling when Mr. Ewalt tells him Nancy is dead. I also find it weird that boys would be in one house and the girls would be more centered towards the "family." I think the sentence where he stands out in the sunshine is to convey that he is feeling dark inside and has to bathe himself in light to not become to dark. I think that he mentions that Bobby's land overlooks River Valley Farm to tell that Bobby is trying to take in the land where his lost love used to live so as not to lose her image from his mind, and that it is glowing as Nancy did herself once glow with happiness. I think that the part where Capote says none could distract him not even dinner was to show that when hearing the news Bobby is so dumbstruck he becomes lost in a maze of forlorning and unhappiness and cannot find his way back to the now darker world and that his father understands this and lets him be. I like the depressive attitude that Capote conveys but not because it is depressing rather that it has a way of hitting down into your heart and producing feelings of sadness and uncomfort.
Mikel Keeler-Howarth
IDEAS academy
In Cold Blood has the most unique writing style that I have read. It's foremost one of a more challenging novel that I have been exposed to. After reading only a couple chapters there was one part in particular that really grasped my attention. “This biography always set racing a stable of emotions—self-pity in the lead, love and hate running evenly at first, the latter ultimately pulling ahead. And most of the memories it released were unwanted, though not all. In fact, the first part of his life that Perry could remember was treasurable—a fragment composed of applause, glamour.” (page 130)
ReplyDeleteI believe that Capote was getting in touch with my ethos and pathos because of how he depicted how bad Perry's life was. Capote also uses how his emotions were like horse with "self-pity in the lead, love and hate running evenly at first" This to me says that Perry has not only a bad life but also mixed emotions and that to me can cause a lot of mental damage as well. It gets me thinking on the reason behind Perry's doings. Capote has a wonderful way of making you really think about what he is trying to get across.
Keisha Aki
HOPES
There was this segment in the book when Perry’s older sister, Barbara or Bobo sent him a letter, and in that letter she puts “It is no shame to have a dirty face—the shame comes when you keep it dirty”(page.140). The segment stood out to me because in the letter she was talking about their whole family and the kind of background they grew up in with an alcoholic mother and a father who was not really there for them half of the time. She believes that you can do something with your life despite the environment you grew up in. She uses their deceased brother, Jimmy, as an example in her letter. She thinks that jimmy was the strongest in the family, she stated that he worked, and went to school without anyone to tell him and that it was his own will to make something of himself despite the background they grew up in. His sister believes that Perry can still do something with his life and that he can go beyond his weaknesses and do great things.
ReplyDeleteCamilla Vernon HOPES academy
In Cold Blood is an interesting book full of so many details that it is impossible for me to not be able to picture everything perfectly in my head. The way Capote write is astounding. Being able to use such description requires true talent. There was an interesting passage on page 69 in this book that actually caught my eye.
ReplyDelete"I'm scared, Myrt."
"Of what? When your time comes, it comes. And reads won't save you. ...When Homer died, I used up all the fear I had in me, and all the grief, too. Of there's somebody loose around here that wants to cut my throat, I wish them luck. What difference does it make? It's all the same in eternity. Just remember: If one bird carried every grain of sand, grain by grain across the ocean, by the time he got them all on the other side, that would only be the beginning of an eternity. So blow your nose."
Does anyone even understand how beautiful that is? It's so simple, yet it's so in depth and I think that's what truly makes Capote's writing style so amazing. He says things with such meaning, but with simple words.
What he's saying in the passage is that there's really no reason to worry about death or dying, because it doesn't matter in eternity. Everything happens for a reason and just because someone is dead it does not mean that they're gone. If you spend your life sobbing over what happened then, you will never truly appreciate what is happening now.
It's said by a character who is portrayed as a tough person and has seemingly has no reason to be afraid, but this shows that there is reason to be afraid and weak and cowardly and sad. It's okay to break down, but to stay that way is a waste of time, effort, and your own life.
Erica Cabalona
IDEAS Academy
“Why? Why this unreasonable anger at the sight of others who are happy or content, the growing contempt for people and the desire to hurt them? All right, you think they’re fools, you despise them because their morals, their happiness is the source of you’re frustration and resentment. But these are dreadful enemies you carry within yourself-in time destructive as bullets. Mercifully, a bullet kills its victim. This other bacteria, permitted to age, does not kill a man but leaves in its wake the hulk of a creature torn and twisted; there is still fire within his being but it is kept alive by casting upon it faggots of scorn and hate. He may successfully accumulate, but he does not accumulate success, for he is his own enemy and is kept from truly enjoying his achievements.”
ReplyDeleteI found this passage to be very interesting. In this letter to Perry from his good friend willie jay, it shows what other people think of Perry. This is a side of Perry that we don’t fully see until now. Capote’s main literary tool he uses to make this aesthetically pleasing is the metaphor. It compares the hate and resentment towards happy people that Perry carries with him to bullets. He talks about how at its most merciful a bullet kills a man. At its most dreadful it does not kill you but leaves a “torn and twisted” monster inside of you, full of scorn and hate. This metaphor really makes it easy to see his part of Perry’s character. It explains how the hate he carries with himself stops him from truly having a successful life and enjoying his success. That metaphor is very important because it puts a new perspective on how these enemies affect Perry’s life. It also says how these bullets keep you alive, with a fire inside of you, but they keep you thriving off of hate. This metaphor really helps get willie jays point across about all of the hate Perry has within himself. Metaphors make things easier to understand and relatable. This is the literary device that Capote uses to manipulate language to make it aesthetically pleasing.
Megan Devin
IDEAS
One passage that really caught my attention is found on page 78. “They went first to the furnace room in the basement, where the pajama-clad Mr. Clutter had been found sprawled atop the cardboard mattress box. Finishing there, thy moved on to the playroom in which Kenyon had been shot to death. The couch, a relic that Kenyon had rescued and mended and that Nancy had slipcovered and piled with mottoed pillows, was a blood-splashed ruin; like the mattress box, it would have to be burned. Gradually, as the cleaning party progressed from the basement to the second floor bedrooms were Nancy and her mother had been murdered in their beds, they acquired additional fuel for the impending fire—blood-soiled bedclothes, mattresses, a bed side rug, a Teddy-bear doll”
ReplyDeleteAlthough this passage is quite gruesome, it is a very well written section of the story. The reason it caught my attention is because it is such descriptive imagery, it’s almost like watching a movie inside of your head. Usually, I find his tendency to go really far into detail quite irritating because he often goes into detail about something that really doesn’t need that much detail. In this case, though, it was fine because the scene required it.
Sincerely,
Kai Harrison
IDEAS
As quoted in page 3. -After rain, or when snowfalls thaw, the streets, unnamed, unshaded, unpaved ,the from the thickest dust into the dirtiest mud."
ReplyDeleteI was intrigued by Truman Capote's use of language to describe the setting in a very descriptive way. Capote describes the town to be a "lonesome area". A partial section from a passage that caught my eye and one that I thought was very important of The author to add into the description of Holcomb, Kansas was "the streets, unnamed, unshaded, unpaved" (pg.3). When Truman capote wrote this, I think the message he tried to get across towards the reader was that the road in Holcomb must have hardly been driven on, therefor kinda also giving the reader an idea that not much residence own modern day luxuries such as a car. Giving the impression that the towns people live a simple life. Capote is painting a picture for the reader by also writing that when the it snows or rains in Holcomb, the dirt turns to mud. Unlike other town where it is common to have paved streets and concrete covering the ground, this town that Truman Capote writes his setting in ,is not more diverse. By the author writing this in the beginning of the story, the reader is able to create an atmosphere of where the story takes place. Lastly by giving a descriptive setting the readers can kind of get an idea why the characters act the way they do because of the characters lifestyle and surroundings in which they interact with.
Sincerely,
Breann Bernades
Ideas
In Cold Blood
ReplyDeleteIn this novel there is one especial line that drew my attention. On page 17; “Good grief Kenyon! I hear you.” This line lead to the line saying “As usual the devil was in Kenyon.” This struck curiosity in my mind. This is said to resemble a loud disruptiveness that Kenyon was being.
This was interesting to me because I had never heard this exaggeration before. It made me wonder what it was that caused Nancy to Think that the yelling of Kenyon would in any way resemble the devil. I thought to myself while reading this what kind of noise was Kenyon making to resemble such. Trying to draw images in my head i had no idea of the insanity that could have been occurring. Within this line of literature Capote capture a very strong visual. Allowing the read to picture the most horrific noise they can capture. This changes the style of reading, being that the book is nonfiction his literary uses make you picture a fictional setting.
Noah LaMadrid
Ideas
“Nancy was invariably the last of the family to retire; as she had once informed her friend and home-economics teacher, Mrs. Polly Stringer, the midnight hours were her “time to be selfish and vain.” It was then that she went through her beauty routine, a cleansing, creaming ritual, which on Saturday nights included washing her hair. Tonight, having dried and brushed her hair and bound it in a gauzy bandana, she set out the clothes she intended to wear to church the next morning: nylons, black pumps, a red velveteen dress—her prettiest, which she herself had made. It was the dress in which she was to be buried.” (Quoted from page 56)
ReplyDeleteThis paragraph grabbed my attention while I was reading the book. The passage is centered around the character Nancy, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the family. It starts off explaining what Nancy does every night, and then drifted into what Nancy planned to do the next day. The passage ends abruptly with the sentence that she dies. The reason the author, Truman Capote, sets up the passage this way is to appeal to the reader’s emotions. One minute she is happily living her teenage life, going to church and then is murdered the next day. The reader is trying to make you feel bad about the character dying. It is trying to make you feel that it is unfair and not right. If Capote had described all of Nancy’s flaws right before he states she dies, you wouldn’t feel as terrible, but instead he focused on the small, innocent things about Nancy to portray her. Also, the passage is set up that way to state that life is fleeting. It is the night before Nancy is about to be killed and she has no idea. She is preoccupied in choosing her clothes for church. That is why this passage caught my eye from the book.
Sincerely,
Jenna Stone
IDEAS Academy
As Mrs. Clutter mumbles on to Jolene Katz about her odd collection of little things, Capote begins to dig back to her earlier years as a young adult. He then works his way to a much more significant stage of her life; the birth of her four children. "But with Nancy and then with Kenyon, the pattern of postnatal depression repeated itself, and following the birth of her son, the mood of misery that descended never altogether lifted; it lingered like a cloud that might rain or might not."
ReplyDeleteThis passage stood out to me because I would think that with the birth of children a mother's immediate reaction should be joy, but instead Mrs. Clutter took it the opposite way and fell even deeper into her depression. When Capote relates her misery to a cloud that may rain or not, it shows that even on the rare occasion of her "good days", it will never be a truly good day because her misery still clings to her. With this particular metaphor, it makes it easier for a reader to understand the way she felt. I also admire Capote's ability to draw pity to Mrs. Clutter with his use of diction. The way he describes her depression, the reader can almost feel it themselves. When the word misery appears, I think of long periods of no happiness at all, not a glimpse or the slightest feeling of joy. The incapability to feel things like warmth and love, or to see her own child smile and not feel a thing. Since everyone experiences pain and sorrow sometime in their life, by using the world "misery" the reader can take their own opinion of its meaning and use that to relate to, perhaps giving them a deeper connection to Mrs. Clutter. Another example of his use of diction in this passage is when he uses the word "descends" when describing her "mood of misery," Capote makes it sound much heavier and serious than it would have using a simpler word like "fell." These are the reasons i chose this passage.
In Cold Blod
ReplyDeleteThroughout the novel “In Cold Blood” Truman Capote uses many different techniques in his writing to make it appealing to the reader. One of the sections is this book that I found extremely well written is a from a letter that Perry kept. this letter was sent to him by his sister Barbara during the time he was in jail in Kansas. This letter is a reply to an earlier letter sent by Perry and shows a lot of character. “As far as responsibility goes, no one really wants it - but all of us are responsible to the community we live in & its laws. When the time comes time to assume the responsibility of a home and children or business, this is the seeding of the boys from the Men - for surely you can realise what a mess the world would be if everyone in it said, “I want to be an individual without responsibilities, & be free to speak my mind freely & do as I alone will.” We are free to speak & do as we individually will - providing this “freedom” of Speech and Deed are not injurious to our fellow-man.” (Page 143)
In this paragraph Capote uses his abilities as a writer to give this character that we have not been given a vivid description of a very strong identity and solid moral values. You can learn all of this from a simple paragraph. He uses the every day saying “the boys from the Men” This saying can strike the heart with many people causing it to be a much more in depth phrase than what you see when you first read it. Also the way that Capote uses writing tools such as italics to emphasize certain points draw the readers attention to what is important in the paragraph in order to grasp the deeper meaning behind the text. Capote also repeats certain phrases to make his writing more aesthetically pleasing such as where he repeats the word “free” whether it be in different tenses within one line he uses that word 3 times. This registers in your brain without you even knowing it and causes the whole last part of the paragraph to be ringing with the word freedom. Most of this paragraph that capote wrote is centered around emphasizing. This is a skill that is very important because you must learn to master it without overdoing it.
Sincerely,
Wylie Barker
IDEAS
While reading this novel, one passage that caught my attention was found on page 55. The passage states “Dick waited, ate some jelly beans, impatiently gunned the motor, sounded the horn. Was it possible that he had misjudged Perry's character? That Perry, of all people, was suffering a sudden case of "blood bubbles"? A year ago, when they first encountered each other, he'd thought Perry "a good guy," if a bit stuck on himself, "sentimental," too much "the dreamer." He had liked him but not considered him especially worth cultivating until, one day, Perry described a murder, telling how, simply for the hell of it," he had killed a colored man in Las Vegas - beaten him to death with a bicycle chain. The anecdote elevated Dick's opinion of Little Perry; he began to see more of him, and, like Willie-Jay, though for dissimilar reasons, gradually decided that Perry possessed unusual and valuable qualities. Several murderers, or men who boasted of murder or their willingness to commit it, circulated inside Lansing; but Dick became convinced that Perry was that rarity, "a natural killer" - absolutely sane, but conscienceless, and capable of dealing, with or without motive, the coldest-blooded deathblows. It was Dick's theory that such a gift could, under his supervision, be profitably exploited. Having reached this conclusion, he had proceeded to woo Perry, flatter him - pretend, for example, that he believed all the buried-treasure stuff and shared his beachcomber yearnings and seaport longings, none of which appealed to Dick, who wanted "a regular life," with a business of his own, a house, a horse to ride, a new car, and "plenty of blond chicken. "It was important, however, that Perry not suspect this - not until Perry, with his gift, had helped further Dick's ambitions. But perhaps it was Dick who had miscalculated, been duped; if so - if it developed that Perry was, after all, only an "ordinary punk" - then "the party" was over, the months of planning were wasted, there was nothing to do but turn and go. It mustn't happen; Dick returned to the station.”
ReplyDeleteThis passage strikes me because Capote uses such elaborate details to convey Dick’s thoughts on Perry. For example, in one part of the passage Capote relates Dick didn’t think much of Perry until he told him about the murder he had committed without rationale. After hearing that, Dick’s opinion on Perry suddenly shifted. Dick now wants to “cultivate” Perry, as if Dick is creating or expanding his plan to murder, but this time with a partner. Capote shows Dick as a calculating, cold-blooded, conniving, manipulating criminal. Another element of Capote’s writing style is use of point of view. His use of omniscient, third person point-of-view aids Capote in showing the state of mind of the killer (in this passage, Dick) before the actual killing. For example, when Dick says that Perry was that “rarity” or “natural-born killer”, Capote is revealing that Dick thinks Perry has potential to partner with the murder. Capote goes on to write that it could be “profitably exploited” meaning that Dick is thinking Perry could be used as a resource in his plan. In the end of the passage Capote finishes Dick’s train of thought with Dick second guessing himself. With using words like “duped” and miscalculated” Capote can get his point across with a deeper sense. Furthermore, Capote shows another side of Dick, showing he has human qualities with second guessing himself about his choice of partner.
Respectfully,
Marina Mireles
HOPES
“Until one morning in mid-November of 1959, few Americans –in fact, few Kansans- had ever heard of Holcomb. Like the waters of the river, like the motorists on the highway, and like the yellow trains streaking down the Santa Fe tracks, drama, in the shape of exceptional happenings, had never stopped there. The inhabitants of this village, numbering two hundred and seventy, were satisfied and that this should be so, quite content to exist inside ordinary life –to work, to hunt, to watch television, to attend meetings of the 4-H club.”
ReplyDeleteI like Capote’s use of language and metaphors to get his message across in such a beautiful fashion. His basic message was describing that Holcomb was not a popular place and people rarely went there, it was quiet and ordinary, and that’s the way everyone liked it. Yet he was able to infuse into his message how it was so unknown, people within the same state had never even heard of it, and explain how the lives of these two hundred seventy people were ordinary and that’s the way they liked it. The passage then takes a turn -
“But then, in the earliest hours of November, a Sunday morning, certain foreign sounds impinged on the normal nightly Holcomb noises –on the keening hysteria of coyotes, the dry scrape of scuttling tumbleweed, the racing receding wail of locomotive whistles. At the time not a soul in sleeping Holcomb heard them –four gunshots blasts that, all told, ended six human lives.”
The authors basic use of language here, creates a scene for us in our head of what’s happening using our senses. While reading I felt I could hear the coyotes and whistles in the distance while watching tumble weeds roll past. The way he described the town pulled me in, and then he threw into my mind key things that wanted me to keep reading. Now this ordinary town was not so ordinary. In the middle of a quiet night there was four gunshot blasts, that in total, ended six human lives.
Respectfully,
Noelani Cassidy
HOPES
This post is from Ayden Drazic and posted by Ms. Carlson and is on time.
ReplyDelete“No. Because once a thing is set to happen, all you can do is hope it won’t” (Page 88) Capote is a marvelous author in this story, its obvious he is the narrator because the narrator is sophisticated than many of the other characters in the book. The quote i used really has meaning to it. As you read the book you can see that Capote’s relationship with Perry is stronger than his relationship with Dick. I think this quote is saying you can only hope for the best even when the worst is coming to you.
Perry’s attitude towards his death sentence was almost positive, he never doubted Capote even when Capote was away for a long time. Perry put a lot of trust in Capote manipulating his mind to think that Capote could save his life. Capote’s tone in this book and quote is very somber and serious. This quote drew me in because not only is it strong but I can relate to it. Growing up we all have trials, bumps in the road, and things happen to us that we question everyday.
Nobody said making choices and life was going to be easy. Although Perry had a pore childhood growing up, didn’t have much of a family, and didn’t have a stable home, neither did Capote. Perry didn’t have to live the life he chosen. Perry and Dick were well aware that they were going to be executed but kept a strong heart and mind hoping for the best.
Perry and Dick tried to abrogate the death sentence as much as they could. I think they were lucky enough to even be alive for the additional 5 years. Capote really wants the reader to visualize what is going on by using descriptive words and keeping you interested. Its as if Capote reaches to your heart and really pulls the words out of your mouth. The atmosphere of his writing is art and the way he characterizes the characters ties into a lot of peoples lives. Another aspect of this passage I enjoyed was describing that he knew his new friends life was dangling from a string most likely not going to make it. He kept strong and knew he had to face the facts. When Capote had to arrive at the execution it really tore him apart inside to see that happen to Perry. You can really take a grasp of Capote’s feelings towards the other characters. Once a thing is set to happen all you can do is hope it wont. I feel as if I will always remember this quote and can’t wait to share this book with others.
Sincerely,
Ayden Drazic
Hopes
“You are a man of extreme passion, a hungry man not quite sure where his appetite lies, a deeply frustrated man striving to project his individuality against a backdrop of rigid conformity. You exist in a half-world suspended between two superstructures, one self-expression and the other self-destruction. You are strong, but there is a flaw in your strength, and unless you learn to control it the flaw will prove stronger than your strength and defeat you. The flaw? Explosive emotional reaction out of all proportion to the occasion. Why? Why this unreasonable anger at the sight of others who are happy or content, this growing contempt for people and the desire to hurt them? All right, you think they're fools, you despise them because their morals, their happiness is the source of your frustration and resentment. But these are dreadful enemies you carry within yourself--in time destructive as bullets. Mercifully, a bullet kills its victim. This other bacteria, permitted to age, does not kill a man but leaves in its wake the hulk of a creature torn and twisted; there is still fire within his being but it is kept alive by casting upon it faggots of scorn and hate. He may successfully accumulate, but he does not accumulate success, for he is his own enemy and is kept from truly enjoying his achievements.” (Page 44)
ReplyDeleteThrough Willie-Jay’s letter, Capote sheds what I believe to be one of the novel’s most stunning lights on Perry’s character. From the first moment we see him in the Olathe cafe, it is obvious Perry is sensitive and unstable-- breakfasting on aspirin and cigarettes, and carrying around his whole life in a couple of boxes. In contrast with Dick, it’s obvious that Perry is quite the poet’s soul. He’s quiet and takes care to keep to himself. He’s thoughtful; he feels the need to protect young women from Dick’s unsavory endeavours. He writes and collects writings and has passions and dreams. He is not an evil man but a terrible war rages inside of him constantly, as Willie Jay says, “suspended between two superstructures, one of self-expression and the other self-destruction.” Perry is a man hardened by the world and he is unforgiving for it. In fact, he feels so scorned that he is too quick to consider that anyone could make him feel anything but. He feels alone because he cannot relate, but this is what keeps him alive. Perry is afraid of getting too close to others because he thinks he will be hurt. Willie-Jay urges him to look past his contempt lest it destroy him, to find God in place of self-immolation and to open himself up to others, find compassion and let it heal him, because he knows that the kind of torment Perry endures will always lay a man dead or behind bars in the end. It was not so much a persuasive letter, but a warning. When such dangerous fire accumulates too long in any person, it gets out of hand. When it ignites it will spread like wildfire, and it does. It blew up in the Clutter home and it had been burning like a halo around Perry’s head ever since.
Sincerely,
Sofia Castillo
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