Truman Capote reinvents the murder of the Clutter family in the book In Cold Blood. Capote introduces us to the Clutter family and while doing so introduces us to the killers as well. The way in which he crafts the experience for the reader is indeed genius. Even though we know that the Clutter family is going to die, Capote creates an emotional tie to them and gives entry into their last few days alive. He carefully shows how perfect and innocent the family is and, while doing so, he is following the killers just as closely.
By creating short paragraphs and quick glances between the two, Capote develops an intensity that is hard to grasp. This intensity is important, especially since most people already know the story that Capote is telling. In order to remind us that the story is in fact true Truman uses the Testimonies of some of the characters throughout the book instead of recreating the situation they were in.
When the actual murder occurs, the way in which Capote reveals it is crucial for the book. He does not show the crime happen, instead he simply uses the scene when they are discovered. The imagery is gruesome and fantastic, in a short five pages Capote captures all four family members dead. Truman is clever in not recreating the murderers massacring the family. He allows the reader to try and predict what has happened, where the motive lies, and why they put the family members in separate rooms. This creates a new interest and curiosity within our minds and it remains there until the killers confess.The killers, Perry Smith and Dick Hickock, take up the majority of the book, however, it is the most open ended portion of the book for quite some time. When we are finally allowed to see into Smith and Hickocks lives, Capote tricks us into sympathizing with them. In fact, the reader almost forgets that they committed the murder and one hopes that they didn't. Capote is the narrator, and because of that, the reader learns a lot more about Smith. Capote seemed to be closer to Smith and we dive deep into his life and we care for him more, as does Capote. When Smith confesses the climax of the story is finally reached. We come to an understanding that both Perry and dick were under the impression that there was a large amount of money in a safe at the Clutters. All the questions are answered and the killers finally have been found guilty. The end of the mystery. The execution date is set for the both of them and as the story comes to a close the reader finally has peace.
Truman Capote gave a blood thrilling recreation of a story untold. The lengths at which he went to collect and publish this book were great. The closest resemblance we have to Capote in the book is Dewey the police man that is in charge of the case. Dewey, like Capote cannot rest until the case is solved and claimed in his testimonial that his life will never be the same since he was put on the case. Capote had a similar experience and, in fact, his life was not the same after extensive research and interviews with the killers. In Cold Blood was the peak of his literary career. Truman died not long after in August 1984.
I am intrigued by this book. I would like to know more about Capote's relations with the killers. Did he interview them in jail or before they went? Why did he become so close with one of them? I also wonder if they ever found the large amount of money that was supposed to be hidden in the Clutter house. It is very chilling to imaging the entire family murdered and set about the house in separate rooms. I wonder how and why this book affected Capote. Why did he choose to investigate this subject so intensely? This review reminds me that I want to read In Cold Blood soon.
ReplyDeleteI would like to see how Capote views the murderer's execution. Even with something like murder, I'm sure not all sympathy can be removed, especially if he hones in on one of the men. Perhaps, this is also how he deals with not directly re-inacting the murders - he leaves it to the reader, the same that he most likely accepted it, with logical thought that helped strip his emotions from the account. In Greek plays, too, they use the audience's imagination to recreate horror scenes as a way to let the audience shock themselves without directly showing them. As you hint at it, this would add a ton of suspense. Indeed, maybe the questions are left unanswered to let the reader tie it into themself: the common businessman could do this, a purse thief, maybe even a next-door neighbor. Either way, I ought to look for this in the library!
ReplyDeleteThe review is good, but I feel you don't cover all of the bases. Most particularly, Capote's prose. You simply say "the imagery is gruesome and fantastic." I may be a Capote freak (actually, I for sure am), but I think that his prose, as with in all of his writings, makes this book special. Another thing: the review seems to be 80% summary. You may want to hold back, because now I feel as if I know almost too much about Truman's story to read it. I know, the story already existed, but leave something to the imagination.
ReplyDeleteThe prose! The prose!