Part II of the novel, "Persons Unknown", provides
extensive information about Dick and Perry.
In fact, the reader leaves the Clutters and Holcomb behind completely.
For example, on page 110 of the text Capote details a conversation between the
killers. Perry is ruminating about the
murders, even though his partner has told him to cease any discussion of the
crime. He says to Dick, 'I think there
must be something wrong with us' and this is an "admission he 'hated to
make.'" This is just one example of
the very telling information reader are privy to in part II. Point to other passages in part II where the
reader really begins to get a sense of whom Dick and Perry are. Please include specific details and page
numbers, as many people were far too vague in their earlier blog posts. Use direct quotations for support and be sure
that you are not simply repeating the thoughts of those who have posted before
you. Analyze the textual evidence which
you include.
If you repeat the same post as another student, you will not
receive credit. In addition, I will
assess your ability to correctly lead into quotations.
Blog Rubric #2
Blog Rubric #2
In part II of In Cold Blood we begin to see how Dick controls Perry and is like the big brother of the two. After the murder when Perry is nervous that they didn't pull it off Dick tells him, "Get the bubbles out of your blood. We scored. It was perfect" (Capote 90). Dick tries to convince Perry they will not get caught. We also see Dick leading the way in all the schemes and Perry just following Dick's orders. Dick has another scheme planned when he tells Perry, "All I want you to do is stand there. Don't laugh, and don't be surprised at anything I say. You got to play these things by ear"(97). Perry doesn't know what is going on, he is just following orders which he seems to do throughout the whole book. In part II we learn more about Dick and Perry's relationship and the roles they play in the relationship.
ReplyDeleteIn part II of Truman Capote's In Cold Blood the reader is given a more clear view of who Dick and Perry really are, besides criminals. A few days after the murder the two men are at a diner way far out from Holcomb. Perry, being a nervous wreck, is reading through the published homicide reports in various Kansas newspapers. Dick, however, does not seem to be as affected by the recent events. While they are chatting, the reader gets to see another part of Perry that is maybe a little less criminal. He goes a little more in depth to his past while he was in prison with Willie-Jay when he says, "I've always played my hunches. That's why I'm alive today. You know Willie-Jay? He said I was a natural-born 'medium,' and he know about things like that, he was interested. He said I had a high degree of 'extrasensory perception.'" (90). Perry is telling the reader that he is superstitious and believes in things such as mediums, and extra senses. Especially when he says that Willie-Jay told him he had "a high degree of extrasensory perception." and that Willie-Jay "Knows about that stuff." Stuff, referring to the supernatural. Knowing this, the reader gets the feeling that Perry is going to continue to be 'haunted' by their previous acts against the Clutter family. It seems as though Perry has a 'feeling' that they are going to be caught.
ReplyDeleteIn Part II of Truman Capote's In Cold Blood we begin to see the truly contrasting personalities of the "blood brothers" Dick Hickok and Perry Smith. For example on page 112 of In Cold Blood the reader is able to see the true and only side of Dick when Capote narrates the events that happened while Dick was driving down a road with Perry, "The car is moving. A hundred feet ahead, a dog trotted along the side of the road. Dick swerved toward it... and the impact, as it met the car, was little more than what a bird might make. But Dick was satisfied" (112). This event further illustrates to the reader the power hungry Dick who kills innocent unsuspecting animals and humans alike. To contrast the reader sees a more sensitive side of the "blood brothers" other half Perry. On page 117 of the book Capote narrates how Perry sings a song about wanting a better life today, not when he dies. This sensitive remark leads the reader to a conflicting personality for Perry because he is a murderer but he does not necessarily act like one. Further into part II the reader is also shown other examples of this deep contrast of Dick and Perry's personalities.
ReplyDeleteIn part II of In Cold Blood, the characters of Dick and Perry are fleshed out and the reader is given a much better sense of their dynamic as well as who they are as individuals. Capote shows that Dick is often cruel and violent, even swerving on the highway to intentionally hit stray dogs "which was something he did whenever the opportunity arose" (Capote 113). In contrast, Perry seems more remorseful for his deeds, commenting that "Deep down...I never thought I could do it. A thing like that" (111). While both of the men are violent killers, Capote includes details that may lead the reader to reexamine their views on the two, especially Perry. Capote includes quotes and observations that reveal Perry's possible apprehension and remorse regarding his crimes, while cementing Dick's more callous and domineering nature.
ReplyDeleteDick and Perry's relationship really starts to develop in part II of In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. Perry is developed into a much more passive person while Dick starts to take on a leadership role over Perry. His influence on Perry becomes even greater while Perry starts to begin to get excited about their future trip to Mexico. He starts to depend on Dick to get the money for their travels. Perry praises Dick when he says, "I mean it, Dick. You were amazing. Half the time I believed you myself" (99). This shows how much Perry admired and relied on Dick. Perry knew that if he continued to commend Dick, Dick would continue getting them the money for their trip. Although, while this is going on, Dick is very nonchalant. Capote says that Dick "shrugged off Perry's praises" (99) which shows how unimportant the trip was to Dick. He only conned those people because it brought him entertainment, not because he actually wanted to travel to Mexico with Perry. Part II really starts to show Perry's reliance on Dick and also that Dick did not really care about Perry.
ReplyDeleteDick and Perry are two very different people; Dick is calm and shows little remorse, while Perry is the nervous sidekick who always need persuasion. The reader sees evidence of this when Capote writes," 'Perry, baby,' Dick said,' you don't want that burger. I'll take it.' Perry shoved the plate across the table. 'Christ! can't you let me concentrate?' 'You don't have to read it fifty times.'"(89) This shows Dick as the "alpha" when he refers to Perry as "baby". This also helps show that Perry is the sidekick or the one who follows rather than lead and walk all over him. The reader can see that Dick is obviously having no problem eating, showing that he has no remorse for killing the Clutters because most people when they are nervous or anxious cannot even think about eating let alone scarfing down a whole meal. The characterization of Perry in this clearly shows how nervous and anxious he is, he cannot put the newspaper down and will not even touch his food. Perry obviously feels nervous that they will caught and feels guilty for killing the Clutters unlike Dick. The reader sees more of a difference in their personalities as one reads through part two and it helps one further see their relationship and how they work together even though their personalities are so different.
ReplyDeletePart II of In Cold Blood focuses more on the murderers, Dick and Perry. The relationship between the two gets more interesting as the emotions of the two differ. Dick as of now is more laid back, and Perry's nerves are running high on the recent events. On page 90, Perry retorts to Dick's comment by saying, "I'm surprised to hear that, all things considered" (90). Perry by now is starting to realize what him and his accomplice have done, and Perry has this unsettling feeling about it. Perry is more of the sensitive and nervous type, whereas Dick is more conceited and cold-blooded type. For example, Dick is described as, "..balanced, as sane as anyone--maybe a bit smarter than the average fellow, that's all" (108). Dick is further described as having no interest in talking about the murder as much as Perry would like to. The reader is informed that Dick sees Perry as a "kid", when Perry wants to discuss the events that just had happened. In the end, Dick could be characterized as the "father figure" or the "big brother" for controlling Perry, and Perry as the "kid" or the "little brother" for doing whatever he is told.
ReplyDeleteIn part II of In Cold Blood, it becomes very evident that Dick and Perry are as opposite as cats and dogs. While the pair are sharing a booth in a Kansas City diner, it is explained that, "Dick ordered another hamburger. During the past few days he'd known a hunger that nothing- three successive steaks, a dozen Hershey bars, a pound of gumdrops- seemed to interrupt. Perry, on the other hand, was without appetite; he subsisted on root beer, aspirin, and cigarettes" (90). Capote's description about Dick and Perry's appetites reveals a lot about not only who they are as characters, but also how different they are from each other. For example, Dick is shown having an abnormally large appetite in the first few days after his shared murder of the Clutter family. This implies that he was not at all shaken by the experience, as he was still fully capable of devouring outrageous amounts of food, much as he did only hours before he and Perry set out to murder the Clutter family. Perry, on the other hand, is described as having hardly any appetite at all, as he subsides on root beer, aspirin, and cigarettes in the days after the murder of the Clutter family. While Perry's appetite is practically non-existent, it is much more expected under the circumstances of the situation. It is known by the readers that Perry suffers from a great deal of physical pain as result of his previous motorcycle accident, so it makes complete sense that Perry would be consuming aspirin as a form of pain relief. It can also be inferred, however, that leg pains are not the only reason that aspirin has become a part of Perry's daily appetite. Perry is most likely taking aspirin as a way of trying to bury his guilty conscience and ignore the trauma that he is experiencing after helping to murder the Clutter's. The cigarettes that he is smoking are most likely being used in the same way, as a way of coping with the fact that he just murdered an innocent family. At this point in the story, it becomes very clear to the reader that Dick and Perry are two extraordinarily different people with two extraordinarily different responses to the situation at hand.
ReplyDeleteDick and Perry are the cold-hearted killers of the Clutter family. But in part II of the book, Capote really tries to humanize them to the max. Capote writes about Perry's back-story a lot. Dick is given more traits than a one dimensional character, but is still the meaner of the two in all descriptions. However, there is one scene that makes Dick seem not all that bad. On page 99, Dick is described as being depressed, even though he and Perry had just lied their way into getting more cash and pawnable items. Once the two start drinking at a bar, Dick asked, " 'What about Dad? I feel- oh, Jesus, he's such a good old guy. And my mother- well, you saw her. What about them? Me, I'll be off in Mexico. Or wherever. But they'll be right here when those checks start to bounce. I know Dad. He'll want to make them good. Like he tried to before. And he can't- he's old and he's sick, he ain't got anything' " (99). Dick may not feel remorse for the murders, but yet, he feels guilty for leaving his parents all those bad checks. It's such a quick scene, but the reader is able to catch a glance of the part of Dick that actually cares about people other than himself, even if it is only his parents. Perry, on the other hand, is from the start described in the most sympathetic way. Capote makes Perry to be a bit childlike almost. After telling Dick what they could do for money, Perry sees that Dick isn't really paying attention. Dick always used to encourage him, but now he does not and makes Perry nervous, though, "...it had not occurred to him before- he wondered if all along Dick had only been pretending, just kidding him" (100). Some readers would have thought Perry would have noticed before then that Dick was leading him on. But since Perry is incredibly naive, he doesn't notice till right then. It also seems to show how Perry really wants acceptance from Dick for what he says. In conclusion, Dick and Perry are the most fleshed out characters in the book, especially in part II.
ReplyDeleteAs Bri stated, Dick and Perry are two completely different individuals. In part two of In Cold Blood, we see what these two think of each other, what kind of people they really are, and how they feel about the situation they are currently in. Starting off, Perry states, "For instance, right before I had my motorcycle accident I saw the whole thing happen: saw it in my mind" (90). This shows that Perry takes every action into careful consideration, to such an extreme that he can predict what will happen. It is obvious that he can predict the consequences of the murders. On the other hand, Dick is thinking that everything is going according to plan. While Perry can't get down any food, he is going to town. Perry hates the way things are headed, and tries to let Dick know of his disapproval. However, Dick doesn't snap back, he just smiles and admits that maybe, just maybe, he was wrong on a few accounts of things. Also, Dick still thinks of Perry as his running mate when he says, "If we get caught, let's get caught together" (91). On contrary, Perry is losing respect for Dick and can't believe what all he has gotten him into. Dick is one of the guys who doesn't worry, doesn't look back, and doesn't clearly think ahead to what might be in store. There are hints of separation dropped at this point, and, knowing the differences they possess, one might wonder why they didn't separate the first time they met each other.
ReplyDeleteAs we read on into Part II of Capote's novel, In Cold Blood, we start to see Dick and Perry not just as murderers, but as humans with different personalities. While Dick and Perry are in Kansas City, Dick is shown as smooth and calm along with being smart and witty. Perry was impressed on, "how he could 'con a guy,'" when he cheated the salesman (97). Dick is described as the type of person who is cool under pressure. However, Perry is the opposite of Dick and is nervous most of the time. When they are at the diner in Kansas City, Perry is not eating his food and stressing about the article in the newspaper about the murders. He starts telling Dick that he got "A premonition" and he states, "Something tells me this is a trap" (90). Perry is very uneasy about the murders and thinks about it constantly. Perry being concerned is very different to Dick's calm personality about being caught.
ReplyDeleteAs stated previously, Truman Capote uses a variety of quotes and references in part two that allows the reader to better understand Dick and Perry. Dick and Perry have very different personalities. In part two of the novel, Dick and Perry are sitting down eating discussing the murder when Perry announces, "...once a thing is set to happen, all you can do is hope it won't. Or will-depending. As long as you live, there's always something waiting, and even if it's bad, what can you do?" (92). Perry is closely analyzing why they murdered the Clutter family and is trying to find peace in it. This quote is showing that Perry knows what he did was wrong, but believes that he cannot do anything about it. He believes that fate will make him do things and not do things. This statement also shows that Perry believes he doesn't have much control over his life. This reflects on what was previously stated in the novel which told the reader that Perry had a rough childhood and didn't have much control over it. The sentence structure of this quote is also interesting. The statement includes many commas, questions and sentence fragments. This shows that Perry's train of thought is very choppy and his mind is all over the place. On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, Dick was proud of what happened and the whole murder didn't phase him much. After Perry gets done telling his story about all of his dreams, Dick states, "I'm normal. I only dream about blond chicken. Speaking of which, you hear about the nanny goat's nightmare?" (93). This quote shows that Dick is confident and witty unlike Perry, who is insecure and sorrowful.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading Part II of Capote's book In Cold Blood, Capote goes into extensive detail on how the two murderers react after killing the Clutter family. In doing so Capote gives the reader an inside look of who Dick and Perry really are as people. For example, after staying four days in Mexico Dick comes back to Perry announcing, "Two bucks a day. Mexico! Honey, I've had it. We got to make it out out of here. Back to the States... Wake up, little boy" (124). Going to Mexico had been Perry's dream and Dick shot it down after complaining about low wages and accusing Perry of living in a fantasy. Previously, Perry began to question if Dick really was excited about going to Mexico or if he was just trying to please him. However, we can see that Perry was right because Dick comes up with the first excuses he can find for reasons to leave. Earlier Dick had also expresses his fear of leaving his family in the States which is another factor confirming Perry's theory. This shows that Dick is very sly but has no real affection toward anyone for he takes away the one dream that really matters to Perry. We see how Perry reacts to this by Capote noting, "this, perversity being what it is, appealed to Perry, hurt and shocked him but charmed him, almost revived his former faith in the tough, the 'totally masculine,' the pragmatic, the decisive Dick he'd once allowed to boss him" (124). This shows that Perry is not independent and that he needs someone to tell him what to do. Dick has been bossing Perry around the entire story and Perry does not stand up for himself. We also find out in a composition from Perry's father that he had been bullied as a kid and had a hard life. This would explain why Perry feels comfort in being bossed around. All in all, Capote provides all these details about the two killers to give the reader insight on their point of view of the murders.
ReplyDeleteIn part II of Truman Capote's, In Cold Blood, the reader starts getting an understanding of who the killers, Dick and Perry, are as people. There are many passages where Capote describes Dick and Perry but one really stood out. Detective Dewey is going though the evidence of the case and thinks to himself, "The expert execution of the crimes was proof enough that at least one of the pair commanded and immoderate amount of cool-headed slyness, and was- must be- a person too clever to have done such a deed without calculated motive" (103). Dewey, even though he does not know the names of the killers, is describing Dick because Dick is not effected by the murders unlike Perry. Dick is considered sly, cool-headed, clever, and calculating. Dick had a motive to kill the Clutter family and he was clever enough to get away with it and detective Dewey even believes this. Dewey also describes Perry when he states, "...at least one of the murderers was emotionally involved with the victims, and felt for them, even as he destroyed them, a certain twisted tenderness" (103). As Dewey describes the second murderer, he seems to notice how the victims were arranged. The moving of the mattress box for Mr. Clutter, the drawn up bed covers for the women, and the pillow placed under Kenyon's head were all acts of remorse from Perry. Perry wanted the victims to be comfortable even though they were already dead which makes him emotionally involved with the victims even though he ended up "destroying them" in the end. This shows detective Dewey that one of the murderers, in this case Perry, demonstrated a characteristic of sympathy. Dewey describes both Dick and Perry's personalities.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading part two of Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, Dick and Perry are seen as more of an regular, emotional human being rather than insane murders. Capote makes it clear that these two men cannot stop thinking about the bad thing they had just done. For example, Capote repeats Dicks thoughts when he says, "He was annoyed. Annoyed as hell. Why the hell coudtn't Perry shut up? Christ Jesus, what damn good did it do, always dragging the goddam thing up? IT really was annoying. Especially since they'd agreed, sort of, not to talk about the goddam thing" (108). The murder was taking a big toll on both the men. Since Perry couldn't stop bringing it up, Dick could not get his mind off of the matter. Perry obviously became disappointed in himself when Capote restates," 'Deep down' Perry continued, 'way, way rock-bottom, I never thought I could do it. A thing like that' " (109). This makes Perry seem like at one point, he was a good guy and that he could never do such a cruel thing. But his actions prove another point. He knows he had done something incredibly wrong.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIn part II of In Cold Blood the reader really gets to learn about Perry's background. In the first part of the book, the reader views Perry as just someone who did a cold blooded thing, but in part II Capote goes into depth about how much more Perry was. After the reading of the letter Perry's dad wrote it says, "I had this great natural musical ability. Which Dad didn't recognize. Or care about I liked to read, too. Improve my vocabulary. Make up songs. And I could draw" (133). Here the reader learns that Perry is a talented and deep person. He could really have be successful in life if he had not gotten mixed up in the wrong things or if he had just gotten the support he needed in his childhood. It even says in the quote that his dad did not support him or recognize the abilities that he had. Perry as a child wanted that though, he wanted to be praised and supported. Perry was very talented he could do things that a lot of people could not do or could only do one of the things he could. If he had been then it is possible that the murder of the Clutters would not even have taken place.
ReplyDeleteDuring part two of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood, the reader learns more about Perry’s character from his background. In part one, Perry told Dick that he had choked someone to death with a bicycle chain. However, in part two, the reader learns that, although he had made it up, he had actually imagined killing a man named King. Capote states, “There was some truth in the story. Perry had known, under the circumstances stated, a Negro named King. But if the man was dead today it was none of Perry’s doing; he’d never raised a hand against him” (112). This shows that Perry desperately wanted to be accepted by Dick, so he made up a story to impress him. This also suggests that it is not in Perry’s nature to intentionally kill someone. This theory is later proved when Perry talks about getting into a fight with his father. He describes, “My hands got hold of his throat. My hands-but I couldn’t control them. They wanted to choke him to death” (136). His father gets away but Perry cannot believe that he would try to kill his own father. He uses the words “my hands”, “them”, and “they” to show disconnect between the action and him. If he had known what he was doing he would have used “I” instead of “my hands”. In the second sentence, the word “My” is italicized to show his surprise at the hand being his. He also suggests that the hands have a mind of their own, describing how he “couldn’t control them”. Since it is not in Perry’s character to commit murder, Dick had to of convinced him to help him kill the Clutter family.
ReplyDeleteLooking back on part two of Capote's In Cold Blood, I noticed some of the behavioral patterns that we see in Dick's character. Dick has made multiple attempts to put Perry down and make him feel weak. Dick uses Perry to help himself become secure when it comes to masculinity. Many snide comments are made by Dick to Perry concerning his effeminate qualities. After Perry points out that they must be sick to have done such a crime, Dick feels very offended and gets defensive."Deal me out baby,' Dick said. 'I'm a normal.' And Dick meant what he said. He thought of himself as balanced, as sane as anyone - maybe a bit smarter than the average fellow, that's all. But Perry - there was, in Dick's opinion, 'something wrong' with Little Perry." (108).Dick frequently reminds himself that he is normal. Physiologists would disagree and say that Perry is the one who is mentally stable,not Dick. Perry feels a sense of guilt and remorse but Dick shows no signs of being slightly effected by the crime. Perry is the normal one. The stress that Perry is going through should be causing him emotional distress. Dick, on the other hand, chose to ignore his problems. It seems that Dick reverts to a cocky attitude when faced with stresses that he can not control. Rather than ask for support or help, Dick needs to feel like he is "Top Dog" at all times. In order to cover up his own problems Dick needs to point out the flaws in others.
ReplyDeleteIn Part II of Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, Dick and Perry go to Mexico, but decide to leave shortly after their arrival. Since the two had to sell their car, they have to go through their current possessions to see what is wroth taking with them and what should be left behind to be picked up later. Perry goes through all of his belongings and has difficulty parting with them. Once he is done sorting his things he ends up with "half a hundred other items he had decided he must take with him, among them his treasure maps, Otto's sketchbook, and two thick notebooks, the thicker of which constituted his personal dictionary, a non-alphabetically listed miscellany of words he believed 'beautiful' or "useful'"(146). The items Perry chooses to bring with him, show his interest in artistic things and further enforces the viewpoint that he is a "dreamer". Showing Perry as an artistic and intelligent person makes it harder to believe that he took part in the brutal murders that happened days before this scene.
ReplyDeleteLike so many people have stated before me, Capote's purpose in writing part 2, was to humanize the the killers we met in part 1, and he does this by giving extreme detail about the killers. We really learn in this part that Dick and Perry are a dynamic duo. I perticularly found it interesting that these two showed a strong little brother and big brother type of relationship. Perry being the bigger, more responsible, realisitc brother, and Perry the passionate, head in the clouds, gentle brother. We really interpret this type of realtionship when the boys are having money problems in Mexico and after a day of looking for work Dick says, " Nuts! You know what they pay? What the wages are? For an expert mechanic? Two bucks a day. Mexico! Honey, I've had it. We got make it out of here. Back to the states. No, now, I'm not going to listen. Diamonds. Buried treasure. Wake up. little boy. There ain't no caskets of gold. No sunken ship. And even if there was - hell, you can't even swim," (Capote, 124). In this scene we really get to read about their relationship. Perry naive, and a dreamer wishes to stay in Mexico to look for buried treasure, and live on the beach. On the other hand Dick wants to leave because he knows Mexico has nothing for them any more, despite knowing there is danger for them in the states. This really shows the reader that Dick and Perry are mush more then bloodthirsty killers. Perry has dreams, and Dick has worries.
ReplyDeleteIn part two of In Cold Blood, Capote writes about the after effects of the Clutter murders. He describes the ongoing investigation in Holcomb, but tends to focus on Dick and Perry heading to Mexico. As Capote writes more about the murders, more information is given about their personalities. Before they leave their car is packed to the bursting point with their belongings. Capote lists that Perry brought “a cardboard suitcase, a gray Zenith Portable radio,a gallon jug of root-beer syrup… ,and two big boxes containing books, manuscripts, cherished memorabilia...” (106). Capote does not mention any of Dick’s personal items. The fact that Perry is bringing along a jug of root-beer syrup shows his tendency to be childish. Many adults, especially ones who are fleeing a country after killing multiple people would not be bothered by something as simple as root-beer.Seeing how important having root-beer in Mexico is to Perry again suggests his priorities may not always be where they should. He also keeps letters, pictures, and sentimental items with him as much as he can. Making sure that they are with him shows that they are very important to him and he would like to always have them. Along with his letters he also brings a lot of books and other reading material. I has been shown before that Perry appreciates and enjoys reading and other intellectual activities. The boxes of books proves even more how much books mean to him. The other item mentioned is very intriguing. Among the the books, root-beer, and memorabilia, he brings a gray Zenith Portable radio. The same type of radio missing from the Clutter house. It was also revealed that Perry has a passion for music. The fact that he stole the radio and little else while carrying out the murders reaffirms this passion. From this passage, Perry is shown as sentimental and dreamy while Dick seems to be uncaring and indifferent about such things as books. Capote presents Dicks feelings about Perry’s books by writing, “Dick raised hell! Cursed, kicked the boxes, called them ‘five hundred pounds of slop!’” (106). This was just one occasion that Dick showed that he disapproved of some of the things Perry enjoys, like reading and music. He values other things that are not made very clear by Capote.
ReplyDeleteIn part two of Capote's novel, Dick and Perry are more clearly defined as characters and people. Perry, for instance, didn't agree with Dick as to whether the police really didn't have evidence at the crime scene or if it was just a lie they fed to the public. Yet, they still have a need for one another. As Jack stated, they are willing to stick together and even possibly be caught together. Capote lays out a key reason why they needed to stick together when he states, "Moreover, if he broke with Dick, it meant the end of plans still attractive to Perry, and still, despite recent reverses, deemed possible by both---skin-diving, treasure-hunting life lived together among islands or along coasts south of the border" (91). Perry is a dreamer and Dick is willing to tag along. But in order for that to happen,they need to stay together and rely upon one another to survive and get to this "skin-diving, treasure-hunting" life south of the border. Also, to move on to that life means that Perry needs to shove aside any feelings of guilt he possesses. He doesn't know if he can do that at this point in the account and neither do the readers. Dick seems to be a bit more confident and like he can push the feelings of guilt out of his mind. We see the characters develop in this way in the days after the atrocious murders they committed.
ReplyDeleteIn Part II of In Cold Blood, Capote describes the lives of Perry and Dick after their horrible crime. It goes beyond the fact that they are murderers, and gives you a description of the two in a humanistic way. It also provides a lot of unique information on Perry. Dick is described as being the leader and captain of the two while Perry is the little "kid" with many fantasies. However, Perry wasn't always this little "kid". Capote describes a spooky trait of Perry when he begins, "Take, for instance, that temper of his. He could slide into a fury 'quicker then ten drunk Indians' "(108). His temper is further explained in the next few lines, "And yet you wouldn't know it.'He might be ready to kill you, but you'd never know it, not to look at or listen to...' "(108). Perry is almost described as mentally unstable at times. Later Dick says that he is unable to control his friend's temper, which has made him very unsure and anxious about Perry. It presents the fact that Perry can be very capable of killing somebody, and possibly feeling a lot of remorse because he did it in rage. Despite Dick's anxiety toward Perry they still have a very strong relationship.
ReplyDeletePart II of Truman Capote's In Cold Blood primarily focuses on describing the events following the murders of the Clutter family. Specifically, Capote gives his audience a deeper look at the cold-blooded killers, Dick and Perry. While it is true that Capote seems to provide a more remorseful characterization of Perry, Capote also presents an unprecedented look at Dick. On page 110 Capote mentions how Perry provokes Dick's "one abiding doubt" by telling Dick he thinks there is something wrong with them for being able to "do a thing like that" (109-110). Dick answers by saying there is nothing wrong with him and insisting he is a normal. For the first time, the audience gets to see a different side of Dick. Capote alludes, "Dick, too suffered moments when the question circled inside his head: Was it possible-were the two of them 'honest to God going to get away with doing a thing like that?'" (110-111). Directly after this Dick tells Perry to shut up and swerves to hit a dog. This action suggests that Dick is not comfortable with his uncertainty and pushes away any reminder of this. In addition, he hits the innocent dog to further persuade himself of the evil nature he posses.
ReplyDeleteIn Truman Capote’s “In Cold Blood” the killers, Dick and Perry, are described as two very different people who put themselves in an extraordinary situation. As many people have stated Dick is more of the Alpha in the relationship. While Perry is more of a follower. Dick constantly calls Perry “honey” or “baby” which the reader can assume that Dick uses these names in a condescending tone. Dick seems to show little to no remorse for what happened at the Clutter home. Dick even told the anxious Perry “Aw, come on baby. Get the bubbles out of your blood. We scored. It was perfect” (90). Dick is trying to get Perry to stop feeling guilty and anxious. But, I think that there is something more to Dick than just what his external actions and emotions are portraying. Later in the book, when the two men are crossing the border Capote writes, “There were those Dick claimed to love: three sons, a mother, a father, a brother- persons he hadn’t dared confide his plans to, or bid goodbye, though he never expected to see them again- not in his life”(106). This quote can confuse readers because now Dick is being put in a light that could make the reader feel sympathy for him because he does have people he loves and, now, will never be able to see again. I think that Dick and Perry both have remorse, but Perry is more open about it than Dick is. In this quote the reader gets a sense of just how complex these characters are. Some could also interpret that the reason Dick is trying to calm down Perry is so that Dick can try calm his own worries and anxieties.
ReplyDeleteIn the book "In Cold Blood" written by Truman Capote we get a great deal of information about the killers, Dick and Perry. For the most part we get the impression that Dick is the brains of this operation as well as a dishonest psychopath. A for Perry, he is a little odd and seem to just follow Dick around and do what he is told to do. But at the end of part two we see a new development when the killers have just recently reentered the U.S. Just after a car passes them by refusing to give them a ride Capote tells us," the song was one of Perry's favorite, and he taught Dick all five stanzas. In step, side by side, they swung along the highway singing," (155). This shows us them at one of their weakest moments and it show quite a bit. We already new that Perry was a man of the arts so it was not a giant surprise that he could play the harmonica but the fact that he was able to convince Dick to sing a song and teach him all the word was a change. This gives us a new look on Dick as we have never seen him singing before but the big thing here is that Perry taught him. For the most part we have seen Dick as the teacher and Perry and the pupal and now we are seeing the reverse. This show that both men rely on each other to get each other threw things. They are giving each other hope as the march home out of the desert.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading I began to understand what I think the point is that Capote is trying to make. Perry is a deep thinker and a deep person as explained by Capote. He contemplates life and even his sister does not understand him. However he is just as animal like as Dick. Capote writes ,"'The only real regret I have- I wish the hell my sister had been in that house'" (143). Capote spends the majority of the chapter creating an image of a sensitive human being, however he lacks basic empathy for his sister. She is not smart enough to understand him and he sees this as reason to wish for her death, to wish that he could have murdered her. I almost think that he is worse than Dick. At least everyone is aware of how awful Dick is. He will tell you that himself and then attempt to hit you with his car. However Perry has a sense of being incredibly smart and sensitive, but his actions and wishes contradict this belief.
ReplyDeleteDuring Part Two of In Cold Blood Capote gives us a look into the masterminds of the killers. We learn many new things about Dick and Perry through their opinions of themselves and each other. Overall, the two do not seem greatly affected by the fact that they killed four people. However, Perry does question their sanity on pages 108 through 110, expressing his disbelief in what they have done. Aside from this conversation Dick and Perry seem to be more focused on having a good time in Mexico than feeling guilty about their actions. While in Mexico one of Perry’s prized possessions is stolen. Perry later tells Capote about it, and he writes “And Perry was bitter about it. He felt, he later said, ‘real mean and low,’ explaining, ‘You have a guitar long enough, like I had that one, wax and shine it, fit your voice to it, treat it like it was a girl you really had some use for—well, it gets to be kind of holy’”(124-125). Perry shows more remorse and emotion to his stolen guitar than he does to killing a family. He seems very distraught and angry without his guitar. As a reader you question his conscience and sanity due to the fact that he is more emotional over a missing guitar than being a murder. Readers do not feel empathy for his loss because this is very small compared to the loss and damage he has done. During Part Two readers begin to see the faults and cracks in Dick and Perry.
ReplyDeleteDuring Part Two of In Cold Blood Capote gives us a look into the masterminds of the killers. We learn many new things about Dick and Perry through their opinions of themselves and each other. Overall, the two do not seem greatly affected by the fact that they killed four people. However, Perry does question their sanity on pages 108 through 110, expressing his disbelief in what they have done. Aside from this conversation Dick and Perry seem to be more focused on having a good time in Mexico than feeling guilty about their actions. While in Mexico one of Perry’s prized possessions is stolen. Perry later tells Capote about it, and he writes “And Perry was bitter about it. He felt, he later said, ‘real mean and low,’ explaining, ‘You have a guitar long enough, like I had that one, wax and shine it, fit your voice to it, treat it like it was a girl you really had some use for—well, it gets to be kind of holy’”(124-125). Perry shows more remorse and emotion to his stolen guitar than he does to killing a family. He seems very distraught and angry without his guitar. As a reader you question his conscience and sanity due to the fact that he is more emotional over a missing guitar than being a murder. Readers do not feel empathy for his loss because this is very small compared to the loss and damage he has done. During Part Two readers begin to see the faults and cracks in Dick and Perry.
ReplyDeleteIn Part 2 of In Cold Blood, the reader really starts to get an idea of the relationship between Dick and Perry. The way Capote portrays them in the story gives readers a sense that the two could essentially be a married couple. Dick is depicted as the man in the relationship, as he is the one to make the rules and makes sure Perry doesn't get the pair in trouble. This power is emphasized when Dick says to Perry, "'Aw, come on, baby. Get the bubbles out of your blood. We scored. It was perfect.'"(90). The reader can almost hear the condescension coming from Dick as he calls Perry "baby." This quote clearly illustrates that Dick is the alpha in this relationship. Perry is, of course, portrayed as the woman in this relationship. Women are generally more emotionally and empathetic, and these are two things Perry definitely is. He shows recognition of their wrongdoing when he says, "'There's got to be something wrong with somebody who'd do a thing like that."(108). This small amount of remorse shows that Perry is at least more emotionally stable than Dick, which makes Perry more like a stereotypical woman. Though it was said that Dick and Perry were a strictly platonic pair, Capote provides plenty of allusions that there could have been something more.
ReplyDeleteDick and Perry are described as two very different types of people in Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood". More time is spent through their eyes and their experiences than the people of Holcomb. Their differences are especially brought to light in Part Two. Dick is described as being more of a playboy type. He met a prostitute named Inez and promised to marry her. It is said that he "had also promised to marry Maria, a woman of fifty, who was the widow of a 'very prominent Mexican banker'" (119). His promise of marrying two girl shows that he cannot settle down for just one woman. On the other hand, Perry is more of a man who does not love many women. Capote explains that there is only one girl that Perry loved and her name was Cookie. He tries to play it off like he did not love her yet he got a tattoo of her name on his arm. Capote describes Cookie as, "A swell kid, Cookie, and she had liked him, pitied him, babied him, inspired him to read 'serious literature'--Gone with the Wind, This Beloved" (98). There appears to be more depth to Perry's character than Dick's. Perry has more of a soft and rational side while Dick does not care about anyone or their feelings. Dick is a playboy while Perry is a more of a man who wants to settle down. Dick and Perry's personalities are shared and readers begin to see how different these men are.
ReplyDeleteIn the second part of Truman Capote's In Cold Blood the characters Dick and Perry are focused on. The reader is introduced to the true characters and learn their personalities. The readers also learn how Dick and Perry feel about the murder. During one of Capote's interviews with the murderer, Dick, Capote learns fascinating information of how the two murderers lived after commiting the crime. Dick explains that him and Perry argued about the event that changed their lives. Perry expressed mixed feelings, or regret, for the situation. After witnessing Perry's weakness, Dick is upset and disgusted with the breakable man. Capote writes, "He was annoyed. Annoyed as hell. Why the hell couldn't Perry shut up?" (108). Capote's captures Perry's worry for the situation and Dick's carelessness in this passage. Dick is extremely annoyed with Perry. Perry had spent a long time trying to convince Dick he was emotionless, only to counter his previous statements with an expression of weakness. Capote includes this passage to prove Perry does have regrets of the murder and that Dick just does not care. Capote then goes on to include Dick's opinion on Perry. Capote writes,
ReplyDelete"[He] had grown very unsure of Perry, not at all certain what to think--except that he felt he ought to be afraid of him, and wondered really why he wasn't," (109). This quote is made to remind readers Perry is still a killer, someone to be afriad of. However, the cold blooded murderer, Dick, still isn't threatened by Perry. Capote slightly touches upon Dick's fearlessness in this passage. Even though Dick knows he should be afraid of Perry, he just isn't.
In part II of In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, we see a lot more description of the murderers, Dick and Perry. Though the reader does get to see a little into the empathetic side of Dick when he is talking about the family he will be leaving behind when they go to Mexico on page 99, Capote does not put much effort in making Dick look any better. Capote does, on the other hand, humanize Perry extensively in this part of the book, trying to force the reader to understand and feel bad for Perry. When Dick and Perry are about to leave Mexico and Perry is reminiscing about some of his stuff that he decides to take with him, we see a letter from his dad explaining his past and about his time in jail, “Perry has learned a lesson he will never forget. Freedom means everything to him you will never get him behind bars again… The law is boss, he knows that. He loves his freedom,” (129-130). Capote uses this letter to help show another side of “murderer Perry,” a guy who is getting used by Dick for his own personal gain. Perry’s dad explains that Perry was a good kid with a troubled past, who made a mistake that landed him in prison, but he knows that Perry has learned his lesson. We get to see that Perry has kind of learned this lesson, that bad things don’t go unpunished, when he talks about how he “just knows” that they are going to get caught. We really do get to see more development in the murderers in part II and see some of what has made them who they are.
ReplyDeleteIn Part II of In Cold Blood, Truman Capote really shows a side of Dick and Perry that we haven’t been able to see in the previous parts. Capote starts to show the internal feelings of Dick, and as well as Perry. One page 108, Capote writes, “Perry could be ‘such a kid,’ always wetting his bed and crying in his sleep (‘Dad, I had been looking everywhere, where you been, Dad?’), and often Dick has seen him ‘sit for hours just sucking his thumb and poring over them phony damn treasure guides.’ Which was one side; there were other.” (108). It almost seems as if Dick is in denial about the crime he has done. He does understand that he did it, but seems to project his negative emotions and feelings onto Perry by putting him down and treating him like a little kid. The whole story we get Dick as being a cold hearted person and now we get to see a little bit of how he reacts inside. It is obvious that Capote favors Perry when he writes, “But the big question, and the source of heartache, was what to do with his much-loved memorabilia--the two huge boxes heavy with books and maps, yellowing letters, song lyrics, poems, and unusual souvenirs…” (125). When he describes Perry being sad over having to pick what to take, it almost makes you feel bad for him. You later see what he went through as a child and it makes sense as to why he committed the murder of the Clutters. This whole section is getting you to dislike Dick more and more but at the same time getting you to feel a little bad for Perry. Even though Perry killed a family, you can’t help but to like him more than you do Dick.
ReplyDeleteThere are two things that are very striking in part II of Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood". The first has to be that the majority of this section is dedicated to the killers, who spend much of the two months traveling to Mexico and coming back to the US. The second apparent thing is that the section is most of all focused on Perry, the shown softer of the two murderers. Throughout this, the reader can get a sense that while Perry can initially seen as reckless ("...(Perry is)somewhat reckless and speed crazy with motorcycles and light cars..." (128)) and uncontrollable ("Take, for instance, that temper of his. He could slide into a fury 'quicker than ten drunk Indians'"(108)). However, as the reader continues to read, they notice that Perry is often the more concerned of the two murderers, shown by his watching over the money (119) and his regard for the check-out time at the hotel (123). These events show that while before the reader was left thinking that Perry was childlike, and a bit airheaded, he is actually the responsible and wary of the two. Meanwhile, Dick is disregarding these warnings made by Perry, and showing the reader that while during the murder he may have been level-headed, afterwards Perry was left to take care of the two. This is a different take given to the reader by Capote, which not only expands our understanding and sympathy towards these two men, but also proves that murderers do not have to be completely evil.
ReplyDeleteIn Part II of Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood," Capote leaves behind the Clutter family and focuses on Dick and Perry but mostly on Perry. On page 96, Capote writes, "A thousand people! Perry was impressed. He wondered how much the funeral had cost," (96). Perry is shown to care only about money. He is reading the newspaper and he finds out that a thousand people mourned the Clutter family's death. Dick and Perry have committed a terrible deed and they, especially Perry in this quote, show little remorse. Instead of feeling bad and ashamed for the crime Perry committed, he cares more about the money spent on the funeral. Along with seeing his greedy side, the reader gets a glimpse at Perry's ruthlessness. He has recently murdered four innocent people and he cares about more about money and grammar within the newspaper articles. He shows no emotion of remorse or guilt and this makes Perry scarier than Dick. Part II of "In Cold Blood" is about learning about the killers, Dick and Perry. Overall, the reader gets to see and learn more of who Perry is; his personality, especially in this quote, is reflected and revealed to the reader. Perry is shown to be remorseless of his evil deed and cares more about money than the people he killed.
ReplyDeleteIn Part II of In Cold Blood, Dick and Perry's conflicting relationship is, in part, revealed to the reader. Dick and Perry are described in greatly contrasting ways, Perry being a hated, hating half-breed child"(93) and " 'such a kid' "(108). While Dick is described as "usually so full of himself"(99) and is said to run "down a dog... something he did whenever..."(113). The reader is told that the nuns "whipped him (Perry) for wetting his bed"(93) and of the other people that torment him throughout his life. This makes the reader feel sympathy for Perry and what happened to him as a child. It also give the reader an idea of why Perry is the way he is, but it also acts as a sort of excuse for his actions, as it may make people think he is unstable and not accountable for his actions. On the other hand, Dick is portrayed as the bad guy and the one who is in complete control of the situation, and Perry. But, in fact, Dick is "very unsure of Perry"(109). Perry's uncontrollable and unpredictable temper frightens Dick and makes him wary of Perry. Most would think that it would be the other way around due to Capote's descriptions of the men. But the farther the reader gets, the more conflicting Dick and Perry's relationship becomes.
ReplyDeleteIn part II of In Cold Blood, the focal point is mainly Dick and Perry, rather than the scene in Holcomb. Throughout this part, the reader gains insight on who the murderers of the Clutter family really are. On page 111, Capote writes about the time Perry "fixed" a man. Once the tale is told, Capote continues by stating, "There was some truth in the story. Perry had known, under the circumstances stated, a Negro named King. But if the man was dead today it was none of Perry's doing; he'd never raised a hand against him," (112). This explains to the reader that the story Perry told to Dick to earn his respect, really was not true at all. Of course, Dick is not aware of this fact and he brings it up every chance he can. When Perry mentions that he thinks something must be wrong with them to be able to commit these murders and not feel remorse, Dick retorts by saying, "How about that negro?" (111). These characters definitely play off of each other. Perry is often seen as the damaged, emotionally unstable man while Dick is seen as the perpetrator who played off of Perry's need to be accepted in order to get what he wanted him to do.
ReplyDeleteIn part II, Capote describes Dick and Perry and their personalities in great depth. Like Abbey mentioned, Capote seems to be more partial to Perry than Dick. Toward the end of page 147, he indirectly characterizes both of the killers. He writes, "Dick was awake ... he and Inez were making love ... Perry felt sorry for Inez. She was such a 'stupid kid' --she really believed that Dick meant to marry her, and had no idea he was planning to leave Mexico that very afternoon," (147). As we discussed today in class, Dick was engaged to two different women, basically just for their money. In this particular paragraph, Capote shows Dick as a womanizer of sorts, he is sleeping with a woman who believes he is very involved with her. Although this is not the case, considering he is lying to her and plans to leave her within 24 hours without her knowledge. Capote simultaneously tries to show one of the good attributes of Perry, who seems to appreciate and respect women. He says that he feels sorry for the woman that Dick is misleading. More importantly, it shows Perry's emotional side and his capability to feel remorse and sympathy for other people. This may be foreshadowing as to how Dick and Perry get caught in part III.
ReplyDeleteIn Part two of "In Cold Blood" characters Dick and Perry are further developed. As you read on you can see that these two men are very different. Perry seems to be more emotional towards the murders. In the book Dick describes him as " 'spooky as hell' "(108) this refers to Perry's temper. "He could slide into a fury quicker than ten drunken Indians"(108). This refers to how unstable Perry is becoming after the murders. Later on in the book he becomes so paranoid and remorseful he can barely seem to function in everyday life. On the other hand when Perry brings up the murders to Dick, Dick says to "just forget it"(110) this gives the reader the idea that he is so cold hearted. Also giving them the idea that he is able to push the situation deep into his mind and forget about it. Dick is also somewhat seen as the worse of the two because of the fact he can just forget about the murders all together. Not to mention the fact he can jump women to women without any thought. Also the way he blows away money makes him look careless for himself and others around him. Perry is shown as someone the reader may feel empathy for because of his childhood and the way he shown remorse towards his actions. Capote also seems to favor him in his writing.
ReplyDeleteIn part II, Truman Capote goes into great detail about Dick and Perry while working several different strategies in this part of the text. In Part II, Capote tells specific things of Dick and Perry, almost comparing and contrasting them. While Capote shows how hard and rough Dick is by saying, "The car was moving. A hundred feet ahead, a dog trotted along the side of the road. Dick swerved towards it"(112), and by also mentioning his promise to marry two woman in Mexico. Capote then contrasts Dick by showing a lighter side of Perry, explaining his hopes and dreams and also going more into depth about his childhood. Capote also mentions Perry's feelings of remorse. This makes the reader see Perry as more of the "good guy," while also making the reader sympathize with Perry.
ReplyDeleteIn the second part of In Cold Blood, Capote gives the reader more of a description of Dick and Perry. The two characters have almost opposite personalities, Perry is portrayed as sensitive and emotional but Dick, on the other hand, seems hard and unfeeling. However, on page 99 right after the two murderers just "pass a check" (97) Dick shows remorse for the first time because he wondered "What about Dad?... But what about them?... But they'll be right here when those checks start to bounce. I know Dad. He'll want to make them good" (99). By saying this to Perry, Dick is humanized. When it comes to his family, Dick does have normal human feelings and he is not completely hardened. Although Capote only shows a brief glimpse of Dick's softer side, it is clear that he is not just a cut and dried cold blooded killer.
ReplyDeleteIn part two of "In Cold Blood", Truman Capote further characterizes Dick Hickock and Perry Smith. The further into the book, the more readers are shown to sympathize with Perry and reject Dick. While in Mexico, Perry considers leaving Dick, reasoning that he had "always been 'a loner,' and without any 'real friends' " (124). Dick is shown to be a liar in the case of Inez who "was eighteen, and Dick had promised to marry her. But he had also promised to marry Maria, a woman of fifty..." (118-119). While not truly contrasting the two, Capote attempts to steer the reader in how they feel about the two men by dumping oodles and oodles of unpleasant qualities onto Dick while doing his best to paint Perry in a rose-colored light.
ReplyDeleteCapote uses several strategies to convey a better sense of Dick and Perry's personalities. Specifically, Capote includes one conversation the two have that is very telling about Perry's personality. When trying to deal with his guilt, Perry is questioned by Dick about the man that he had killed before. He responds with, "But a nigger, that's different"(109). This is a clear indicator of the racism that Perry harbors. The fact that a man who had such a terrible life as Perry can have these feelings of hate for someone else based only on race is a reminder of the murderer that Perry really is. He is not someone who should be sympathized with, as Capote chooses to display him as throughout the rest of the novel.
ReplyDeleteIn part II of In Cold Blood, Truman Capote puts emphasis on the murderer's of the Clutter family, Dick and Perry. The reader learns that there is a lot more to them than just being savage killers. Although Perry is just as violent as Dick, Perry shows more emotion and acknowledges his sick behavior. In one of his moments of humanity, Perry says to Dick, "There's got to be something wrong with somebody who'd do a thing like that" (108). In contrast, Dick is the kind of person who prefers to forget about his mistakes and leave them in the past. When Perry brings up the murders, Dick is "annoyed as hell" (108) and wonders, "Why the hell couldn't Perry shut up?" (108). Dick is searching for money and women, whereas Perry is looking for acceptance and care. Capote effectively describes the murderers in Part II so that the reader can gain a better understanding of their thought processes.
ReplyDeleteIn Part II of In Cold Blood, Truman Capote starts to personify who Dick and Perry really are. Capote seems to favor Perry over Dick. He makes Perry seem almost to the point of innocent. He shows us that Perry felt guilt after the murders. Perry says to Dick, "I think there must be something wrong with us. To do what we do"(108). Perry's emotion towards their action is being shown here. He feels remorse for what they have done. Capote shows this softer side of Perry throughout the chapter. In contrast, he makes Dick seem like the bad guy to the reader. It is clear that Capote doesn't feel the same way about Dick as he does Perry. Dick is characterized as a more ruthless person. Capote writes, "A hundred feet ahead, a dog trotted along the side of the road. Dick swerved to it"(112). This shows how Dick did not care about another life. After this Dick responds by saying, "Boy! We sure splattered him!"(113). Capote includes this to show how ruthless Dick actually is. It also plays to the fact of him being portrayed as the worse of the two killers. It is made clear throughout this chapter who each killer is and how Capote favors Perry over Dick.
ReplyDeleteIn part 2 of "In Cold Blood", Truman Capote dives into the characters of Dick and Perry. Capote gives us the understanding that back in Holcomb, the investigation is not progressing. In the mean time, Capote uses this oppurtunity to really develop the characters of Dick and Perry. Throughout the whole novel thus far, we get the understanding that there is a special friendship between the two men. We also get that these men are compete opposites. Dick, the "man" in the relationship, is a sleezy guy. He sleeps around, gets drunk, and promises marriage to more than one woman. If the opportuninty arrises for them to get some money, Perry says, "Dick, if he knew Dick, and he did-now he did-would spend it right away on vodka and woman" (119). This quote really tells us that Perry, the one person who knows Dick best, knows that once they get any money in their pockets, Dick will go and blow it on booze and chicks. Now, Perry on the other hand, it's portrayed as very feminine and modest. While Otto was painting a picture of Perry, "Perry was "ashamed" to take off his trousers, "ashamed" to wear swimming trunks" (119). This quote tells us straight forward about who Perry is. He is very self-reserved and kept. Capote uses the down time in Holcomb as his advantage to show the reader how Dick is a real dirty man and how Perry is modest and reserved.
ReplyDeleteWithin the book in part II of "In Cold Blood" , Capote gives us an inside look in what really goes on with these two murderers as they go along their way to a "better life" after their crime. Through out the chapter, we learn that Dick and Perry are not who they seem. We get to know Perry as the sensitive one from the pair and Dick as the ruthless one. " Dealt me out, baby' Dick said.' I'm a normal.' And Dick meant what he said. He thought of himself as balanced, as sane as anyone- maybe a bit smarter than the average fellow, that's all. But Perry-there was , in Dick's opinion, 'something wrong' with Little Perry."(108) Here we see that Dick sees himself as the all time macho man. He's definitely the brains from the two and thinks that he can outsmart just any one and anything that comes along his way. Where on the other hand we learn much about Perry and basically his history and why he has become the person he is. For example, up until now Perry still wets his bed, has fantasies of finding treasure,which signifies Perry as a child like character.
ReplyDeleteAs part II of "In Cold Blood" begins, Capote begins to give the reader some more personalized descriptions of Dick and Perry. This chapter is revealing to the reader the true sides of Dick amd Perry. On page 100 Perry begins to show his imaginative side when he discusses his treasure map, "No fooling Dick…This is authentic. I’ve got a map. I’ve got the whole history. It was buried there back in 1821 – Peruvian bullion, jewelry. Sixty million dollars – that’s what they say it’s worth. Even if we didn’t find all of it, even if we only found some of it – Are you with me, Dick?"(100). Perry shows how he truly believes in this treasure and points to his more creative side, which we were unaware of from the begining. Dick also weighs in his opinion later in the novel showing how he is more logical and unimaginative about the matter. Here he states "Wake up little boy. There ain't no caskets of gold"(124). Dick shows how unsupportive he is here of Perry and how he thinks it is a child like idea for Perry to think of treasure. This whole chapter is used to characterize the killers and Capote uses many examples to do so.
ReplyDeleteIn Truman Capote’s novel In Cold Blood, the action of the story abandons the poor deceased Clutters on their lifeless farm, and instead turns its focus to Dick and Perry, those responsible for the heinous crime. With this new focus comes a new sense of enlightenment for the reader as he gets to learn more about whom Dick and Perry really are. One example is when the reader gets a glimpse into Dick’s mental state when Capote writes, “A marvel, really, the ease with which Dick negotiated changes of mood; in a trice, all traces of meanness, of sullen bravura, had evaporated,” (91). In this quote, Capote informs the reader of Dick’s unstable mentality by using words such as “all” and “ease” to clearly emphasize the extent to which the mood changes affect him. Dick’s mood changes are frequent, drastic, and unpredictable. Some may even go so far as to label him as a bipolar individual with a dual personality. Though Dick is sufficiently characterized in part 2, Perry is described and developed even more than his partner in crime. The reader learns some background information about Perry when Capote writes, “How well I know that Perry is good hearted if you treat him rite. Treat him mean & you got a buzz saw to fight. You can trust him with any amount of $ if you’re his friend,” (130). Although this information might be biased since it is coming from his father, there is still some valuable information in it since it shows that before his time in prison, Perry was a “good-hearted” man and could be trusted. Capote includes this testimony because it shows that Perry is no longer that sweet lad his dad described, but is instead a confused killer that doesn’t know who he is anymore.
ReplyDeleteIn part two of In Cold Blood Capote tries to humanize Dick and Perry. Since both of them are only seen as the murderers at this point of the book, Capote makes connections with readers to see more of their personalities. Capote begins with Perry's family history. Perry grew up with his father and never really had a mother present. However, Perry's father did not care for him as a good father should. For example, towards the middle of the chapter Perry explains, "Whole sections of me Dad was ignorant of. Like I could play a harmonica first time I picked one up. Guitar, too. I had this great natural musical ability. Which dad didn't recognize or car about"(134). Perry struggled to have a connection to people which could have effected his psychological state that lead him to be able to kill so well. Also, Perry shows him sentimental side of his life stating that he is after all capable of feelings. As for Dick, he was more of a non-sentimental person. He would rather forget about what he has done a live life through it. This could have been why Capote was able to gain more Information on Perry because he was willing to talk to Capote more than Dick was. Also Dick used women often, and never felt bad for his actions. Unlike Perry, he felt sorry for the women the Dick used such as Inez who was suppose to marry Dick but he left Inez (147). Capote was able to humanize both these character but leaned more towards Perry when it came to sympathy.
ReplyDeleteIn part II of "In Cold Blood" Capote allows the reader to form a better understanding of the characters Dick and Perry. He mentions that Perry has a tendency to carry around memorabilia when he says, "But the big question, and source of heartache, was what to do with his much-loved memorabilia--the two huge boxes heavy with books and maps, yellowing letters, song lyrics"(125). He acts childish in a way because of the fact that he cannot seem to let go of these precious items and the memories that go along with them. Dick, on the other hand, has a family and feels more independent than his partner in crime, Perry. On page 111 in the book Perry begins to tell Dick about his messed up childhood. While doing so, Dick says, "Deal me out, baby. I'm normal"(111). Perry tells him this because he wanted Dick to see him as the 'masculine type', like he considered Dick to be. Dick does not catch on and simply states that there was nothing wrong with his family as he grew up.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMany examples of how Dick and Perry are characterized are included in part II of Capotes novel, "In Cold Blood". Specific examples of their personalities and qualities that are mentioned include when capote goes into detail about Perrys excessive need to show that he is highly educated. While he is including this, he is also portraying how Perry is not showing his remorse (if he has any) of the murders. Capote expresses this by telling the reader Perrys initial response after reading the paper describing the Clutter family murder. His first words after reading the news article show that he is more concerned with the grammar than with the article concerning the murder he and Dick committed ( 89). However, Capote does include in the next line that while Perry is paying more attention to the grammatical errors, he is also concerned with getting caught. Capote depicts this when he states "he went on ,'Anyway, I don't believe it. Neither do you. Own up, Dick. Be honest. You don't believe this no clue stuff?'(89). In this quote, Capote expresses Perrys concerned disbelief of no evidence that belongs to them being found. By including this he also shows how concerned Perry is for himself while the previous example shows his lack of concern for others. Together these quotes seem to characterize Perry as caring only for how he is viewed intellectually, himself, and his partner who will help him not get caught.
ReplyDeleteOther examples of how Capote characterizes the killers include a simile that states "...Dick deserved it, his confidence was like a kite that needed reeling in"(91). In this simile, Capote depicts Dicks ego as something that needed to be controlled and suggested that maybe sometimes Dick was overconfident. This quote adds to the idea that Dick and Perry need each other because they balance each other out by Perry being too worried about getting caught and Dick being overconfident and not being worried enough. Furthermore, this quote hints that this overconfidence is occurring because Dick is the leader of the two and feels the need to show the authority he has over Perry.
In part two of Truman Capote's In Cold Blood the reader is given much more insight into Dick and Perry's true inner thoughts and feelings. For instance, Dick's conscience catches up with him after their "shopping spree" where he wrote bad checks in order to get money for the trip to Mexico. At the end of the day reality finally hit him when he thought of his father soon having to pay for all of the merchandise he and Perry had bought that day: "What about Dad? I feel--oh, Jesus, he's such a good old guy. And my mother--well, you saw her. What about them? Me, I'll be off in Mexico. Or wherever. But they'll be right here when those checks start to bounce. I know Dad. He'll want to make them good. Like he tried to before. And he can't--he's old and he's sick, he ain't got anything" (99). In this quote the reader sees a rare side of Dick. Usually he seems carefree and confident, but in this scene he is remorseful about spending money that he knows his father will have to repay. Meanwhile, Perry is unusually optimistic about paying off the checks. Normally he is the worrier, but this time he claims, "But hell, Dick. It's very simple... We can pay off the checks. Once we're in Mexico, once we get started down there, we'll make money. Lots of it" (99). Perry is absolutely certain that all of the treasure schemes that he has read about are legitimate and they will help cover the money that Dick now owes his dad. With both criminals' personalities switched around, this part shows their alternate side, revealing their multidimensional personalities. Overall, this section of the book shows how the two murderers are human and amiable, two unexpected characteristics of killers. Capote's main purpose in differentiating this part from the others was to make the reader realize that any criminal has his own backstory; he can be an average guy.
ReplyDeleteWhen analyzing the second part of In Cold Blood through a psychological lens, one may find that the mental states of both Dick and Perry are questionable. At one point, Perry tells Dick of this recurring dream he has had since a child. The dream involves him traveling through the jungle and stumbling upon a tree that smells disgusting, but has diamonds as its' fruits. After discovering the diamonds, he quickly decides that he is going to take some. However, he is somehow aware that as soon as he tries to "pick" a bushel of these diamonds, a snake that guards the tree will drop down on him and fight him. This dream then centers around the fact that Perry knows what the consequence of his choice is (the snake attacking him), but finds he would rather risk it killing him then just simply not taking the diamonds. So, Perry goes to pick the diamond, which may represent vanity and an obsession with material things and monetary value, and the snake, which may represent temptation as a sort of biblical reference to the snake tempting with the forbidden fruit, falls upon his head. The snake and Perry scuffle, but ultimately Perry is not strong enough to defeat the snake, and it ends up trapping him. Perry then states, "... he starts to swallow me. Feet first. Like going down in quick sand" (92). He knew this might happen yet lacked self control to stop and not do it. Dick's mental state can be summed up by his response which was, "So? The snake swallows you? Or what?" (92). This reaction lacks any sympathy towards the confused and scarred Perry. It shows that Dick is shallower than previously thought, and that Perry is more complex than first thought. Both men have psychological issues (Dick being manipulative, etc...). Capote developes these characters in this way to show the reader that the murder was not bloodthirsty. It was rather a job that two mentally unhealthy men committed. One manipulated the other and both rely on each other whether or not it is admitted. It shows the reader that even though murder is awful me unforgivable, the events in the Clutter family's house that night were not in cold blood, but more so mentally questionable men doing what needed to be done to get by.
ReplyDeleteIn the second part of In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote, the audience leaves the town of Holcomb to journey with the Clutters killers, Dick and Perry. In this chapter, the audience learns more about Dick and Perry as individual human beings, instead of just the cold blooded killers the audience has come to know. Although they are quite the pair, Dick and Perry are very different people with even more different personalities. When Capote writes about Perry, he gives the audience extensive background into why Perry may have been the way he was. This can be seen when Capote refers back to Perry's childish behaviors, such as, "always wetting his bed and crying in his sleep" (108). Capote not only provides this immature side of Perry, but also a darker, more destructive side. Capote describes Dick's fear of Perry's side that was "'spooky as hell'" (108). Capote also quotes Dick when describing this malicious Perry by saying, "He might be ready to kill you, but you'd never know it, not to look at or listen to" (108). Perry may have his darker side to balance with his more childlike side, but his innocent state is what sets him apart from Dick. To be the other half for Perry, Dick is the mature , life-hardened adult like character. Capote sums up Dick briefly throughout part two, including one mention when Perry is describing him as, "'hard' as much as 'the masculine type'" (111). Dick is also characterized by Capote as a person who feels no guilt or remorse for his actions. Such can be seen when Perry is talking about how he feels bad for the girl Inez, because he knows that Dick will leave her as he did multiple other women. (147). Not only does Dick have no remorseful feeling about these women, but he feels nothing when he recalls murdering the Clutters, and instead decides to move on and not talk about it. Although Dick and Perry are quite the odd couple, with both of them showing extremities in personality, they stay as a team that Capote summarizes well in his novel.
ReplyDeleteIn Truman Capote's, In Cold Blood, he goes in to further detail of the two killers, Dick and Perry. They are both portrayed to be "sick" men and it is thoroughly explained in part two. Dick, the more corrupt of the two, shows his corruption many times, but it is the most obvious when he hits a stray dog and then exclaims, "Boy! We sure splattered him!"(113). It is especially showing his complete lack of compassion for the living when he uses the word "splattered" in a joking matter. Capote is giving readers an idea of Dick's lack of care for life. Perry, the less corrupt of the two is shown to have feelings for the murders he committed. His sense of morality is shown when he is talking to Dick and states, "It's just I don't believe it- that anyone can get away with a thing like that"(112). This is showing Perry feeling guilt about the murders and it gives him more of a conscience than Dick. Capote depicts Perry as someone who just tagged along to the murder by giving him a conscience. Both Dick and Perry are depicted in different ways, and Perry is more innocent than Dick because of his guilt of the murders.
ReplyDeleteIn Part 2 of In Cold Blood, we receive a lot of characterization from Capote about the two murderers. One example of said characterization comes from this passage overlooking Dick and Perry in a bar, "After the third, he abruptly asked, "What about Dad? I feel---oh, Jesus, he's such a good old guy. And my mother---well, you saw her. What about them? Me, I'll be off in Mexico. Or wherever. But they'll be right here when those checks start to bounce. I know Dad. He'll want to make them good. Like he tried to before. And he can't---he's old and he's sick, he ain't got anything." (99). This quote, said shortly after Dick put his parents under the bus to con some cash, shows that Dick may not be as hard as readers may have thought. He seems to feel some guilt about putting his parents in a financial predicament, due to the love he still has for them. Another example of characterization in Part 2 can be found in this passage pertaining to Perry's excess of luggage, "It was a tight fit for the passengers: Dick, who was driving, and Perry, who sat clutching the old Gibson guitar, his most beloved possession. As for Perry's other belongings---a cardboard suitcase, a gray Zenith portable radio, a gallon jug of root-beer syrup (he feared that his favorite beverage might not be available in Mexico), and two big boxes containing books, manuscripts, cherished memorabilia (and hadn't Dick raised hell!..." (106). This passage speaks novels about Perry, and a page about Dick as well. Almost all of the possessions Perry brings can be connected with a trait about himself. His guitar and his radio show his artistic aspect that clashes Dick so much. His gallon of root beer syrup proves his childlike qualities. You’d have to be extremely childlike to worry about not having root beer over whether or not you will be arrested for murder. Lastly, his books and manuscripts show he possesses intelligence beyond what is stereotypical for a normal killer, and that he values that about himself very highly. These and many other passages in Part 2 shed an abundance of light on the two murderers.
ReplyDeleteIn Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, we really get a chance to see the actual Dick and Perry. Perry is hopelessly feeling guilty and is worried that they will get caught. On the other hand, Dick seems to be just as mean as ever. There is no sign of remorse with Dick. He even goes far enough to run over a stray dog and says, "'Boy!' he said-and it was what he a;ways said after running down a dog, w. hich was something he did whenever the opportunity arose. 'Boy! We sure splattered him!'" (113). Obviously, Dick seems like a bloodthirsty animal who will stop at nothing to get what he wants, while Perry is made to look like a poor man who struggled with his conscious, which is something that Dick seems to lack.
ReplyDelete*always
Delete*which