Character Development In Truman Capote's In Cold Blood
Analytical Article Topics
Based God
Section 1
Character Development
In the book In Cold Blood, Truman Capote uses a very advanced and detailed writing style to describe his main characters, Dick and Perry, but he also uses this style of writing to paint a picture of the secondary characters in which provides a collage of background and helps accentuate the main characters and the plot in general. One of the secondary characters that really stuck out to me would be Mr. Stoecklein. Truman Capote’s use of dialect and character description helps provide a picture of honesty and also a close relationship with Herb Clutter and more than likely the whole Clutter family.
Syntax
“More markings, self-designed and self-executed, ornamented his …show more content…
Don’t talk to me about Dick Hickock! If ever I met the devil! Steal? Steal the weights off a dead man’s eyes!...” (168) Capote includes this allusion to tie a kind of religious theme that extends throughout the rest of the novel. This is exceptionally noticeable during the trial when they reference the bible while arguing the death penalty. It is clear that the rural people of Kansas all have a religious tie.
Character Development In section three the secondary character that stuck out to me the most is Mr. Bell whom Perry and Dick meet when they try hitchhiking. He stands out in my mind because we are given a glimpse at his life, and in the objective tone of Capote, we then learn of Dick & Perry’s intention to rob him of his life. He is only in the novel very briefly but I feel that because he helps accentuate Dick & Perry’s sense of desperation and the attitude of “do anything to survive”, that he is a very well written secondary character. Section 4 …show more content…
From what text are the four lines borrowed? Find at least 2 translations of these lines. Which do you prefer? Why? Why does capote use these specific lines from this specific poet, for this book?
Ballade des pendus (Ballad of the hanged men) Poem
1. Brothers, men who live after us,
Let not your hearts be hardened against us,
Because, if you have pity for us poor men,
God will have more mercy toward you.
You see us here attached five or six:
When our flesh that was nourished so well
2. O Brother men who live, though we are gone,
Let not your hearts be hardened at the view,
For if you pity us you gaze upon,
God is more like to show you mercy too . . .
I prefer the second translation because the way that it interacts with the name of the poem. You can imagine a criminal who is about to be put to death saying these last words to the crowd so that they might show sympathy to their fellow brother. I think that Capote uses this excerpt of the poem as a way to foreshadow and embody the way that Dick & Perry (mainly Perry) feel about walking up to the hangman.
Based God
Section 1
Character Development
In the book In Cold Blood, Truman Capote uses a very advanced and detailed writing style to describe his main characters, Dick and Perry, but he also uses this style of writing to paint a picture of the secondary characters in which provides a collage of background and helps accentuate the main characters and the plot in general. One of the secondary characters that really stuck out to me would be Mr. Stoecklein. Truman Capote’s use of dialect and character description helps provide a picture of honesty and also a close relationship with Herb Clutter and more than likely the whole Clutter family.
Syntax
“More markings, self-designed and self-executed, ornamented his …show more content…
Don’t talk to me about Dick Hickock! If ever I met the devil! Steal? Steal the weights off a dead man’s eyes!...” (168) Capote includes this allusion to tie a kind of religious theme that extends throughout the rest of the novel. This is exceptionally noticeable during the trial when they reference the bible while arguing the death penalty. It is clear that the rural people of Kansas all have a religious tie.
Character Development In section three the secondary character that stuck out to me the most is Mr. Bell whom Perry and Dick meet when they try hitchhiking. He stands out in my mind because we are given a glimpse at his life, and in the objective tone of Capote, we then learn of Dick & Perry’s intention to rob him of his life. He is only in the novel very briefly but I feel that because he helps accentuate Dick & Perry’s sense of desperation and the attitude of “do anything to survive”, that he is a very well written secondary character. Section 4 …show more content…
From what text are the four lines borrowed? Find at least 2 translations of these lines. Which do you prefer? Why? Why does capote use these specific lines from this specific poet, for this book?
Ballade des pendus (Ballad of the hanged men) Poem
1. Brothers, men who live after us,
Let not your hearts be hardened against us,
Because, if you have pity for us poor men,
God will have more mercy toward you.
You see us here attached five or six:
When our flesh that was nourished so well
2. O Brother men who live, though we are gone,
Let not your hearts be hardened at the view,
For if you pity us you gaze upon,
God is more like to show you mercy too . . .
I prefer the second translation because the way that it interacts with the name of the poem. You can imagine a criminal who is about to be put to death saying these last words to the crowd so that they might show sympathy to their fellow brother. I think that Capote uses this excerpt of the poem as a way to foreshadow and embody the way that Dick & Perry (mainly Perry) feel about walking up to the hangman.