In Cold Blood
Sylvia Aikhuele
Mrs. Chandler
AP Lang
25 August 2014
The Troubled Past of Perry Smith The brutal murder of the four Clutter family members was a tragedy to the “American Dream”, filled with anguish and longing. The Clutters’, known as the most secure and trusting family in their community, death caused paranoia and mistrust to spread throughout the town of Holcomb. There was no apparent motive for the crime, and there were almost no clues. Until criminal investigator Alvin Dewey received information leading him to the suspected killers, Perry Smith and Dick Hickock. After much investigation, questioning, and change of heart, Perry Smith finally admits to the crime, while Dick continued to maintain his innocence. Although Perry Smith pulled the trigger that ended the Clutters’ lives, Dick is just as guilty, if not more. Dick Hickock was fueled by lust, greed, indulgence and vanity. He doesn’t have an ounce of respect for human life. Once he heard about the “big score” at the house of the Clutters’ he decided to devise a plan to retrieve what he felt is what life owes him. He knew he couldn’t be successful without an ally. Perry Smith is who he felt was the perfect person to use. Smith foolishly lied and told Hickock that he killed a man with a bicycle chain. Dick was so amused by the story; he hoped to bring forth Perry’s false murderous behavior with him to rob the Clutters. When asked about why he likes to molest little girls Hickock said, “I know it is wrong. But at the time I never give any thought to whether it is right or wrong. The same with stealing it seems to be an impulse” (Capote 278). Dick manipulates to get what he wants. Leading him to have no ability to think about the consequences of his actions, or his need to get what he wants when he wants it. Perry Smith was a man of much disdain and misunderstanding. He was abandoned by his family and abused by nuns and other caregivers. He had frequent hallucinations about a large bird saving him
Mrs. Chandler
AP Lang
25 August 2014
The Troubled Past of Perry Smith The brutal murder of the four Clutter family members was a tragedy to the “American Dream”, filled with anguish and longing. The Clutters’, known as the most secure and trusting family in their community, death caused paranoia and mistrust to spread throughout the town of Holcomb. There was no apparent motive for the crime, and there were almost no clues. Until criminal investigator Alvin Dewey received information leading him to the suspected killers, Perry Smith and Dick Hickock. After much investigation, questioning, and change of heart, Perry Smith finally admits to the crime, while Dick continued to maintain his innocence. Although Perry Smith pulled the trigger that ended the Clutters’ lives, Dick is just as guilty, if not more. Dick Hickock was fueled by lust, greed, indulgence and vanity. He doesn’t have an ounce of respect for human life. Once he heard about the “big score” at the house of the Clutters’ he decided to devise a plan to retrieve what he felt is what life owes him. He knew he couldn’t be successful without an ally. Perry Smith is who he felt was the perfect person to use. Smith foolishly lied and told Hickock that he killed a man with a bicycle chain. Dick was so amused by the story; he hoped to bring forth Perry’s false murderous behavior with him to rob the Clutters. When asked about why he likes to molest little girls Hickock said, “I know it is wrong. But at the time I never give any thought to whether it is right or wrong. The same with stealing it seems to be an impulse” (Capote 278). Dick manipulates to get what he wants. Leading him to have no ability to think about the consequences of his actions, or his need to get what he wants when he wants it. Perry Smith was a man of much disdain and misunderstanding. He was abandoned by his family and abused by nuns and other caregivers. He had frequent hallucinations about a large bird saving him