Capote's Bias Toward Perry example essay topic

In Cold Blood enters the mind of two killers and why they savagely killed the members of the Clutter family. By using vivid diction and details and a sympathetic tone within In Cold Blood Capote is able to express his bias towards Perry. By using vivid diction Capote is able to show his bias towards Perry. Capote focuses on Perry rather than Dick because he feels an emotional connection to Perry. Capote emphasizes on Dick being the ruthless killer so that through his use of vivid diction he can portray Perry as the victim. At the time of Perry's execution he walks to be hanged "Perry Possessed and quality, the aura of an exiled animal a creature walking wounded" (341).

Capote uses vivid words such as "aura" and "exiled" to express his sentimental feelings for Perry. Through out the book Capote shows his audience that Perry feels differently about the crime he is going to commit. As Perry was reclining "under the blue umbrella, had observed the scene and realized Dick's purpose at once, and despised him for it; he had no respect for people who can't control themselves sexually, especially when the lack of control involved what he called pervertiness -bothering kids, and queer stuff, rape" (201-202). Capote uses phrases such as "pervertiness" and "queer stuff" to show that Perry disapproves of Dicks actions.

By showing Perry's thoughts Capote is able to describe in great detail that Perry is a kinder man than Dick thus showing his bias towards Perry. Perry also states kind words that make him seem like the victim. Perry states, "I didn't want to harm the man. I thought he was a very nice gentleman. I thought so right up to the moment I cut his throat" (250). Even though he cut Mr. Clutter's throat he states "very nice gentleman" and "I didn't want to" which makes it seem as though he was pressured into committing the crimes.

Even further into the interview Perry further states, "I really admired Mr. Clutter, right up until the moment I slit his throat" (255). By using the word "slit" rather than cut vividly shows how the crime is committed and also using this word shows that Perry wanted the death to be quick. By using vivid diction Capote is able to show his bias towards Perry because Perry in many aspects is a lot like Capote. Capote uses vivid details to show that even though Perry killed it was because he was pressured. During the investigation Perry says, "I tied his feet.

I asked him if it was too tight" (241). As the crimes are being committed Perry is kind to his victims because Perry asks if the ropes are too tight which gives the impression he does not want to kill the Clutters'. Capote specifically points this fact out by using vivid details to show that Perry is kind and polite during the crime. During the interrogation Perry states, "I told Dick to leave the girl alone" (310).

Perry disapproved of rape showing his kinder side. Perry's divided conscience allows him to stop Dick from raping Nancy showing that he did not want the Clutter family harmed. Also within his statement "I thought he was a nice gentleman" (311). Showing that Perry does not want to kill because he actually likes the man he about to kill.

Capote goes deep within the statements of Perry to find details that show his gentle side. Later within the confession Perry proceeds to say "he didn't answer me I said to leave them alive" (244). This detail is the main reason why Capote believes Perry is the kinder killer because Perry states he did not want to kill the Clutter family. Proving Capote's beliefs that Perry was pressured into committing the murder of the Clutter family.

By showing the details in the confession Capote is able to show that Perry has remorse for the crimes committed thus showing Capote's bias toward Perry because Dick also had remorse. The sympathetic tone demonstrated by Capote shows his bias towards Perry. When Capote writes about Perry he uses a soft tone and also spends a great deal of time describing his past. There are many parallels between Capote and Perry that are shown in through the use of Perry's past. Perry's mother says, "My children all cried at the top of their voices.

She only cussed them saying they would run away to come to me later. She got mad and then she said she would turn the children to hate me" (126). Capote like Smith was born to absent, unreliable parents although unlike Capote Perry turned crime. Both had suicide and alcoholism in the family. Only when "the bully kid picked on him. He was short and stocky a new kid in school tried to mistreat him".

By using a sympathetic tone towards Perry allows Capote to justify Perry killing the Clutter family because he was abused bullied. Capote also uses his own childhood experiences and feelings to show the likeness between them and show his bias. By showing how Perry is treated as a boy by his mother and other children shows Capotes past because these incidences also happened to him. Capote does not just use Perry's past but also describes him in a sympathetic tone. When Perry is in the bathroom "he looked in the mirror his face sweaty and pale nervous about the coming events" (115). By showing how nervous Perry becomes shows his hesitation in committing the murder.

Capote describes Perry in a sympathetic by using words such as "sweaty" and "pale" because it shows that Perry is nervous and doesn't want to commit the crime proving Capote thoughts that Perry was pressured into committing the crime. When Perry is walking up the scaffold with out any struggle Capote shows that Perry feels he deserves his punishment. Perry walks as "a creature walking wounded" (341). Capote shows his bias and Perry's remorse by the use of sympathetic tone. When Capote wrote In Cold Blood he developed the Character of Perry so that even after he killed the audience still feels sympathy toward Perry. Capote was able to accomplish this through his use of vivid diction and detail and sym.