The Importance Of Evil In Truman Capotes In Cold Blood

From bullying to crime to terrorism and more, evil takes on many forms in today’s society. Such evil has many adverse effects, sometimes including the deaths of innocent people. As only harm can come from malevolence, one begins to wonder whether or not such acts are simply a part of human nature. After all, it does not make much moral sense for someone to intentionally stir chaos. However, when exploring where evil truly stems from, one finds that it may be deeply rooted in the environment Truman Capote investigates the true meaning of evil in his account of the murders of the Clutters, a wealthy, innocent family living in desolate Holcomb, Kansas. In his work, In Cold Blood, Capote uses syntax, diction, and selection of details to show†¦show more content†¦After being unable to live with his family any longer, Perry was taken in by nuns. However, he was not treated much better in the nuns’ cottage; he was often viciously beaten due to the result of some unco ntrollable medical conditions (275). The violent reaction of the nuns to something completely out of Perry’s control was incentive for Perry to hate humanity. It was because of the way Perry was treated and his childhood experiences that he inevitably became wicked; he was not born into the world as an evil person. Capote uses syntax to further capitalize on Perry’s dark origins as a source of cruelty. Using brief, but meaningful sentences, Perry is portrayed as a victim of society, repeatedly referring to the people who treated him poorly during his growth. His dark origins capitalized on when he describes his motives for killing the Clutter family: â€Å"‘And it wasn’t because of anything the Clutters did. They never hurt me. Like other people. Like people have all my life. Maybe it’s just that the Clutters were the ones who had to pay for it’† (290). Perry himself is emphasizing how the Clutters are innocent, but, because of the way people treated him his entire life, they unfortunately had to receive the brunt of his pent-up aggression. He repeats the phrase â€Å"like†¦Ã¢â‚¬  to once again draw attention to the fact that it was the people in his life that turned him into the criminal he grew to be. Noting how Perry essentially held a grudge against his childhoodShow MoreRelatedTruman Capote and Postmodernism1398 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Truman Capote, as obsessed with fame and fortune as with penning great words, was a writer who became as well-known for his late-night talk show appearances as for his prose† (Patterson 1). Capote was a literary pop star at the height of his fame in 1966, after he had written such classic books as, Other Rooms, Other Voices, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and In Cold Blood. Postmodernism was a literary period that began after the Second World War and was a rejection of traditional writing techniques. ItRead MoreIn Cold Blood by Trump Capote550 Words   |  2 PagesIn 1966 Truman Capote shocked the world with a novel unlike anything ever seen before. Capote’s novel â€Å"In Cold Blood† not only entranced readers with its often dark and mysterious tone, stunning imagery and controversial elements but introduced its audience to an all new genre, a non-fiction novel . In 2001 Lois T. Stover commented on the complexity and depth found in quality young adult literature, she stated that â€Å"Good young adult literature deals with the themes and issues that mirror the concernsRead MoreAnalysis Of John Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men 1464 Words   |  6 PagesJohn Steinbeck subtly foretells Lennie’s future murder of not only the puppy, but also of a young woman in his novella, Of Mice and Men. Much like George and Lennie, the characters Willie-Jay and Perry have a similar relationship in Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood. Willie-Jay, despite his minor role in the story, serves as Perry’s mentor and foreshadows his future violent actions with his insight into Perry’s character, also providing a positive influence to contrast Perry’s partner in crime, Dick