Here is a link to some pictures from the town/house/investigation of the Clutter family murders. I wanted to get some background before starting the book.
I was wondering, whos point of view is the book being told by? Is there any specific person? Or what?
Also, I really find the topic of the story fasinating. Don't get me wrong, I think it's awful that this family was murdered, but the fact that this really happened really pulls me into the book.
This Has got to be one of the more interesting reads.. I am really enjoying it. I have a lot of family in small towns like this, so its very easy to picture.. Duckydudem... which i am assuming is Eric... 4 shotgun shots.. 6 bodies.. I really don't know...
For those of you who don't get the shotgun shots, it's that the four shots that killed the family, also ended up ending the lives of the two people convicted of the crime, since they were hanged for doing it. So in short, the four shots ended up ending the lives of six people: the family, and the two criminals.
When I opened the book, I realized that Truman Capote (the author) dedicated "IN COLD BLOOD" to Harper Lee, the author of the book we just read in Language Arts I, "To Kill A Mockingbird".
I just started reading but i can figure out the narriator. I think it may be an officer who investigated the murders but im not sure yet. Just woundering if anyone else had an idea of who it is?
I noticed the same thing as JvG94. It made me laugh alittle.:)
I wounder if the family would still be financially okay after the wifes surgery.
All around, so far, I think that Mr.Clutter is a pretty good father and husband. Hes there for his wife and he has rules for his childeren making sure theyre safe.
This is actualy not that bad of a book. I didn't expect to like it. I'm about half way through with it, and I still have to wonder, why did they kill them? I got the idea that they didn't even know the Clutters, and they didnt take much...was it just for the point of doing it? If this is reveled later in the story then don't tell me.
thanks alex for clearing that up i figured it was something like that or something else. i really like the book, still trying to figure out some little stuff but all in all good!
I like the way the narrator changes throughout the book. One time it might be told by Perry, Bobby, Sue, any of the detectives working on the case, or something that seems to be scraped up by a few people and written in third person. Tell me if I make any sense. I can't picture Waterford getting riled if the murder happened here and now. Yes, everyone would talk about it, but not pointing fingers or dead bolting every door and window at all times. Then again everyone in Holcomb knew each other well.
After the murder of the Clutter family, I found out that Dick and Perry were the murderers. A few pages later Dick was driving his car on the road when he saw the Clutter families dog. Dick swerved his car into the dog, killed it, and laughed about it as if it were a joke. A while later the two of them were hitchhiking when they got a lift from a stranger. Perry unfastened his belt and prepared to strangle the stranger who was driving and steal his car. The driver picked up someone else just in time and Perry was unable to kill the man. Do you guys think that Perry and Dick have a reason for killing and attempting to kill everything/everybody that gets in their way, or do you think that they do it for no reason because they are going to go to jail anyway?
I'm not sure of that either jvg. I think it might be that they were so arrogant that they thought that no matter what, they wouldn't get caught- for murder that is. I bet they were surprised when they found out that the government had finally caught up with them. Plus, im sure they had some mental problems or something.
SPOILERS Was that dog the Clutter's dog? I thought it was just some stray. It explains later in the book that Perry had a hard past and thinks that killing people pays back the world for treating him badly. Dick never killed any humans, but lusted for money (which the Clutters had) and women (like Nancy). Perry didn't approve of Dick going for Nancy, but she was Dick's main motive. They never found the money, because Herb Clutter had just invested all but a few dollars in insurance that day.
I like this book alot , but they focus a little to much on the details not needed. It's easyer to read with different people talk every few pages , it keeps my attension.
I agree with you Seth, like when it describes all the other murderers on death row. Do we really need to know that some collage kid decided to kill his whole family for no reason? He didn't know the Clutters, nor did he influence the murder or the police afterwards. The only connection to the story was him talking to Dick and Perry when they were all doomed to be hung anyway. It could have just stated that he was on death row for killing his parents and sister and be done with it.
ok so I just started reading this book and its pretty good so far. My prediction was that Dick and Perry were the murdurers. I found that i was right from reading these posts. but its a good book.
When I first started reading it I thought it was a murder mystery. I was stunned that Dick and Perry were introduced so soon, and that they were planning something. My first prediction was that they would be doing something harmless, and get caught to throw the police off track. It became clear after the murder that they had actually done it.
This book is reall y good. It kind of reminds me of CSI type of shows. I think Nancy is kind of a perfectionist though. I really like Mr. Clutter and I don't know why someone would kill a family that seems so great.
Do the two guys who are commiting the crime have any relation to the Clutter Family? And does any of the small information about the town and such have anything to do with anything in the future where as I need to pay attention?
The killers didn't know the Clutters; they just heard that a family had a lot of money and that Mr. Clutter always had some on him. They got there, found no money, realized it was gone, murdered them, and escaped. If they had known the family, do you think they still could have killed them?
So, I just finished the book and I'm working on the literary analysis. Could someone tell me if i have this right? The main point is that it was based off a murder case. Not really sure what to put for the supporting details though... The form of writing is speech, i think? Also, do we need to turn in a rough draft?
Oh, and also would you guys say that the primary purpose was to inform or explain, persuade, or entertain? Because quite honestly, it seems like there would be a good argument supporting any one of those.
I would think its purpose is to inform or entertain. I don't see much of a point for persuasion, but it could possibly explain the details of the murder to people who were misinformed of what went on. In that case then why not just print a shorter newspaper article?
I normally dont read murder mysteries so I decided to try it and I really like it. I'm almost done and I think it's pretty insane how these people have no conscience at all. I hope in the end they are hung or taken to the electric chair for killing these people, but they probably won't. Even though I am almost done I still can't see the reason they killed these people. It doesn't seem like it was for money because they barely took anything. What do you guys think the reason was?
I normally dont read murder mysteries so I decided to try it and I really like it. I'm almost done and I think it's pretty insane how these people have no conscience at all. I hope in the end they are hung or taken to the electric chair for killing these people, but they probably won't. Even though I am almost done I still can't see the reason they killed these people. It doesn't seem like it was for money because they barely took anything. What do you guys think the reason was?
Um, Kate, you posted that twice under different names. I don't know if you noticed or not. Perry had a rough life as a child, so he kind of had an excuse for being so heartless. Dick though, he had a good family and a decent life... I don't see how he could be so brutal.
I believe they both had mental problems, and that's why they committed murders. Also, I think that the reason Perry was so messed up was because of his poor childhood and the outcome of being mistreated so badly.
I am trying to write the literary analysis and need some help. Do you answer all of the questions on the sheet? Or are they just for reference? Are you making each content area a seperate paragraph?
Erica, I don't think the form of writing would be a speech, although it is an interaction between two or more people. We aren't limited to the the forms if writing named on the homework sheet are we?
Kate, The intention was to steal money from the Clutter's that ended up not being there. They killed the family to leave no witnesses. Had it not been for Willie-Jay I wonder if Dick and Perry would have ever been caught for the Clutter murders?
Well this book didn't turn out to be as bad as the begining made me think it would, once you get used to the style it's acctualy kind of interesting. The website in the first post helped me get into the book as well, thanks jvg!
About the literary analysis JvG, i just grouped them in paragraphs like it says, but pretty much listed the answers, but I also would like to know what other people did. Thanks in advance, Alex
So I just started the book and I seem to like this one a lot more than the Scarlet Letter, but I have a question, what exactly is wrong with Mrs.Clutter?
Danielle, I just looked it up on the internet and it said that Mrs. Clutter suffered fron clinical depression and other phisical ailments. (it didn't say what the other phisical ailments were.)
Thanks Alex. I'm planning on grouping each section into seperate paragraphs to. Also, does anyone know what type of writing this is (Speech, Essay, Letter, Memoir, Etc)??
It's so weird starting off this book knowing that the family is going to be murdered. The whole beginning of the book tells us all about the family and how great they are, and the whole time I just knew that they're going to die. It's horrible because I don't want them to die!
Wow, I was surprised at the detailed description of the murder scene. It's really gruesome and scary how much they describe the way that they're tied up and all that other nasty stuff. Well, I know I'll be having nightmares. :/
I just started to read the book, but I think it is pretty good. Did anyone else find it odd that Mr. and Mrs. Clutter don't sleep in the same room or was that normal for that time period?
Hey guys! :D I myself am not reading In Cold Blood, but the There Are No Children Here blog has been rather inactive lately and I had a question regarding the nonfiction essay.
How are we supposed to do the thesis statement? Do we have to list "content, author's purpose and perspective, etc..." somewhere in the thesis? I'm REALLY confused.
Hey Elyse!! For the thesis essay thing I'm fairly sure you just take all the questions for (as an example) the content part of the questions, and group whatever awnsers you get into a paragraph or two. Then you do the same for the form and organization part, and so on and so forth, till you get all the way through the critique questions. Sorry if the directions are totally confusing:( I can explain them friday if they are!! :)
i have a question though. why go to all that trouble just to take four lives? i mean whats the matter with some people. if only they would stop and think. hey maybe this isnt a good idea. earth would be safer. i hate stupid people. especily when they do it because they have nothing better to do. thats how katherine died.....nvm i just needed to say it.
i thought i was a very interesting book and it seemed well written. even a little to well during the murder descriptions. those i could've done without.
There were a lot of characters introduced through the book and I thought that it was kind of hard to keep up with the different stories going on, but other than that I really liked the book.
im just about to start the book. i have heard some great things about this book. unfortunately, reading the comments gave away the ending. but thats my own fault, so i plan on using this as a further reference. and i'm sure i will have some q's. thanks in advance. :]
I keep getting confused on who is who (Perry and Dick) which one is the one with messed up face, and what exactly happened. And who had the fairly normal life and who had the not such a messed up one?
I just finished part II of the book and I like it. Did Perry and Dick purposely try to rob the Clutters or did they end up at the wrong house and kill the wrong people because in the book it says that they probably mistook the Clutters for another wealthier family?
Hi all, I'm impressed with your comments. Just a reminder to everyone to keep the discussion going throughout August. See you in a few weeks! Ms. Victor :)
yes danita they were supposed to rob the clutters. keep reading and you'll understand how the whole plan happened. i think theres supposed to be a thesis statement im just not sure how.
I just finished Part 3 and I found out that they were supposed to rob the Clutters. After reading the confessions I think that Dick and Perry were both insane. I was really suprised by how Perry "the short one" handled the robbery I didn't think he'd actually killed anyone I thought he just tied them up for Dick to kill them. I think this is one of the best non-fiction books I've ever read.
Danita, I also was surprised that Perry was the one who killed them all. Up until after the trial most of what happens to the pair is told by Perry. He makes it sound like Dick is more... insane... than he (Perry) is. But after all, Perry was the one who pulled the trigger four times; Dick "never hurt a hair on a human head".
I really love how this book has such great details. It is easier to feel like you were at the scene when everything happend. Also like Jessica said, I hated reading the beginning while they were alive because I knew they were going to end up dead.
See but there is no such thing as insane. It's a perceptive thing. But if you look at past cases of sociopaths, The ones who seem the most 'human' are the ones who are the worst.
i'm not very far into the book, but so far i like it. i agree with danielle who agreed with jessie that i don't liek hearing about the family because i know there going to die :[ but other then that it has really kept my interest. i was reading some previous comments from quite awhile ago and they were wondering how 4 gunshots killed 6 people. i haven't read that part yet but i wouldn't have understood it when i got there either, so thank you to whoever cleared that up. i hate that it doesn't tell us why these guys want to kill the clutter family, i'm sure it does eventually but i'm dying to know. (no pun intended). i usually hate suspense, but at least it keeps me reading :]
I just finished the book yesterday, i really enjoyed it. (: the four gunshots killing 6 people is referring to how by killing the four Clutter family members, Perry and Dick in turn ended their own lives since they were given the death penalty.
oops, just read back and saw someone already said that. oh well.
anyways, i think that the pyscho analysist person should have been allowed to say what he found after examining dick and perry. they obviously had something wrong with them. dick was the popular sports star in high school that everyone loved, how could he turn out to be a pedophile and plan four murders? it's crazy to think about how people change like that and you never truly know anyone. i felt somewhat bad for perry, even though i really really didn't want to. he had a hard life and could have been something great but he chose the wrong path. it's horrible how people throw their life away like that.
Well, I'm not very far (I sort of got a late start on this book) but I was just curious. Are Dick and Perry gay..? It's just the way stuff was being described when Perry was waiting for Dick...I just kinda figured...I guess it wouldn't be very relevant to the story, but I was just wondering.
No Kim, they are strait. Later in the story Dick promises two different women that he will marry them. The one is young and pretty, the other is a rich widow. He ends up just running away again, but yeah.
out of perrys family his siter is the only one who turned out okay i feel sarrrow for her it seems shes embaressed/ashamed of her family life which is understandable.
As soon as the book told us that the Cuttlers were not answering their phone when Nancy was seeing if they were home so they could give her a ride to church i knew there was something wrong because the while story before this part told us how responsible the Cuttler familys is, especialy Nancy and Mr.Cutler in Particular. I knew if they knew thier Neighbor was coming over, and came over every sunday to go to church they wouldn't just forget about it.
The Murders of The four Cuttler family members was probably one of the most tragic, and disturbing things i have ever heard of especialy scince they were such a kind helpful family with so much potential and they were viciously murder in cold blood. It makes me sad for the two kid because they were so young and have barley lived any life and could of done so much especialy nancy she was a very bright and extreamly responsible girl and this was violently stolen from her which is really very disturbing and sad.
I have a question about the format. Are the questions we are sopost to answer sopost to be in a special format i know it say MLA format on the sheet but i don't really know what that is.I'm kinda confused could somebody help me please!
i just finished part I of the book. this is one of the saddest and most tragic stories i have ever heard. you just feel for their friends and family. i can't even imagine how it must've been for the two oldest daughters that weren't murdered. and for Nancy's friends that saw her dead in her bed that next morning, talk about being traumatized.
When Dick was in jail he heard about Mr. Clutter and how he was rich and that there was a safe in the house. When they got to the house there was no safe but Dick and Perry couldnt leave any witnesses, so they killed the family. But when they left the house they did take like fourty or fifty dollars.
Hey, just finished the book it started out REALLY boring but got way better in the middle. So to anyone who's just starting it don't worry just keep reading :D
on wikipedia it said that Harper Lee & Truman Capote were childhood friends, & traveled together to Kansas to research the murders. i thought this was kinda interesting, in a nerdy sorta way. :P
Does anyone think that it's wrong for me to feel sorry for Perry? I'm not saying that it was okay for him to kill anyone, but I can't help but feel bad for him. His entire life was just so terrible...
Yeah I agree with you erica it's sad that Perry had such a rough life but the part I feel sorry for him the most is the death of his brothers and how they died too. That is alot to handle. But what makes me wonder is if Perry clearly knew how it felt to lose someone(even his family still alive) why would he kill a family and want others to feel how he did? it just doesn't make sense to me at all
I dont rly feel sorry for perry. Yeah he had a rough life but he kinda made it worse by doing the things he did. And many people have rough lives everyone has a story. You just have to make the best with the life ur given.
I agree with Kim, I like how this book isn't one sided. Most books only tell a story in one perspective, but while reading this book we get to see what really happend from everyones point of view.
Can anyone tell me how we're supposed to do the non fiction anaylisis? if so, what form do we do, so do we answer the questions one by one, or group them into paragraphs?
i started this book last night and I realized that this book and scarlet letter have lots of similar vocab. Not that they are alot alike because scarlet letter was a much tougher read, but there were lots of words that i havn't heard of and they were in both books lol. -Dan Scott
I'm not too far into this book but I'm finding it pretty interesting actually. I'm also wondering how the book is three hundred something pages, but they started with the day of the murder. How did they stretch it out like that? I don't want to know the answer though, because i dont want the book to be given away! It's just a curious question.
okay, so not to sound weird but, are dick and perry gay? i realize that dick has promised his hand in marriage to two other women, but even in todays world gay people are not widely accepted, so my train of thought is that they are gay but dont want the world to know. and the author wants us to infer that they are gay because it doesnt play a huge role in the story? i dont know. tell me your thoughts. -tori newcomb.
question- for the literary analysis, we are not supposed to answer the questions in 1st person and yet the questions are writted so you would have to answer in first person? -are we supposed to answer every question for each section or pick one? help would be much appreciated. thanks in advance. -tori newcomb.
i have to say that this book makes this family out to be this amazing all around american family. but it makes me wonder what the family was really like in actuality? im not saying that they deserved to die in any way, but every family has ghosts in the closet, and to me it seems a little strange that the only thing wrong with this family is that the mother suffers from clinical depression. so is the author exaggerating a little on the clutter family or were they truly a spectacular family? i'll stop with the questions now(: -tori newcomb
Tori, I have a very strong feeling that Dick and Perry are gay also. The way they talk to each other is so strange. Guys I know never talk to each other like Dick and Perry talk. And I also agree with you when you say they don't want the world to know. I believe it's normal for people to not want anyone to know what their orientation is. -Caitee Aaron
I'm not that far into the book and I refused to read the comments because I don't want the book to be spoiled but I already think I know who killed the Clutter family. But I don't understand why. This family seems, to me anyway, a family I would have loved to known and be friends with. I just don't understand why a person could do such crazy and horrible things to a loving, sweet, and kind family. This book opens my mind to all the terrible things in this world and I'm astonished to know that there are actually people out there to even think about doing something like this let alone actually doing it. -Caitee Aaron
I dont think Dick and Perry were gay, I'm pretty sure Perry just talks like that, I think it's more like slang, city like talk, prison talk you know? But on the other hand, a lot of prison guys are gay, so..idk, look it up online or something
correction, i'm saying that a lot of prison guys that around the same gender for long periods of time revert to heterosexuality. I guess Perry had a "deep, loving, relationship" with what's his name, but it wasn't phsyical, so he claims. I think it's just a way those prison people "satisfy there needs" if you will...
blake, oh my. i wasnt going that far. my thought is that they are gay, but this book takes place in the 50's, so it was the time of elvis, apple pies and wholesomeness. but there were alot of things you didnt talk about e.i being gay. if i was in dick or perrys position for one i wouldnt kill anyone but if i was gay i would not want anyone to know. thats just my thought.
I found out who killed the Clutter family, but I can't seem to figure out why. The Clutter family was a good family. They had to think about killing them long and hard because no one does such a think in the heat of the moment. I wonder if they held a grudge or something against them. Do you guys know why they killed the Clutter family?
p.s. don't want to give it away just in case you don't know yet!!!!
The way these two murderd the family is terribule and i know now the reason they did it but still when they got to the ouse and relized that what they wanted wasnt there they still killed them...thats just rly sick. I guess it just kind of botherd me. -Melanie Caples
Note: My previouse comments have been writen under xxmeemsladyxx just for credits sake:)
obviously you can see that towards the end of the book, Capote sympathizes a lot with Perry. after some research, i'm pretty positive the reason for this is that when he was interviewing Perry for the book, Capote & him actually became friends. i also found some stuff about Perry & Dick being gay. most people are pretty positive they were. & finally, i found a picture of the two, if you were interested. :P http://www.classicalvalues.com/SmithHickockS.jpg Dick is on the left, Perry is on the right.
& also, just for the sake of discussion, i don't agree with the death penalty. personally, i think if someone has done something so terrible that they deserve to die, a better way to punish them would to just give them a life term. it seems so much worse - having to spend the rest of their lives rotting in jail, thinking about what they did. that would mentally torture them, which seems way worse.
I agree but with the current prison system we are treating them to well. Most of the people that are in prison are in better living conditions then they were when they were not.
And also everybody acts like the family was 'tortured' so to speak. They were just tied up and that is not true suffering. A shotgun shot to the face won't hurt, neither will getting your throat slit. The only torturing done in the book was mentally with a couple of the main characters.
I personally enjoy the ending, finding out the motive to the crime,and the trial(or interrogation) of the characters was phenomenal. Truman Capote, really gives a chilling look into the heads of two truly deranged individuals.
Ashley, they stretch it out by goign through the killer, the community, and the detectives pov. the also go through the reasoning why and the trials of the murderers. i hope this helps you out a little.
One question i have, Did Perry kill them to act as if he was a true "hard" criminal, or to just put them out of their misery. because if it's the latter, how does killing everyone put them out of their misery. My theory is he killed mister clutter to put him out of his misery, but then out of necessity killed the rest of the clutters so there would be no witness.
I really hate how I am starting to feel bad for Perry. The author goes into such great detail about his life, I start to forget that he murdered the Clutter family.
I'm pretty sure that Perry killed them all for two reasons. One to put them out of their misory and two, To prove to Dick that he wasn't as tough as he though.
A lot of people keep asking if these guys are gay. Yeah, It's pretty weird how Dick talks to Perry, and it almost seems like they are, but all these prostitute's make it kind of hard to believe that they're gay. So I'm going to say no... I don't think they are. :)
I think that the way Dick and Perry talk to each other is just part of their characters. I don't think they are gay, but that they are just partners in crime. Committing this crime together makes their relationship abnormal and closer than most guys relationships are. I mean they have to spend alot of time together if they want to commit this crime flawlessly. So, i think that has something to do with their abnormal relationship. I don't think they are gay.
I love the ending. Even though I'm against the death penalty I like how Dick (I'm pretty sure it was him?) described it. He said something about it just being revenge, and in the end I guess it really is, because we're all focused on what's "fair" and "getting even". To be honest though, I don't really think the death penalty is enough of a punishment. I think it's ridiculous that we give the prisoners one last meal- whatever they want- but you don't see murderers going around asking their victims what they would like to eat before they die. I'm not really sure why, but that just really bothers me. I would prefer life sentences in solitude, and I think that's worse than the death penalty anyways.
& I really don't mean to sound evil or anything...
Why did the remaining sisters of the Clutter family not come to see Dick and Perry get hung? I would think that they would want to see the killers of their mom, dad, brother, and sister pay the price for the murders. Maybe they thought that the punishment wasn't harsh enough? Still, I think that they would at least come for a little hint of revenge.
Dick and Perry traveled around alllllootttt. It got kind of confusing at some parts. Like when they were in Kansas City heading down to Texas and then they were Las Vegas. i was a little confused. -Daniel Scott
Well the sisters are now living there own lives and prob finnlay moving on from the tramma of losing 4 rly close family members. I think if i was them i wouldnt want to wittness that having to deal with witnessing two "murders" on top of already lossing 4 family members would be tramatic.
I just got done with my essay and I'm psyched! Mkayy just wanted to say. I'm done with summer work! Finally! In Cold Blood wasn't too bad, but I think I liked The Scarlet Letter better. There's more room to be wrong in your perseptions of it. I like being able to show my opinion and for things to have tons of different meanings, and thats how The Scarlet Letter is. :) I'M DONE! :D
Hannah, For the vocab chart I put down words I didn't know. Then looked up the meanings, put the sentence it was found in, etc. I did this as I was reading the book.
Danielle, I basically just did the seperate paragraphs surrounding the questions since it is an analysis, not an essay. Any other opinions?
i just finished the book and i thought it was a really good book. I thought it was really interesting exspecialy that it was true too. Don't get me wrong though i think it was terrible what happen but i'm just saying it kept my attention. I thought it was kind of disturbing though in the end how people just watched Perry and Dick get hanged.
I, for one liked In Cold Blood a lot better than the Scarlet Letter. In Cold Blood was easier for me to understand and it kept my attention. I actually wanted to finish the book unlike the other book. The Scarlet Letter, well I just wanted to toss that book aside.
I just finished the book yesterday. I really enjoyed it. It kept me hooked, and I anticipated reading it. I'm not even a huge fan of mysteries, but this book was interesting! I would defintely recommend others to read it.
i agree with ashley. personally i am a baby and books like this would freak me out, but it actually just kept my interest. i liked this book much beter then scarlet letter because it's a lot easier to understand.
I finished in cold blood a few days ago and the ending had me thinking about my view on the death penalty. at first i was totally against it, because i beleive all life has value and God wouldn't stand for it. however, in Greene's closing statement he read from the bible how if someone takes away the life of his neighbor, his life, too, should end. so then i thought, okay, the death penalty i can understand. thennnnn, i was reading some previous comments and erica said she thinks it is just revenge and that a life of solitude would be a better punishment. and i would definitely agree, except that it said in the book, that in Kansas you can apply for parole after only 7 years of being in prison. and i wouldn't take the chance of letting these two men, if that word even applies, being even somewhat free. any other opinions?
For the essay we have to write, the first question asks what are the main points or parts and their supporting details. Is it just asking to summarize the book, or what?
jessica, yeah it just means summarize the book. i'm not finished with the book yet but i like it way more then the scarlet letter. i can follow the story line much better and i understand everything that's going on much better then i did in the scarlet letter. -katie sawyers
You need to take personal morals into account. Not god. Wouldn't it be better for the person to suffer than die? And just because you apply for parole doesn't mean that you get it.
what do the killers have against the clutter family? because the book indicates premeditation. "every one of them has got to go" but why? especially since im pretty sure that the killers didn't even know the Clutters. can somebody honestly have that in them to go on a killing spree without anything against them?? i mean ive seen it on csi and stuff but it seems too awful to be true....by the way i really like this book so far. im in the second part. :) -elisabeth robinson
Elisabeth, the killers don't really have anything against the Clutters, they just know that they can't leave any witnesses, and are willing to kill four innocent people to make sure there aren't any. It's pretty sad and disturbing because Dick doesn't really seem to care, but Perry is somewhat affected by it and will bug Dick about it later on.
dallas- i totally understand what you mean about personal morals, but my personal morals are the same as Gods. and idk what would be better...i guess yr right about suffering in the long run. and yes, they might not recieve parole, but what if they did? idk if 7 years is long enough for them to really feel guilty about what they did. they sat in jail waiting for all of the appeals for a few years right? and that didn't seem to do the trick...but i guess it depends.
i don't like the forth part of the book the ending part is kind of interseting but the last part totally goes off topic it seems like because they talk about other peoples murders and stuff -katie sawyers
Just wondering, did anyone actually find themselves liking Perry Smith, no matter what he did? I mean, yes, he murdered an innocent family, but he was just easy to sympathize with, whereas Dick was just... kind of as his name stated, and I just found myself hating him, based on his sort of vain personality.
Nobody ever changes coming out of jail Hannah. You murder somebody, you go in. When you get released you're just as likely to kill. But there are some people who feel bad about what they did and if you let them sit in jail they get to live with it.
Not completely true, Dallas, some people change, it's just rare that a murderer would. Though, I do think that the death penalty would be more effective if they made people regularly stay on death row for twenty plus years, just in constant dread of what's to come.
i guess the people who regret what they did it would be a better punishment for them to sit in prison. but for the people who didn't regret it at all, i dont think prison would do anything. and there's always a chance that those people would get out on parole. depends on the circumstance of there guilt i guess.
That is very true hannah, becasuse some people are incapable of guilt.. Some people change yes, but some people don't.. its all a matter of human nature.. i do agree that the LIKELINESS of killing again is a high percentage, but there are definately people who have turned themselves around.
I liked perry smith, he seemed the most compasionate, and he did try to save the girl from dick, but brandon it is very hard to excuse the things he did.. I really don't know.
thanks Nick :] and about perry...i felt sorry for him for the longest time, but while sitting in prison at the end, he said something about how he knows he should feel guilty but he just didnt. but i guess he said, right before he died that he was sorry, for what it was worth. so maybe in the end he did feel some guilt.
question about the analysis: i'm confused as to what form of writing this book is. it's not a memoir, or letter, not really a speech...or essay either. anyone...?!
I could just tell that Perry was the worst of the two. just by the way he acted innocent all the time..but i guess he did end up feeling guilty before he died. -katie sawyers
Well, a memoir doesn't necessarily have to be the memories of the author, and I'd say that's my closest bet to what sort of story this is. It's from the memories of a lot of different people, involved directly or indirectly with the crime. Not confirming this, but it's my best bet.
And, Katie, I think it's because he was really mentally disturbed. Beaten severely by nuns in his childhood, dysfunctional family, suicide of two of his siblings. A lot of things. Not to pardon him, but that may be why he acted so innocent.
i wouldn't say they'd want to die. in fact, i know they didn't want to die. Dick says right towards the end that he beleives in capital punishment and in hanging, as long as he's not the one whose being hanged. and perry and dick don't want to give everyone the satisfaction of revenge either
I was so surprised when Dick said that Perry murded the family all himself! I was thinking "No Way!". I will have to keep reading to see if he was telling the truth or not! I love this book. -Lindsay Papciak
I think it's really sad that it's all Dick's dumb fault for the murder of the family. He really was being inconsiderate in my opinion for not believing that Herb didn't have a safe anywhere in his house. -Lindsay Papciak
Once again, I waited forever to do this blog, but I am giving you my input don't worry. I absolutely loved this book. I loved style it was written in, and the use of all the descriptive words. It was really sad but I really liked how it kept my attention. I thought the morals were very clear also. I kind of felt sorry for Perry until I found out he was the one who murdered the whole family, and I think Dick is just a greedy jerk and he deserved his punishment. I think that Perry could have been a good person if he had a nicer childhood.
I agree with Kelly. It seems like Perry could have been a good person, but since he had such a messed up childhood, he was kind of crazy. My favorite part throughout the book was when Perry was recaping/describing the night of the murder. It was what I was waiting for, to hear what really happened. It was the part that caught my attention the most. *Does anyone else think its really annoying that Dick always called Perry honey? I did. haha. -Lindsay Papciak
yeah the author has perry kill the Clutters and then tries to make him the seem not so bad. it worked and i thought perry shouldnt have got the death sentence -jason lively
Yea that always got on my nerves too, the Honey thing that is -_0. but personaly I liked the the original Murder Scene though it could have been alittle more gruesome >.>
I agree with the people above, the author made Perry seem like he was kinda nuts. I think he should be in a mental hospital or somthing. but dick on the other hand is just dumb he definatly deserved what he got. (btw the whole honey thing was uber annoying!)
i guess back then his mom might have said honey alot ,and you do learn alot from your parents.I think perry got what deseved though, after all he did kill them all and the was a chance he'd murder again.It's sad perry's dad never came to see him though.
I stillll think Perry wasn't a very good person, and he was kind of mentally ill. Even though he had alot of remorse, I still think he should of been placed in a mental institute.
This was a great book, and it kept me hooked the entire time, I wish every book was like this one :)
I liked the book a lot. Perry wasnt the best person, but his childhood was worse than most people could imagine. Instead of putting him on death row he should have had to suffer in prison or a mental institution along with Dick except he should have had to suffer in Prison
Here is a link to some pictures from the town/house/investigation of the Clutter family murders. I wanted to get some background before starting the book.
ReplyDeletehttp://www2.ljworld.com/photos/galleries/2005/apr/03/in_cold_blood_a_legacy_in_photos/
Kris JvG
Thanks jvg. By the way, does anyone know if we just find our own vocab word for the vocab chart or is there a list we have to follow or something?
ReplyDeletei just started reading the book, and so far it's pretty good!
ReplyDeletei have a prediction:
whoever killed him and his family were jealous because mr. clutter was so well liked and very well off.
that's just what i think for now though, since i just started the book.
what do you guys think is going to happen?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering, whos point of view is the book being told by? Is there any specific person? Or what?
ReplyDeleteAlso, I really find the topic of the story fasinating. Don't get me wrong, I think it's awful that this family was murdered, but the fact that this really happened really pulls me into the book.
yeah i agree with erika but wat i dont get is in the begining the narrator said for shotgun blasts ended six human lives. can someone help me out?
ReplyDeleteThis Has got to be one of the more interesting reads.. I am really enjoying it. I have a lot of family in small towns like this, so its very easy to picture.. Duckydudem... which i am assuming is Eric... 4 shotgun shots.. 6 bodies.. I really don't know...
ReplyDeleteFor those of you who don't get the shotgun shots, it's that the four shots that killed the family, also ended up ending the lives of the two people convicted of the crime, since they were hanged for doing it. So in short, the four shots ended up ending the lives of six people: the family, and the two criminals.
ReplyDeleteWhen I opened the book, I realized that Truman Capote (the author) dedicated "IN COLD BLOOD" to Harper Lee, the author of the book we just read in Language Arts I, "To Kill A Mockingbird".
ReplyDeleteI just started reading but i can figure out the narriator. I think it may be an officer who investigated the murders but im not sure yet. Just woundering if anyone else had an idea of who it is?
ReplyDeleteI noticed the same thing as JvG94. It made me laugh alittle.:)
I wounder if the family would still be financially okay after the wifes surgery.
All around, so far, I think that Mr.Clutter is a pretty good father and husband. Hes there for his wife and he has rules for his childeren making sure theyre safe.
This is actualy not that bad of a book. I didn't expect to like it. I'm about half way through with it, and I still have to wonder, why did they kill them? I got the idea that they didn't even know the Clutters, and they didnt take much...was it just for the point of doing it? If this is reveled later in the story then don't tell me.
ReplyDeletethanks alex for clearing that up i figured it was something like that or something else. i really like the book, still trying to figure out some little stuff but all in all good!
ReplyDeleteI like the way the narrator changes throughout the book. One time it might be told by Perry, Bobby, Sue, any of the detectives working on the case, or something that seems to be scraped up by a few people and written in third person. Tell me if I make any sense.
ReplyDeleteI can't picture Waterford getting riled if the murder happened here and now. Yes, everyone would talk about it, but not pointing fingers or dead bolting every door and window at all times. Then again everyone in Holcomb knew each other well.
Yes, I agree with Ocean. Since Holcomb was such a close-knit community, if one person knew something, pretty soon everyone knew it as well.
ReplyDeleteFor the word chart, i don't really get what we're suppose to do... Is it just words in the book we don't know the meaning of?
ReplyDeleteAfter the murder of the Clutter family, I found out that Dick and Perry were the murderers. A few pages later Dick was driving his car on the road when he saw the Clutter families dog. Dick swerved his car into the dog, killed it, and laughed about it as if it were a joke. A while later the two of them were hitchhiking when they got a lift from a stranger. Perry unfastened his belt and prepared to strangle the stranger who was driving and steal his car. The driver picked up someone else just in time and Perry was unable to kill the man.
ReplyDeleteDo you guys think that Perry and Dick have a reason for killing and attempting to kill everything/everybody that gets in their way, or do you think that they do it for no reason because they are going to go to jail anyway?
Yes Erika-pick words from the text that you are not familiar with to use for your chart.
ReplyDeleteMrs. Werner
I'm not sure of that either jvg. I think it might be that they were so arrogant that they thought that no matter what, they wouldn't get caught- for murder that is. I bet they were surprised when they found out that the government had finally caught up with them. Plus, im sure they had some mental problems or something.
ReplyDeleteAlso, btw, can anyone help me with what form of writing this is? Maybe a website that can help or something? Thanks in advance.
ReplyDeleteSPOILERS
ReplyDeleteWas that dog the Clutter's dog? I thought it was just some stray. It explains later in the book that Perry had a hard past and thinks that killing people pays back the world for treating him badly. Dick never killed any humans, but lusted for money (which the Clutters had) and women (like Nancy). Perry didn't approve of Dick going for Nancy, but she was Dick's main motive. They never found the money, because Herb Clutter had just invested all but a few dollars in insurance that day.
I like this book alot , but they focus a little to much on the details not needed. It's easyer to read with different people talk every few pages , it keeps my attension.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Seth, like when it describes all the other murderers on death row. Do we really need to know that some collage kid decided to kill his whole family for no reason? He didn't know the Clutters, nor did he influence the murder or the police afterwards. The only connection to the story was him talking to Dick and Perry when they were all doomed to be hung anyway. It could have just stated that he was on death row for killing his parents and sister and be done with it.
ReplyDeleteok so I just started reading this book and its pretty good so far. My prediction was that Dick and Perry were the murdurers. I found that i was right from reading these posts. but its a good book.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started reading it I thought it was a murder mystery. I was stunned that Dick and Perry were introduced so soon, and that they were planning something. My first prediction was that they would be doing something harmless, and get caught to throw the police off track. It became clear after the murder that they had actually done it.
ReplyDeleteThis book is reall y good. It kind of reminds me of CSI type of shows. I think Nancy is kind of a perfectionist though. I really like Mr. Clutter and I don't know why someone would kill a family that seems so great.
ReplyDeleteDo the two guys who are commiting the crime have any relation to the Clutter Family? And does any of the small information about the town and such have anything to do with anything in the future where as I need to pay attention?
ReplyDeleteFor some reason it seems as though cherry pie will play a role in the story.
ReplyDeleteThe killers didn't know the Clutters; they just heard that a family had a lot of money and that Mr. Clutter always had some on him. They got there, found no money, realized it was gone, murdered them, and escaped. If they had known the family, do you think they still could have killed them?
ReplyDeleteSo, I just finished the book and I'm working on the literary analysis. Could someone tell me if i have this right? The main point is that it was based off a murder case. Not really sure what to put for the supporting details though... The form of writing is speech, i think? Also, do we need to turn in a rough draft?
ReplyDeleteOh, and also would you guys say that the primary purpose was to inform or explain, persuade, or entertain? Because quite honestly, it seems like there would be a good argument supporting any one of those.
ReplyDeleteI would think its purpose is to inform or entertain. I don't see much of a point for persuasion, but it could possibly explain the details of the murder to people who were misinformed of what went on. In that case then why not just print a shorter newspaper article?
ReplyDeleteI think that the purpose would be to entertain, It doesn't really have any informative components. It's just, A book.
ReplyDeleteI normally dont read murder mysteries so I decided to try it and I really like it. I'm almost done and I think it's pretty insane how these people have no conscience at all. I hope in the end they are hung or taken to the electric chair for killing these people, but they probably won't.
ReplyDeleteEven though I am almost done I still can't see the reason they killed these people. It doesn't seem like it was for money because they barely took anything.
What do you guys think the reason was?
I normally dont read murder mysteries so I decided to try it and I really like it. I'm almost done and I think it's pretty insane how these people have no conscience at all. I hope in the end they are hung or taken to the electric chair for killing these people, but they probably won't.
ReplyDeleteEven though I am almost done I still can't see the reason they killed these people. It doesn't seem like it was for money because they barely took anything.
What do you guys think the reason was?
Um, Kate, you posted that twice under different names. I don't know if you noticed or not.
ReplyDeletePerry had a rough life as a child, so he kind of had an excuse for being so heartless. Dick though, he had a good family and a decent life... I don't see how he could be so brutal.
I believe they both had mental problems, and that's why they committed murders. Also, I think that the reason Perry was so messed up was because of his poor childhood and the outcome of being mistreated so badly.
ReplyDeleteI am trying to write the literary analysis and need some help. Do you answer all of the questions on the sheet? Or are they just for reference? Are you making each content area a seperate paragraph?
ReplyDeleteThanks for your help. Kris JvG
Erica,
ReplyDeleteI don't think the form of writing would be a speech, although it is an interaction between two or more people. We aren't limited to the the forms if writing named on the homework sheet are we?
Kate,
The intention was to steal money from the Clutter's that ended up not being there. They killed the family to leave no witnesses. Had it not been for Willie-Jay I wonder if Dick and Perry would have ever been caught for the Clutter murders?
Well this book didn't turn out to be as bad as the begining made me think it would, once you get used to the style it's acctualy kind of interesting. The website in the first post helped me get into the book as well, thanks
ReplyDeletejvg!
About the literary analysis JvG, i just grouped them in paragraphs like it says, but pretty much listed the answers, but I also would like to know what other people did.
ReplyDeleteThanks in advance,
Alex
So I just started the book and I seem to like this one a lot more than the Scarlet Letter, but I have a question, what exactly is wrong with Mrs.Clutter?
ReplyDeleteDanielle,
ReplyDeleteI just looked it up on the internet and it said that Mrs. Clutter suffered fron clinical depression and other phisical ailments. (it didn't say what the other phisical ailments were.)
Thanks Alex. I'm planning on grouping each section into seperate paragraphs to. Also, does anyone know what type of writing this is (Speech, Essay, Letter, Memoir, Etc)??
ReplyDeleteIt's so weird starting off this book knowing that the family is going to be murdered. The whole beginning of the book tells us all about the family and how great they are, and the whole time I just knew that they're going to die. It's horrible because I don't want them to die!
ReplyDeleteWow, I was surprised at the detailed description of the murder scene. It's really gruesome and scary how much they describe the way that they're tied up and all that other nasty stuff. Well, I know I'll be having nightmares. :/
ReplyDeleteI just started to read the book, but I think it is pretty good. Did anyone else find it odd that Mr. and Mrs. Clutter don't sleep in the same room or was that normal for that time period?
ReplyDeleteHey guys! :D I myself am not reading In Cold Blood, but the There Are No Children Here blog has been rather inactive lately and I had a question regarding the nonfiction essay.
ReplyDeleteHow are we supposed to do the thesis statement? Do we have to list "content, author's purpose and perspective, etc..." somewhere in the thesis? I'm REALLY confused.
Hey Elyse!! For the thesis essay thing I'm fairly sure you just take all the questions for (as an example) the content part of the questions, and group whatever awnsers you get into a paragraph or two. Then you do the same for the form and organization part, and so on and so forth, till you get all the way through the critique questions. Sorry if the directions are totally confusing:( I can explain them friday if they are!! :)
ReplyDeletethis is a great book. i will read this one again for sure.
ReplyDeletei have a question though. why go to all that trouble just to take four lives? i mean whats the matter with some people. if only they would stop and think. hey maybe this isnt a good idea. earth would be safer. i hate stupid people. especily when they do it because they have nothing better to do. thats how katherine died.....nvm i just needed to say it.
ReplyDeletei thought i was a very interesting book and it seemed well written. even a little to well during the murder descriptions. those i could've done without.
ReplyDeleteThere were a lot of characters introduced through the book and I thought that it was kind of hard to keep up with the different stories going on, but other than that I really liked the book.
ReplyDeleteim just about to start the book. i have heard some great things about this book. unfortunately, reading the comments gave away the ending. but thats my own fault, so i plan on using this as a further reference. and i'm sure i will have some q's. thanks in advance. :]
ReplyDelete~liz rosalez
I was going to answer the questions to the non-fiction analysis while I read the book is that a good idea?
ReplyDeleteyeah danita thats what i did. i read a lot of the book though and then answered questions.
ReplyDeleteI keep getting confused on who is who (Perry and Dick) which one is the one with messed up face, and what exactly happened. And who had the fairly normal life and who had the not such a messed up one?
ReplyDeleteI just finished part II of the book and I like it. Did Perry and Dick purposely try to rob the Clutters or did they end up at the wrong house and kill the wrong people because in the book it says that they probably mistook the Clutters for another wealthier family?
ReplyDeleteIs there supposed to be a thesis statement?
ReplyDeleteHi all, I'm impressed with your comments. Just a reminder to everyone to keep the discussion going throughout August. See you in a few weeks! Ms. Victor :)
ReplyDeleteyes danita they were supposed to rob the clutters. keep reading and you'll understand how the whole plan happened. i think theres supposed to be a thesis statement im just not sure how.
ReplyDeleteI just finished Part 3 and I found out that they were supposed to rob the Clutters. After reading the confessions I think that Dick and Perry were both insane. I was really suprised by how Perry "the short one" handled the robbery I didn't think he'd actually killed anyone I thought he just tied them up for Dick to kill them. I think this is one of the best non-fiction books I've ever read.
ReplyDeleteDanita, I also was surprised that Perry was the one who killed them all. Up until after the trial most of what happens to the pair is told by Perry. He makes it sound like Dick is more... insane... than he (Perry) is. But after all, Perry was the one who pulled the trigger four times; Dick "never hurt a hair on a human head".
ReplyDeleteI really love how this book has such great details. It is easier to feel like you were at the scene when everything happend. Also like Jessica said, I hated reading the beginning while they were alive because I knew they were going to end up dead.
ReplyDeleteSee but there is no such thing as insane. It's a perceptive thing. But if you look at past cases of sociopaths, The ones who seem the most 'human' are the ones who are the worst.
ReplyDeletei'm not very far into the book, but so far i like it. i agree with danielle who agreed with jessie that i don't liek hearing about the family because i know there going to die :[ but other then that it has really kept my interest. i was reading some previous comments from quite awhile ago and they were wondering how 4 gunshots killed 6 people. i haven't read that part yet but i wouldn't have understood it when i got there either, so thank you to whoever cleared that up. i hate that it doesn't tell us why these guys want to kill the clutter family, i'm sure it does eventually but i'm dying to know. (no pun intended). i usually hate suspense, but at least it keeps me reading :]
ReplyDeleteI just finished the book yesterday, i really enjoyed it. (: the four gunshots killing 6 people is referring to how by killing the four Clutter family members, Perry and Dick in turn ended their own lives since they were given the death penalty.
ReplyDeleteoops, just read back and saw someone already said that. oh well.
ReplyDeleteanyways, i think that the pyscho analysist person should have been allowed to say what he found after examining dick and perry. they obviously had something wrong with them. dick was the popular sports star in high school that everyone loved, how could he turn out to be a pedophile and plan four murders? it's crazy to think about how people change like that and you never truly know anyone. i felt somewhat bad for perry, even though i really really didn't want to. he had a hard life and could have been something great but he chose the wrong path. it's horrible how people throw their life away like that.
Well, I'm not very far (I sort of got a late start on this book) but I was just curious. Are Dick and Perry gay..? It's just the way stuff was being described when Perry was waiting for Dick...I just kinda figured...I guess it wouldn't be very relevant to the story, but I was just wondering.
ReplyDeleteNo Kim, they are strait. Later in the story Dick promises two different women that he will marry them. The one is young and pretty, the other is a rich widow. He ends up just running away again, but yeah.
ReplyDeleteWhy, in the book, does Dick keep calling Perry honey and baby?
ReplyDeleteI Just kinda started the book but there is one thing that keeps throwing me off, is Mr.Clutter a Contracter and did he himself design his own home?
ReplyDeleteHey Zach, I don't think he is a contracter but i could be wrong, and yes he did design his own home.
ReplyDeletei honestly have to say that the part were the author describes the muders of the cuttler family was very disturbing to me.
ReplyDeletei feel bad for perrys father he turely loves him and wants him to succed but all perry can do is disapoint him.
ReplyDeletewhy dose perry save alot of junk ?
ReplyDeleteand why dose he want the motel lady to hold on to it and say he will be back for it ?
out of perrys family his siter is the only one who turned out okay i feel sarrrow for her it seems shes embaressed/ashamed of her family life which is understandable.
ReplyDeleteAs soon as the book told us that the Cuttlers were not answering their phone when Nancy was seeing if they were home so they could give her a ride to church i knew there was something wrong because the while story before this part told us how responsible the Cuttler familys is, especialy Nancy and Mr.Cutler in Particular. I knew if they knew thier Neighbor was coming over, and came over every sunday to go to church they wouldn't just forget about it.
ReplyDeleteThe Murders of The four Cuttler family members was probably one of the most tragic, and disturbing things i have ever heard of especialy scince they were such a kind helpful family with so much potential and they were viciously murder in cold blood. It makes me sad for the two kid because they were so young and have barley lived any life and could of done so much especialy nancy she was a very bright and extreamly responsible girl and this was violently stolen from her which is really very disturbing and sad.
ReplyDeleteI have a question about the format. Are the questions we are sopost to answer sopost to be in a special format i know it say MLA format on the sheet but i don't really know what that is.I'm kinda confused could somebody help me please!
ReplyDeletei just finished part I of the book. this is one of the saddest and most tragic stories i have ever heard. you just feel for their friends and family. i can't even imagine how it must've been for the two oldest daughters that weren't murdered. and for Nancy's friends that saw her dead in her bed that next morning, talk about being traumatized.
ReplyDeleteI still don't understand why Perry and Dick killed the family. They didn't take money. So what did they want?
ReplyDeleteWhen Dick was in jail he heard about Mr. Clutter and how he was rich and that there was a safe in the house. When they got to the house there was no safe but Dick and Perry couldnt leave any witnesses, so they killed the family. But when they left the house they did take like fourty or fifty dollars.
ReplyDeleteI'm working on the analysis, does anyone know how many examples we're supposed to use?
ReplyDeleteHey,
ReplyDeletejust finished the book it started out REALLY boring but got way better in the middle. So to anyone who's just starting it don't worry just keep reading :D
on wikipedia it said that Harper Lee & Truman Capote were childhood friends, & traveled together to Kansas to research the murders. i thought this was kinda interesting, in a nerdy sorta way. :P
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone have opinions on capital punishment and if so did this book change thos opinions?
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone think that it's wrong for me to feel sorry for Perry? I'm not saying that it was okay for him to kill anyone, but I can't help but feel bad for him. His entire life was just so terrible...
ReplyDeleteYeah I agree with you erica it's sad that Perry had such a rough life but the part I feel sorry for him the most is the death of his brothers and how they died too. That is alot to handle. But what makes me wonder is if Perry clearly knew how it felt to lose someone(even his family still alive) why would he kill a family and want others to feel how he did? it just doesn't make sense to me at all
ReplyDeleteI Like how the book has diiferent people points of veiw and stuff it keeps my attention i wish all books were like that
ReplyDelete:)
I dont rly feel sorry for perry. Yeah he had a rough life but he kinda made it worse by doing the things he did. And many people have rough lives everyone has a story. You just have to make the best with the life ur given.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kim, I like how this book isn't one sided. Most books only tell a story in one perspective, but while reading this book we get to see what really happend from everyones point of view.
ReplyDeletethe book tries to make you feel bad for perry but in the end i think he deserved his punishment regardless of his background
ReplyDeleteCan anyone tell me how we're supposed to do the non fiction anaylisis? if so, what form do we do, so do we answer the questions one by one, or group them into paragraphs?
ReplyDeleteblake, im going to group them into paragraphs. that seems to be the easiest and most effecient way to go.
ReplyDeletei started this book last night and I realized that this book and scarlet letter have lots of similar vocab. Not that they are alot alike because scarlet letter was a much tougher read, but there were lots of words that i havn't heard of and they were in both books lol.
ReplyDelete-Dan Scott
I'm not too far into this book but I'm finding it pretty interesting actually. I'm also wondering how the book is three hundred something pages, but they started with the day of the murder. How did they stretch it out like that? I don't want to know the answer though, because i dont want the book to be given away! It's just a curious question.
ReplyDeleteokay, so not to sound weird but, are dick and perry gay? i realize that dick has promised his hand in marriage to two other women, but even in todays world gay people are not widely accepted, so my train of thought is that they are gay but dont want the world to know. and the author wants us to infer that they are gay because it doesnt play a huge role in the story? i dont know. tell me your thoughts.
ReplyDelete-tori newcomb.
question- for the literary analysis, we are not supposed to answer the questions in 1st person and yet the questions are writted so you would have to answer in first person?
ReplyDelete-are we supposed to answer every question for each section or pick one? help would be much appreciated. thanks in advance.
-tori newcomb.
i have to say that this book makes this family out to be this amazing all around american family. but it makes me wonder what the family was really like in actuality? im not saying that they deserved to die in any way, but every family has ghosts in the closet, and to me it seems a little strange that the only thing wrong with this family is that the mother suffers from clinical depression. so is the author exaggerating a little on the clutter family or were they truly a spectacular family?
ReplyDeletei'll stop with the questions now(:
-tori newcomb
Tori,
ReplyDeleteI have a very strong feeling that Dick and Perry are gay also. The way they talk to each other is so strange. Guys I know never talk to each other like Dick and Perry talk. And I also agree with you when you say they don't want the world to know. I believe it's normal for people to not want anyone to know what their orientation is.
-Caitee Aaron
I'm not that far into the book and I refused to read the comments because I don't want the book to be spoiled but I already think I know who killed the Clutter family. But I don't understand why. This family seems, to me anyway, a family I would have loved to known and be friends with. I just don't understand why a person could do such crazy and horrible things to a loving, sweet, and kind family. This book opens my mind to all the terrible things in this world and I'm astonished to know that there are actually people out there to even think about doing something like this let alone actually doing it.
ReplyDelete-Caitee Aaron
I dont think Dick and Perry were gay, I'm pretty sure Perry just talks like that, I think it's more like slang, city like talk, prison talk you know? But on the other hand, a lot of prison guys are gay, so..idk, look it up online or something
ReplyDeletecorrection, i'm saying that a lot of prison guys that around the same gender for long periods of time revert to heterosexuality. I guess Perry had a "deep, loving, relationship" with what's his name, but it wasn't phsyical, so he claims. I think it's just a way those prison people "satisfy there needs" if you will...
ReplyDeleteblake, oh my. i wasnt going that far. my thought is that they are gay, but this book takes place in the 50's, so it was the time of elvis, apple pies and wholesomeness. but there were alot of things you didnt talk about e.i being gay. if i was in dick or perrys position for one i wouldnt kill anyone but if i was gay i would not want anyone to know. thats just my thought.
ReplyDeleteI found out who killed the Clutter family, but I can't seem to figure out why. The Clutter family was a good family. They had to think about killing them long and hard because no one does such a think in the heat of the moment. I wonder if they held a grudge or something against them. Do you guys know why they killed the Clutter family?
ReplyDeletep.s. don't want to give it away just in case you don't know yet!!!!
not to give it away ill give u a hint, one of the detectives had an idea that he wouldn't give up even though all the others didn't think was right.
ReplyDeleteThe way these two murderd the family is terribule and i know now the reason they did it but still when they got to the ouse and relized that what they wanted wasnt there they still killed them...thats just rly sick. I guess it just kind of botherd me.
ReplyDelete-Melanie Caples
Note: My previouse comments have been writen under xxmeemsladyxx just for credits sake:)
obviously you can see that towards the end of the book, Capote sympathizes a lot with Perry. after some research, i'm pretty positive the reason for this is that when he was interviewing Perry for the book, Capote & him actually became friends.
ReplyDeletei also found some stuff about Perry & Dick being gay. most people are pretty positive they were.
& finally, i found a picture of the two, if you were interested. :P
http://www.classicalvalues.com/SmithHickockS.jpg
Dick is on the left, Perry is on the right.
& also, just for the sake of discussion, i don't agree with the death penalty. personally, i think if someone has done something so terrible that they deserve to die, a better way to punish them would to just give them a life term. it seems so much worse - having to spend the rest of their lives rotting in jail, thinking about what they did. that would mentally torture them, which seems way worse.
ReplyDeleteI agree but with the current prison system we are treating them to well. Most of the people that are in prison are in better living conditions then they were when they were not.
ReplyDeleteAnd also everybody acts like the family was 'tortured' so to speak. They were just tied up and that is not true suffering. A shotgun shot to the face won't hurt, neither will getting your throat slit. The only torturing done in the book was mentally with a couple of the main characters.
ReplyDeleteI personally enjoy the ending, finding out the motive to the crime,and the trial(or interrogation) of the characters was phenomenal. Truman Capote, really gives a chilling look into the heads of two truly deranged individuals.
ReplyDeleteAshley, they stretch it out by goign through the killer, the community, and the detectives pov. the also go through the reasoning why and the trials of the murderers. i hope this helps you out a little.
ReplyDeleteOne question i have, Did Perry kill them to act as if he was a true "hard" criminal, or to just put them out of their misery. because if it's the latter, how does killing everyone put them out of their misery. My theory is he killed mister clutter to put him out of his misery, but then out of necessity killed the rest of the clutters so there would be no witness.
ReplyDeleteHaha! those pictures of Dick and Perry are kinda how I pictured them. Kinda funny lol
ReplyDelete-Daniel Scott
I really hate how I am starting to feel bad for Perry. The author goes into such great detail about his life, I start to forget that he murdered the Clutter family.
ReplyDeleteFor the essay, we can just answer the questions and put them in that order for the paragraphs, right?
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure that Perry killed them all for two reasons. One to put them out of their misory and two, To prove to Dick that he wasn't as tough as he though.
ReplyDeleteyeah do we make bullet points of have the question and answers made into paragraphs? (for the paper)
ReplyDeletei just started the book, and even though im only on like the second chapter, i really like it.
ReplyDelete-elisabeth robinson
i'm almost on part three in the book
ReplyDeletewell ummm are perry and dick ya know together? lol cause it kinda seems like it to me...
-katie sawyers
A lot of people keep asking if these guys are gay. Yeah, It's pretty weird how Dick talks to Perry, and it almost seems like they are, but all these prostitute's make it kind of hard to believe that they're gay. So I'm going to say no... I don't think they are. :)
ReplyDeleteI think that the way Dick and Perry talk to each other is just part of their characters. I don't think they are gay, but that they are just partners in crime. Committing this crime together makes their relationship abnormal and closer than most guys relationships are. I mean they have to spend alot of time together if they want to commit this crime flawlessly. So, i think that has something to do with their abnormal relationship. I don't think they are gay.
ReplyDeleteI love the ending. Even though I'm against the death penalty I like how Dick (I'm pretty sure it was him?) described it. He said something about it just being revenge, and in the end I guess it really is, because we're all focused on what's "fair" and "getting even".
ReplyDeleteTo be honest though, I don't really think the death penalty is enough of a punishment. I think it's ridiculous that we give the prisoners one last meal- whatever they want- but you don't see murderers going around asking their victims what they would like to eat before they die. I'm not really sure why, but that just really bothers me. I would prefer life sentences in solitude, and I think that's worse than the death penalty anyways.
& I really don't mean to sound evil or anything...
I wrote my essay but I was wondering if we needed an intro and concluding paragraph or just the 5 paragraphs for each topic.
ReplyDeleteWhy did the remaining sisters of the Clutter family not come to see Dick and Perry get hung? I would think that they would want to see the killers of their mom, dad, brother, and sister pay the price for the murders. Maybe they thought that the punishment wasn't harsh enough? Still, I think that they would at least come for a little hint of revenge.
ReplyDeleteDick and Perry traveled around alllllootttt. It got kind of confusing at some parts. Like when they were in Kansas City heading down to Texas and then they were Las Vegas. i was a little confused.
ReplyDelete-Daniel Scott
Well the sisters are now living there own lives and prob finnlay moving on from the tramma of losing 4 rly close family members. I think if i was them i wouldnt want to wittness that having to deal with witnessing two "murders" on top of already lossing 4 family members would be tramatic.
ReplyDelete--Melanie Caples
I just got done with my essay and I'm psyched! Mkayy just wanted to say. I'm done with summer work! Finally! In Cold Blood wasn't too bad, but I think I liked The Scarlet Letter better. There's more room to be wrong in your perseptions of it. I like being able to show my opinion and for things to have tons of different meanings, and thats how The Scarlet Letter is. :) I'M DONE! :D
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know what words we use for the vocabulary chart or if we just use our own words?
ReplyDeleteHannah you use words you don't konw
ReplyDeleteHannah,
ReplyDeleteFor the vocab chart I put down words I didn't know. Then looked up the meanings, put the sentence it was found in, etc. I did this as I was reading the book.
Danielle,
I basically just did the seperate paragraphs surrounding the questions since it is an analysis, not an essay. Any other opinions?
Kris JvG
i just finished the book and i thought it was a really good book. I thought it was really interesting exspecialy that it was true too. Don't get me wrong though i think it was terrible what happen but i'm just saying it kept my attention. I thought it was kind of disturbing though in the end how people just watched Perry and Dick get hanged.
ReplyDeleteDanielle, I also just did the five paragraphs since it wasn't an actual essay. I think it should be fine.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you do for the vocabulary chart if you know the words in the book? Do you just put down bigger words?
ReplyDeleteI, for one liked In Cold Blood a lot better than the Scarlet Letter. In Cold Blood was easier for me to understand and it kept my attention. I actually wanted to finish the book unlike the other book. The Scarlet Letter, well I just wanted to toss that book aside.
ReplyDeleteDallas if you know all the words you could just put down words that you think most people wouldn't know...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the help! I really enjoyed Truman Capote's writing style, I think I am going to check out some of his other books.
ReplyDeleteI just finished the book yesterday. I really enjoyed it. It kept me hooked, and I anticipated reading it. I'm not even a huge fan of mysteries, but this book was interesting! I would defintely recommend others to read it.
ReplyDeletei agree with ashley. personally i am a baby and books like this would freak me out, but it actually just kept my interest. i liked this book much beter then scarlet letter because it's a lot easier to understand.
ReplyDeleteI finished in cold blood a few days ago and the ending had me thinking about my view on the death penalty. at first i was totally against it, because i beleive all life has value and God wouldn't stand for it. however, in Greene's closing statement he read from the bible how if someone takes away the life of his neighbor, his life, too, should end. so then i thought, okay, the death penalty i can understand. thennnnn, i was reading some previous comments and erica said she thinks it is just revenge and that a life of solitude would be a better punishment. and i would definitely agree, except that it said in the book, that in Kansas you can apply for parole after only 7 years of being in prison. and i wouldn't take the chance of letting these two men, if that word even applies, being even somewhat free. any other opinions?
ReplyDeleteFor the essay we have to write, the first question asks what are the main points or parts and their supporting details. Is it just asking to summarize the book, or what?
ReplyDeletejessica, yeah it just means summarize the book.
ReplyDeletei'm not finished with the book yet but i like it way more then the scarlet letter.
i can follow the story line much better and i understand everything that's going on much better then i did in the scarlet letter.
-katie sawyers
You need to take personal morals into account. Not god. Wouldn't it be better for the person to suffer than die? And just because you apply for parole doesn't mean that you get it.
ReplyDeleteHey, do we have to head our paragraphs with the topic?
ReplyDeletewhat do the killers have against the clutter family? because the book indicates premeditation. "every one of them has got to go" but why? especially since im pretty sure that the killers didn't even know the Clutters. can somebody honestly have that in them to go on a killing spree without anything against them?? i mean ive seen it on csi and stuff but it seems too awful to be true....by the way i really like this book so far. im in the second part. :)
ReplyDelete-elisabeth robinson
Elisabeth, the killers don't really have anything against the Clutters, they just know that they can't leave any witnesses, and are willing to kill four innocent people to make sure there aren't any. It's pretty sad and disturbing because Dick doesn't really seem to care, but Perry is somewhat affected by it and will bug Dick about it later on.
ReplyDeletewhat are we supposed to put as the title literary non-fiction analysis, in clod blood, or both?
ReplyDeletedallas- i totally understand what you mean about personal morals, but my personal morals are the same as Gods. and idk what would be better...i guess yr right about suffering in the long run.
ReplyDeleteand yes, they might not recieve parole, but what if they did? idk if 7 years is long enough for them to really feel guilty about what they did. they sat in jail waiting for all of the appeals for a few years right? and that didn't seem to do the trick...but i guess it depends.
i don't like the forth part of the book
ReplyDeletethe ending part is kind of interseting but the last part totally goes off topic it seems like because they talk about other peoples murders and stuff
-katie sawyers
do we have to answer all of the questions?? or just some of them
ReplyDelete-katie sawyers
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJust wondering, did anyone actually find themselves liking Perry Smith, no matter what he did? I mean, yes, he murdered an innocent family, but he was just easy to sympathize with, whereas Dick was just... kind of as his name stated, and I just found myself hating him, based on his sort of vain personality.
ReplyDeleteNobody ever changes coming out of jail Hannah. You murder somebody, you go in. When you get released you're just as likely to kill. But there are some people who feel bad about what they did and if you let them sit in jail they get to live with it.
ReplyDeleteNot completely true, Dallas, some people change, it's just rare that a murderer would. Though, I do think that the death penalty would be more effective if they made people regularly stay on death row for twenty plus years, just in constant dread of what's to come.
ReplyDeletei guess the people who regret what they did it would be a better punishment for them to sit in prison. but for the people who didn't regret it at all, i dont think prison would do anything. and there's always a chance that those people would get out on parole. depends on the circumstance of there guilt i guess.
ReplyDeleteThat is very true hannah, becasuse some people are incapable of guilt.. Some people change yes, but some people don't.. its all a matter of human nature.. i do agree that the LIKELINESS of killing again is a high percentage, but there are definately people who have turned themselves around.
ReplyDeleteI liked perry smith, he seemed the most compasionate, and he did try to save the girl from dick, but brandon it is very hard to excuse the things he did.. I really don't know.
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm not necessarily saying he was a good person, but he at least had some sort of twisted moral system, which Dick lacked.
ReplyDeletethanks Nick :] and about perry...i felt sorry for him for the longest time, but while sitting in prison at the end, he said something about how he knows he should feel guilty but he just didnt. but i guess he said, right before he died that he was sorry, for what it was worth. so maybe in the end he did feel some guilt.
ReplyDeletequestion about the analysis: i'm confused as to what form of writing this book is. it's not a memoir, or letter, not really a speech...or essay either. anyone...?!
ReplyDeleteI could just tell that Perry was the worst of the two. just by the way he acted innocent all the time..but i guess he did end up feeling guilty before he died.
ReplyDelete-katie sawyers
Well, a memoir doesn't necessarily have to be the memories of the author, and I'd say that's my closest bet to what sort of story this is. It's from the memories of a lot of different people, involved directly or indirectly with the crime. Not confirming this, but it's my best bet.
ReplyDeleteAnd, Katie, I think it's because he was really mentally disturbed. Beaten severely by nuns in his childhood, dysfunctional family, suicide of two of his siblings. A lot of things. Not to pardon him, but that may be why he acted so innocent.
ReplyDeleteyeah katie, i agree.
ReplyDeleteand okay, that was my guess too. i was just making sure i wasn't way off the mark. it makes the most sense i think. thanks!
I know this is a little late Hannah, but if they didn't regret it at all then they probably want to die. So what's the point in killing them?
ReplyDeleteMaybe a little mental closure for humanity. If they're dead, people can worry about them less.
ReplyDeletei wouldn't say they'd want to die. in fact, i know they didn't want to die. Dick says right towards the end that he beleives in capital punishment and in hanging, as long as he's not the one whose being hanged. and perry and dick don't want to give everyone the satisfaction of revenge either
ReplyDeletehey also, do we have to head each paragraph like "content", "form and organization" etc?
ReplyDeleteI don't think we have to head the paragraphs. I'm not, but I don't think it would really matter either way.
ReplyDeleteokay, thanks shelby :]
ReplyDeleteI was so surprised when Dick said that Perry murded the family all himself! I was thinking "No Way!". I will have to keep reading to see if he was telling the truth or not! I love this book.
ReplyDelete-Lindsay Papciak
I think it's really sad that it's all Dick's dumb fault for the murder of the family. He really was being inconsiderate in my opinion for not believing that Herb didn't have a safe anywhere in his house.
ReplyDelete-Lindsay Papciak
Once again, I waited forever to do this blog, but I am giving you my input don't worry. I absolutely loved this book. I loved style it was written in, and the use of all the descriptive words. It was really sad but I really liked how it kept my attention. I thought the morals were very clear also. I kind of felt sorry for Perry until I found out he was the one who murdered the whole family, and I think Dick is just a greedy jerk and he deserved his punishment. I think that Perry could have been a good person if he had a nicer childhood.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kelly. It seems like Perry could have been a good person, but since he had such a messed up childhood, he was kind of crazy.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite part throughout the book was when Perry was recaping/describing the night of the murder. It was what I was waiting for, to hear what really happened. It was the part that caught my attention the most.
*Does anyone else think its really annoying that Dick always called Perry honey? I did. haha.
-Lindsay Papciak
yeah the author has perry kill the Clutters and then tries to make him the seem not so bad. it worked and i thought perry shouldnt have got the death sentence
ReplyDelete-jason lively
Yea that always got on my nerves too, the Honey thing that is -_0. but personaly I liked the the original Murder Scene though it could have been alittle more gruesome >.>
ReplyDeleteI agree with the people above, the author made Perry seem like he was kinda nuts. I think he should be in a mental hospital or somthing. but dick on the other hand is just dumb he definatly deserved what he got. (btw the whole honey thing was uber annoying!)
ReplyDeletei guess back then his mom might have said honey alot ,and you do learn alot from your parents.I think perry got what deseved though, after all he did kill them all and the was a chance he'd murder again.It's sad perry's dad never came to see him though.
ReplyDeleteI stillll think Perry wasn't a very good person, and he was kind of mentally ill. Even though he had alot of remorse, I still think he should of been placed in a mental institute.
ReplyDeleteThis was a great book, and it kept me hooked the entire time, I wish every book was like this one :)
@ teacher: blakearmstrong43 is blake armstrong, that's pretty self explanatory haha
yeah I agree with seth on that one, I think his punishment stilll could of been harder, that's just me though.
ReplyDeleteI liked the book a lot.
ReplyDeletePerry wasnt the best person, but his childhood was worse than most people could imagine. Instead of putting him on death row he should have had to suffer in prison or a mental institution along with Dick except he should have had to suffer in Prison