It seems to me that the two main themes of In Cold Blood are the very old and traditional theme of crime and punishment and the more modern theme that nobody is safe anymore in our modern world. As far as the second theme is concerned, the Clutter family would have been safe in older times because they lived in such a small and isolated community. But with automobiles and superhighways we see a pair of desperados drive all the way across the state of Kansas to intrude into the lives of innocent strangers and then all the way back. There is also the incident in which the two murderers plan to hitchhike and murder the driver so that they can steal his car. No one is safe anymore. We see virtually no hitchhikers anymore because everyone is afraid to pick them up, and for good reason.
In Truman Capote's jounalistic novel, In Cold Blood, he reports on the horrific crime of the murder of the Clutter family while examining closely the men who committed this crime. Capote particularly found Perry Smith fascinating. His visits and conversations with Perry led Capote to raise the question of whether a man alone can be held responsible for his actions when his environment has deprived him of what is essential to a human being. This exploration into the psyche of Perry Smith develops the theme of Nature vs. Nurture. Were Perry's crimes the acts of one who was inherently evil, or did they stem from his neglect?
Another theme in Capote's book is that of Sexuality. Hickock who cannot be satisfied with monogamy has been married twice. But, he is also perverted as Smith has to prevent him from raping Nancy Clutter on the fateful night. Smith, who complains that he cannot stand people who do not control their sexual urges, seems to struggle against his homosexuality. He constantly tries to prove his masculinity to Hickock, who, in turn, strives to prove his potential to violence to Smith.
Can you give an example of four prominent themes found in Capote's In Cold Blood?
In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote, features multiple strong themes throughout the narrative, some subtle while others are overt. These themes include life in rural America, the American dream, violence, and trust.
Life in Rural America
In Cold Blood is a non-fiction novel that takes place in communities all across America. The main character, Perry, travels with his family from Texas to Oregon and later to Florida, Texas and Nevada as well as to the country of Mexico. Through Perry's travels, Capote explores the similarities between rural American communities despite the distance between them. Perry's childhood is spent traveling from one place to another, and it is this sporadic upbringing that contributes to his identity as a loner. The text explains that he "washed dishes in an Omaha restaurant, pumped gas at an Oklahoma garage, and worked a month on a ranch in Texas."
As the story progresses, the superficial differences between the states Perry has lived in are woven into the tapestry...
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of what Capote considers the myth of America. Despite the differences in each location he travels to, Perry identifies a common loneliness and dissatisfaction among the rural populace he encounters.
The American Dream
The American Dream and life in rural America are themes that are closely intertwined throughout the narrative. Perry and Dick are motivated to commit violent crimes by perversions of the American dream, which was a prominent topic in the 1950s. As a self-made farmer, Herbert is living the traditional American dream. Perry and Dick seek to obtain the rewards of that dream without putting in any of the honest work it takes to achieve success. To do this, they devise a plan to murder Herb and his family and use their money to further their own dreams.
Violence
The central story of In Cold Blood revolves around the planned murder of Herb Clutter and his family. Perry Smith and Dick Hickock believe that the Clutters have thousands of dollars hidden somewhere in their home and kill the family in cold blood to obtain the money. In reality, they find only $40 in Herb's wallet. The ruthless ambition of Perry and Dick is used to showcase the reality of violence, which is so often inflicted for the sake of petty gain.
Trust
Capote grows close to Perry in an attempt to obtain his confession. He works to gain Perry's trust over time and becomes something of a kindred spirit, even as he comes to the conclusion that Perry and Dick are cold-blooded killers. Both men are isolated and consider themselves loners, which contributes to the trust that is built between them over time. In a subtler sense, the idea of trust in an orderly world is also explored through this narrative. Herb is a pillar of the community and he has no reason to believe that anyone would wish to hurt him. This trust is violated when two men he has no direct connection to break into his home and perpetuate violence against him and his family.
What are the themes of "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote?
There are several themes running through this famous work. For a detailed discussion of them, you might visit the section of the enotes study guide you can access via the link included below. In brief, though, the book is about where identity comes from. Do people choose who they are and what they do, or is it innate? Or is it due to their upbringing? This means that responsibility is a related theme. Working in opposition to this is the idea of fate—that things have to work out as they do. A desire for justice, which may be a desire for revenge, is a third theme that links both of these. Who will be punished, and what is the right punishment?
What are three themes in Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood"?
What are the major themes of In Cold Blood?
The author (Capote) became obsessed with obtaining an admission of guilt from the imprisoned killer. Capote also identified with this young man, because he was intelligent and a loner like Capote himself. Capote spent many long hours talking to him and gained his trust, to the extent that eventually he confessed to the killings. The killer was flattered by the attention and the idea that he was the subject of a book; he may have thought Capote would help him get a lighter sentence, and cooperated for this reason. This raises the question of the ethical issues inherent in such a relationship between journalist and subject. As well, one powerful theme is the ruthless and cruel nature of the killings and the dark side of life in rural America at the time.