In Cold Blood Questions and Answers
In Cold Blood
The relationship and comparisons between Truman Capote and Perry Edward Smith in In Cold Blood
In In Cold Blood, Truman Capote and Perry Edward Smith share a complex relationship marked by empathy and understanding. Capote sees parts of himself in Smith, particularly their traumatic childhoods...
In Cold Blood
What is Capote's view on the death penalty, and how does it influence the reader's perspective?
Capote's view on the death penalty is critical, as he implicitly disapproves of it by humanizing the murderers Dick Hickock and Perry Smith, highlighting their traumatic pasts and the unfairness of...
In Cold Blood
What do Perry's possessions reveal about his character in In Cold Blood?
Perry's possessions in In Cold Blood reveal his detachment from reality and desire for human connection. Items like his guitar and treasure map highlight his fantasies and unrealistic aspirations,...
In Cold Blood
What are three physical and personality traits of Dick and Perry in In Cold Blood?
In In Cold Blood, Perry has small, deformed legs, is bi-racial, and has weak kidneys. His personality is child-like, nostalgic, and shaped by a traumatic upbringing. Dick, on the other hand, is tall,...
In Cold Blood
Capote's portrayal of Perry Smith in "In Cold Blood" and its success in evoking sympathy
Capote's portrayal of Perry Smith in In Cold Blood effectively evokes sympathy by presenting Smith's troubled childhood, dreams, and vulnerabilities. Through detailed character development and...
In Cold Blood
Title's Significance and Thematic Connection in "In Cold Blood"
The title In Cold Blood by Truman Capote signifies the calculated and emotionless nature of the Clutter family murders, which were planned and executed without remorse by Dick Hickock and Perry...
In Cold Blood
What two concepts did Agent Dewey develop during the Clutter murders investigation, and which did he believe?
Early in the investigation of the Clutter murders, Agent Dewey helps develop two concepts about the number of individuals involved in the killings. One scenario is that there is a single killer. The...
In Cold Blood
Describe the motor vehicle accidents and their results involving Dick and Perry in In Cold Blood.
In "In Cold Blood," both Dick and Perry experienced significant motor vehicle accidents that contributed to their psychological state. Dick's car accident resulted in severe facial injuries,...
In Cold Blood
What is the name of Perry Smith's sister in In Cold Blood?
Perry Smith's sister in In Cold Blood is named Barbara, often referred to by her nickname "Bobo," or as Mrs. Frederic Johnson. She is Perry's only remaining sibling and lives in San Francisco with...
In Cold Blood
In In Cold Blood, how does Capote show bias towards Perry Smith?
Capote shows bias towards Perry Smith by portraying him as a vulnerable and sympathetic character, in contrast to Dick Hickock, who is depicted as the cold-blooded mastermind. Capote emphasizes...
In Cold Blood
Imprisonment and Its Effects in In Cold Blood
In In Cold Blood, Truman Capote explores the effects of imprisonment on Perry Smith and Dick Hickock. Perry's time in prison is depicted through interactions with Mrs. Meier, highlighting his...
In Cold Blood
Why did Agent Dewey consider Nancy's cat's death important in In Cold Blood?
Agent Dewey thinks Nancy's cat's death might be important because it may have been a prelude to the murders. Like the murder victims, the cat didn't die a natural death. He died of poisoning.
In Cold Blood
Who was Willie-Jay, and why was he attracted to Perry in In Cold Blood?
Willie-Jay, a friend and mentor to Perry in In Cold Blood, is attracted to Perry due to his intellect and talent. He tries to help Perry gain self-esteem and avoid violence, offering honest and...
In Cold Blood
What are some examples of dramatic irony in part 1 of In Cold Blood?
In Part 1 of In Cold Blood, dramatic irony is evident as readers know the Clutter family will be murdered, while the family remains unaware. The narrative tension builds as the Clutters engage in...
In Cold Blood
How does Dick charm retailers for money to continue their journey to Mexico in "In Cold Blood"?
Dick uses his charm to get money from retailers by using false checks. This was a simple question that is easy to guess.
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What is Capote's opinion of Dick in In Cold Blood?
Truman Capote's opinion of Dick Hickock is that he is crude, unrefined and utterly amoral.
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Is mental illness a motif in In Cold Blood?
Mental illness is a motif In Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood
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What are your thoughts on the following quote from the text?
This quote reveals Dick's premeditated intent to commit a violent act at the Clutter residence, specifically planning to rape the girl, which indicates a deeper malice beyond robbery. Although he...
In Cold Blood
How does Bobby discover Nancy's murder and what is his reaction?
Bobby discovers Nancy's murder from Mr. Ewalt, who informs him at his family farm. Devastated by the news, Bobby, who had been with Nancy and her family the night before, struggles with grief and the...
In Cold Blood
How does Capote's structure of In Cold Blood shape the reader's interpretation?
Capote's structure of the story to some extent shapes the reader's experience and interpretation. Thus, this is an example of a literary technique that will enhance the reader's experience of the...
In Cold Blood
Why is Nancy in In Cold Blood concerned about her father?
Nancy's father was angry about her relationship with Bobby. It bothered Nancy that her father's bad temper seemed to show no signs of abating.
In Cold Blood
Who is responsible for the Clutter family murder in "In Cold Blood"?
The Clutter family murder was committed by Perry Smith and Richard "Dick" Hickock, both ex-convicts. Hickock learned about the Clutters from a fellow inmate, Floyd Wells, who mentioned a non-existent...
In Cold Blood
In Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, what are Dewey's two crime scenarios?
In Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, Al Dewey, leading the investigation into the Clutter family murders, considers two scenarios. The first involves a single killer familiar with the family and their...
In Cold Blood
What occurred the weekend after the murders in "In Cold Blood", and why was this event held early?
Following the murders, Beverly Clutter married her fiancé, Vere English, just four days after the funeral. Originally planned for December 1959, the wedding was moved up because the extended family...
In Cold Blood
Analyze the effect of alternating points of view in Capote's In Cold Blood.
In his efforts to present the narrative of In Cold Blood in a journalistic style that recreates the setting and the persons involved, apparently without bias, Truman Capote uses an omniscient...
In Cold Blood
The protagonist in In Cold Blood
The protagonists in In Cold Blood are Perry Smith and Dick Hickock, the two criminals whose brutal murder of the Clutter family is the central focus of the narrative. The book delves deeply into...
In Cold Blood
What plans did Perry and Dick have for Mr. Bell in In Cold Blood?
Perry and Dick planned to kill Mr. Bell and steal his car while hitchhiking. Mr. Bell, a meat-packing executive, picked them up, but their attempt was thwarted when he stopped to pick up another...
In Cold Blood
Are the letters by Perry's sister, father, and Willie-Jay in Truman Capote's In Cold Blood authentic or embellished?
The letters of Perry Smith’s father, sister, and former fellow prisoner are authentic.
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Floyd Wells
Floyd Wells, a former cellmate of Dick Hickock, informed Hickock about the Clutters and their supposed wealth, which led to the murder plot. After the murders, Wells, feeling guilty, informed...
In Cold Blood
Why was Perry convicted of premeditated murder in In Cold Blood?
Perry Smith was convicted of premeditated murder in "In Cold Blood" due to his involvement in the brutal killings of the Clutter family. Along with Richard Hickock, he entered the Clutter home...
In Cold Blood
What strategies do Nye and Church use in their interrogation of Dick Hickock in In Cold Blood?
Nye and Church use several strategies to break Dick Hickock psychologically during their interrogation in In Cold Blood. They don't mention the murder, present evidence that could presumably lead to...
In Cold Blood
Evaluate Capote's rhetorical strategies in each chapter of In Cold Blood.
Capote's use of rhetorical strategies in In Cold Blood are, in some ways, hard to pin down. Partly this is because Capote was pioneering a new form of writing: the non-fiction novel. As such, Capote...
In Cold Blood
In In Cold Blood, what does Dick question about Perry, and why?
Dick questions Perry's mental stability, noting his childlike behaviors such as thumb-sucking, bed-wetting, and obsession with fantasies like finding treasure. These traits stem from Perry's...
In Cold Blood
In In Cold Blood, what happens in the Clutters' church three days post their funeral?
Three days after the Clutters' funeral, the wedding of Beverly Clutter, a surviving daughter, is held in the same church. The wedding had been planned before the tragedy, and with relatives already...
In Cold Blood
What is the content of each section in In Cold Blood by Truman Capote?
The Last to See Them Alive: The Clutter Family and Their Murderers, by Harry N. MacLean, University of Chicago Press, 2000.
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In In Cold Blood, what was Dick Hickock's plan for Las Vegas and why did it fail?
Dick's plan to impersonate a military officer didn't work. The police caught him and Perry Smith while they were driving a stolen car.
In Cold Blood
In In Cold Blood, who is the dynamic character?
The most dynamic character is Dick. He is the one with ideas; he is the one who makes things happen. Arguably the central event of the Clutter murders is really down to him, even if it’s Perry who...
In Cold Blood
Why didn't the Stockleins hear the gunshots or screams in "In Cold Blood"?
The Stockleins didn't hear the gunshots or screams due to several factors. The night was windy and blustery, masking any noise from the crime. Inside their home, the Stockleins were preoccupied with...
In Cold Blood
In In Cold Blood, how do Perry's worries about the newspaper reports differ from Dick's?
Perry feels that the newspaper article is a bad sign and a trap. He's mostly worried that the investigators do have clues. Conversely, Dick feels that the newspaper article is a good sign. Dick...
In Cold Blood
How does Capote's use of stream of consciousness impact In Cold Blood?
Capote's use of stream of consciousness in In Cold Blood is pivotal in exploring the minds of the murderers, Perry and Dick. This technique allows readers to delve deeply into their motivations and...
In Cold Blood
Who is Mr. Frederick Johnson in "In Cold Blood"?
Mr. Frederic Johnson is the brother-in-law of Perry Smith, one of the murderers in Truman Capote's In Cold Blood. He is married to Barbara, Perry's only surviving sibling. Johnson is mentioned twice...
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What four literary devices does Truman Capote use to create his style in In Cold Blood?
Truman Capote employs many tools of the novelist, shaping his non-fiction work almost as if it were a novel. A question about style and why does the author choose to tell this story in this way.
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Is the movie of In Cold Blood similar to the book?
Capote's book traces the process of developing a full profile of the two killers. Capote was fascinated by them and he wanted to know everything about their lives, from their early childhood. He...
In Cold Blood
How does Truman Capote make readers sympathize with the killers in In Cold Blood?
Truman Capote evokes sympathy for the killers, particularly Perry Smith, by highlighting his abusive and contemptuous upbringing. This exploration of Smith's background, juxtaposed with the portrayal...
In Cold Blood
Are "people are dumb" and "mean as hell" figurative language in In Cold Blood, and are they effective?
In "In Cold Blood," "mean as hell" is a form of figurative language, specifically a simile, comparing a person's meanness to hell. However, "people are dumb" is not figurative language as it lacks...
In Cold Blood
Main characters in the book and lead actors in the original movie "In Cold Blood"
The main characters in In Cold Blood are Perry Smith and Richard "Dick" Hickock, the two criminals who murdered the Clutter family. In the original 1967 film adaptation, Perry Smith was portrayed by...
In Cold Blood
What emotions does the novel "In Cold Blood" evoke?
The novel evokes a range of emotions, including sympathy for Perry due to his troubled past and amazement at his indifference to human suffering. Initially, it horrified readers with its depiction of...
In Cold Blood
What is the central argument in chapter 2 of In Cold Blood?
The central argument in Chapter 2 of In Cold Blood is the exploration of Perry Smith's psychological complexity and troubled past. Truman Capote delves into Smith's disrupted childhood, marked by...
In Cold Blood
Can you cite an example of historiographic metafiction in In Cold Blood?
An example of historiographic metafiction in In Cold Blood is Truman Capote's sympathetic portrayal of the murderers, Dick Hickock and Perry Smith. While the book is based on true events, Capote...
In Cold Blood
Is In Cold Blood more than journalism? Justify your answer.
In Cold Blood is a creative work that uses imaginative description and dialogue to create a new type of reporting.