Use of Characterization in Truman Capotes In Cold Blood...

In Cold Blood:nbsp; Effective Use of Characterizationnbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Capotes extensive characterization is a key element of In Cold Blood. The characters can be divided into three groups: the Clutter family, the two murderers, and the characters who were emotionally attached to the murder. Each killers psyche is researched by Capote, and each is individualized by his specific psyche. Capote goes to great lengths to show that the townspeople viewed the Clutter family as an ideal American family. Mr. Herbert Clutter was the most successful farmer in Holcomb: He was, however, the communitys most widely known citizen, prominent both there and in Garden City, the close dash by county seat... (6). Capote details his numerous†¦show more content†¦Bonnie Clutter, wife of Herbert. Capote characterizes her emotionally, rather than physically: a good-spirited woman, plagued with chronic depression, who heartily attempted to fight her disorder and felt extreme love for her husband and children. However, according to Capote, Mrs. Clutter felt other people did not like her, and while she tried to earn their love, she often scared them with with her words. Capote goes to great efforts to show the admiration which the community held for the Clutter family, one of the elements which made the murders so shocking. Everybody socialized with the Clutter family. For example, Mr. Clutters friend Mrs. Ashida felt comfortable telling Mr. Clutter her conflict with her husband regarding the Ashida familys possible move, confiding that people like his family are the reason she wishes to stay in Holcomb. The authors details in presenting the two killers are also vivid. Capote focuses on their physical appearance and differences. Dick Hickock was a flimsy, dingy-blond youth of medium height, flesh less, and perhaps sunken chested (30). He also had many tattoos--a hand, torso, and other places. There is an ironic element into the inscription on one of Hickocks tattoos... the word PEACE accompanied by a cross radiating , in the form of crude strokes, rays of holy light. (Reed 108). Hickocks head looked as if it has been halved like an apple, put together a fraction off center (31). The authorShow MoreRelated Truman Capote Essay examples1144 Words   |  5 Pagessuccumb to viewing people and objects only for face value, there are few who take a deeper look into what is actually present underneath the surface. One of these people was Truman Capote. Capote was able to take experiences from his own life and put them into words for the public to read and relate to. Truman Capote was born Truman Streckfus Persons on September 30, 1924 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (â€Å"Great† 233) His mother, Lillie Mae Faulk was married to Arch Persons. 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In this excerpt Capote utilized rhetoric to no only d escribe the town but also to characterize it in order to set a complete scene for the rest of the novel. Capote does this by adapting and forming diction, imagery, personification, similes, anaphora, metaphors, asyndeton, and alliteration to fully develop Holcomb not only as a town, but