Goonies -
If you were out last Thursday for our Socratic seminar over the first two sections of In Cold Blood, please respond to one of the following questions with an answer of approximately 300-400 words. Evidence from the text is preferred (read: better for your grade).
- Discuss Perry Smith and Dick Hickock's emotional health. Are they mentally ill? If not, what do you perceive motivates them to do such horrible acts? (The answer may be different for each of them.)
- In what ways have the townspeople of Holcombe reacted and changed since the Clutter murders? What is it about the Clutters that made such an impact on their community, both in life and in death?
- Comment on Truman Capote's bias. Is it fair or right for him to give so much air-time to the murderers? Do you feel sympathy for Dick and Perry? Why or why not?
7 comments:
Perry smith and Dick were not mentally ill in my opinion; they were simply eschewed pieces of society that did not know how to incorporate themselves into it. Perry was beyond different than Dick, he was “very touchie, his feelings … very easily hurt...” while Dick was more silent about his feelings and did not express as many emotions as Perry did (Capote 129). Thought Perry “think[s] there must be something wrong with [them]”, he ceases to own up to any of the responsibility and instead looks upon his tragic past (Capote 110). In the same way, Barbara, his sister, characterizes him as “above average in intelligence, but somehow [his] reasoning [was] off the beam…” for she too had the same parents and is stable and with children of her own, while her brother blames all that happened to him to an “alcoholic mother” and troublesome family (Capote 142). When Perry claims that it “bugs” him, “to do what [they] did. And just one hundred percent get away with it…”it is evident that he feels some remorse for the murders, thus inferring he is well aware of what he did and not mentally ill (Capote 109). In contrast to Dick whom claims he’s “normal” and one comes to the realization that he only uses Perry because he had the impression Perry was a savage who was the perfect criminal for the “big score” ( Capote 111). He too is stable, yet not as emotional as parry is. For example in Mexico when “Dick did nothing-only moaned, complained of the motion…” it is apparent that he resents Perry for dragging him into his dream place for Mexico and the island hunt was Perry’s epitome of good life, not Dick’s (Capote 118). Dick simply wanted to obtain easy money and this was manifested in the revelation that he simply utilized Perry for his “gift”. I perceive that their main motive behind the murders was to obtain monetary benefit because they constantly used false checks and in the search for money. Even if the crime did not appear to look like a robbery, Nancy’s purse was opened, and this seems to be the most reasonable rationale behind such horrendous crime.
The concept of being mentally ill by doing something definitely against morality is misleading. By committing acts of violence whether for a good reason or not does not necessarily mean the person is mentally ill. Perry, to me, was an interesting character to follow on his thoughts and perspectives. On page 244, Perry says, "I didn't want to harm the man... I thought so right up to the moment I cut his throat." Although Perry's thinking is twisted since he thought about Mr. Clutter's positive character as he murdered him, but it does not necessarily mean Perry was mentally ill. Dick and Perry did not have a specific reason to hate the Clutter family, rather they were the ones that were at the reach of these men's fury as their resentment rose.
After the murders, the community was very untrustworthy with each other and everyone had to look behind their backs constantly. Since the small community never had a situation like that before, the tension between everyone definitely rose.
Capote's bias although controversial, is understandable. Dewey may have also an understanding of Capote's bias as he "found it possible to look at [Perry] beside him without anger - with, rather a measure of sympathy" (Capote 245-246). It is easy to disregard someone after their crimes, but it seems as if by spending time with the criminals or at least one of them, becoming connected emotionally or sympathetically can have one lenient towards the criminals. I personally cannot have sympathy for Dick or Perry, but I can understand them. It was not right to murder. It was not fair for a family to die due to the men's anger and resentment, but as a human being, I can understand where they come from. It's not wrong to understand a criminal, but only to cooperate with them.
The townspeople of Holcomb were all shocked when they found out about the murder of the Clutter family. The Clutters were a well-known humble family, so when it when the murder case broke out, everyone in Holcomb was surprised. Some of Herb’s close friends mention that the murder just “shut you up. The strangeness of it” (Capote 78). The Clutter family had always welcomed every visitor and the fact that they were brutally murdered is unbelievable for them because they honestly did not deserve it. It was out of the ordinary for someone to come after the Clutter family because they were the idealistic family in Holcomb. The unexpected Clutter murder case causes Alfred Stoecklein, the Clutters neighbor, to move to a house “alongside the highway” (Capote 79). Rereading this part of the book, I know realize that Alfred wants to move closer to a busy area. Because he lived next to the Clutter family, yet did not hear any shoots as they were being murdered, he now wants to move somewhere where he feels safe. When houses are near the highway, more cars tent to pass by, this means that more help is available when danger unexpectedly strikes. It is not only Alfred who feels like he is danger; the whole town of Holcomb feels like they will not be in peace until the murders are captured.
Although there are people like Mrs. Clare, who try to put on a brave façade, everyone is scared. It is mentioned in the book by a proprietor that, “imagination can open any door…and let the terror in” (Capote 88). This quote indicates that no one should feel safe. One can have many locks to feel safe but when a person with an imagination, such as Perry and Dick enter, feeling safe is not an option. People in Holcomb feel this way. In Holcomb, they all know each other but with the murders unknown and not locked up, no one feels safe, even with locks and protection. Many in Holcomb are “distrusting each other” (Capote 88), which in my opinion is reasonable. Again, because they do not know who the murder is, the citizens in Holcomb suspects some people within their area. Distrusting each other may cause the unity that they once had to disintegrate.
One person from Holcomb that is greatly affected by the murder is Mrs. Dewey. Her husband, detective Dewey follows and tries to resolve the case. Seeing how the case takes over his life and the struggle he goes through, makes Mrs. Dewey ask if life will ever be “back to normal” (Capote 105). Mrs. Dewey also begins to have constant dreams about The Clutters, specifically Bonnie Clutter. Out of the ordinary events, make Mrs. Dewey wish the murders were caught and the case was closed.
After hearing about the murder of four members of the Clutter family, the people in Holcomb were consumed by an immense amount of trepidation. The townspeople’s petrification is depicted with their actions of buying “locks and bolts” (88) at a rapid speed in order to fortify themselves against any possibility of break in into their abode. Locks and bolts are an acceptable way to prevent buglers, or in this case murderers, from breaking in; however, the townspeople do not believe it is enough to appease their fears and this is evident with the depiction of “windows ablaze…, in brightly lit rooms.” (88) These once comfortable, trustful families “sat the whole night wide awake, watchful, listening” (88). The fact that families are unable to sleep and have to go to the extent of staying up all night with their lights on just waiting and listening for any sort of suspicious noises displays perfectly the terror that the people of Holcomb are dealing with. Some families even fled like Alfred Stoecklein who stated that “Me and the Missis we’ve slept our last night on this place” (79) referring to the fact that these townspeople of Holcomb lost their trust with one another and live isolated in their homes with the fear that they might be targeted next.
The reason why the Clutters had made such an impact on their community is that the Clutter family “represented everything people hereabouts really value and respect” (88). The Clutters were a welcoming family and worked hard for what they obtained without being arrogant. They were a humble family and an ideal family whom the townspeople in Holcomb wanted to be like. Because of this role model family had been murdered, everybody in town felt hopeless and depressed. A schoolteacher even stated that “Feeling wouldn’t run half so high if this happened to anyone except the Clutters” (88) which goes back to the fact that the Clutter family were well respected within the Holcomb community and gives of a sense that they were more dignified than any other family in Holcomb. Because of their death, people began to think that “it’s like being told there is no God. It makes life seem pointless” (88). The townspeople began to have doubt about their dogma of God with the murder of the Clutters because they could not imagine something so terrible to be done to a family who devoted their life to God and worked hard to accomplish everything they had. The Clutter family had a significant impact on the culture and stability in Holcomb, in both life and death.
It is not astonishing to me the way that the townspeople of Holcombe respond to the Clutter murders. I’m sure that it is normal to feel unsafe when a crime that big has occurred in the area you live. Since the murders happened to a family that was considered normal and received no hatred, the townspeople “don’t know what to think” (Capote 70). The Clutter family members have been depicted in a very positive way. The Clutter family doesn’t owe anything to anyone, they are humble people.
The townspeople of Holcombe “sat the whole night wide awake, watchful, listening” (Capote 88). Entire families were restless because they had in mind that since the murders occurred to the Clutter family it could happen to other families as well. These families were now aware of their surroundings since it was someone who is familiar with the town well enough. What happened to the Clutter family “is like being told there is no God” (Capote 88). This simile is made in order to show the shock that the people of Holcombe were in when they learned about the murder. It also emphasizes the amount of “value and respect” (Capote 88) people had for the Clutters.
The Holcombe townspeople “endure[d] the unique experience of distrusting each other” (Capote 88). This community no longer had trust in one another due to the fact that “they believed that the murder was among themselves” (Capote 88). Since in the community everyone knew each other and basically knew everything about each other they knew that the Capote families were an economically stable family which results in others wanting what the Clutter family has.
In reality it is reasonable to be cautious of the surroundings when a murder or theft had occurred in a certain area especially when you have kids in the family. It is justifiable for the Holcombe townspeople to not have trust in the people around them especially since the townspeople aren’t sure who committed the crime.
Perry and dick were mentally ill. Both were ill in their unique twisted way.Perry was not born with the illness but became ill through his tragic traumatic past.His mother “Flo “took to whisky”’ and it had “soured her soul” honed her tongue to the wickedest point”(Capote 131). Having to live with an alcoholic mother can be very traumatizing to say the least. Those types of experiences can trigger various mental illnesses and can lead somebody to become emotionally unstable. After they had murdered the Clutters and had escaped to another state, Perry told Dick “ I think there must be something wrong with us”(Capote 110). I think that at that point murdering a whole family in cold blood hit him and he begins to realize that their calmness with the situation seems to resonate with that of a mentally ill person. Perry acknowledges that “his mother, an alcoholic, had strangled to death on her own vomit”(Capote 110) has become part of what makes him so unstable and makes him come to the realization that he actually not normal at all and that there is something wrong with him indeed. Perry later said that “he dwelt upon a possibility that had for him “tremendous fascination”:suicide”(Capote 202).Dick also was not born with any actual mental illness but had what Perry called “pervertiness”. Actually Dick was normal up to the point where he had his accident. His parents told Agent Harold Nye that Dick “Concussed his head in a car smash up. After that , he wasn't the same boy”(Capote 166). Dick might not be as ill as Perry but at least his parents seem to realize that their boy isn't the same that he was before and that he’s not particularly normal anymore. Later after they, Perry & Dick, settle in a hotel in Miami, Dick sees a twelve year old girl, feels a sexual attraction to her and “He was sorry he felt as he did about her” and it was a “failing of which he was “sincerely ashamed”’(Capote 201).His attraction to pre-pubescent girls indicated his illness. Apart from the fact that he had killed and almost raped Nancy Clutter, he seemed to be preying on innocent young girls. If that is not an indication to a mental illness then nothing is.
In the late 1950's, the state of mental healthcare was not exactly up to par. For this reason, the situation Dick and Perry find themselves in is not surprising. Perry, with his difficult childhood and lack of family, is understandably warped. Dick's struggle with his own carnal instincts also leads him astray from the normal definition of mentally healthy. It is reasonable to assume that they suffer from one mental affliction or the other. Throughout the book, Capote offers descriptions that contribute to possible motivations for the murders they committed. One such description that popped out to me was that of the body art found on the killers. The tattoos on Dick and Perry differ as much as their lives and personalities do. Dick's tattoos were described as mere "markings, self-designed and self-executed" (Capote, 30). The crudeness of his life seems to have transferred into the crudeness of his tattoos. On the other hand Perry's tattoos are "epics of the art contrived by... masters" (Capote, 31). Both men's work contain images hinting at their evil nature: a skull, a sinister grinning cat, or looming tombstones. In the end, I perceive their actions to be motivated by their inherent evil. For Dick, his sloppy, crude artwork reflects his less than successful acts of depravity. While at first Dick seems to be the one most likely to kill the first Clutter, he is not. Furthermore, in the modified version of the story, Perry claims that Dick did not murder any of the Clutters. Dick, for the most part, was motivated by his failing sense of morality. For Perry, his "elaborate" tattoos reflect his malevolent potential. Perry, as the prime murderer of the clutters is also motivated by evil though it is a more potent one. This evil comes as a result of their failing mental health. Though not insane, they were afflicted by their inability to cope with their lives.
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