In Cold Blood, Article Critique Example

In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and Its Consequences

First of its kind, this is what the book of Truman Capote was noted for in 1966. Considering the justice and legal systems at the time, only a few writers would actually explore the different elements that make up a particularly controversial case. Most often than not, authors of criminal cases only make a distinct presentation of the details that are usually provided to them by the authorities investigating upon the case. Seldom does it take a writer into getting into the details and plunging into the case basics just so to create a piece that would determine their reputation in the field of writing industry during the said era of conservatism and limited control on how the world intends to discuss and represent the most controversial issues that confront the human society at the time.

Truman Capote, a writer noted for his capacity to bring life to most of his narrative stories, explored the case of the 1959 murders of Herbert Clutter, his wife and his four children in Holcomb, Kansas. The interest of Capote in the said case was rather extensive especially when it comes to investigating matters outside of the case. He wanted to make sure that the all the factors making up the case would be fully determined and defined for the sake of improving public knowledge of the case. What was evidently effective in Capote’s presentation of the case is that he was able to capture the gist of the case that basically made up the overall value of the crime and how it is likely supposed to affect the society that is surrounding the case.

Considered by his critiques as a piece of writing that is half-way fiction and half-way non-fiction, this piece of writing was a well-celebrated one as it does introduce the society into a new concept of realizing facts apart from added information to be able to add color to the narration. Did the author commit a mistake in making sure that the reading piece is a genuine example of its genre? Notably, Capote did not label this work as factual or investigative in nature. He did label the writing as fiction. However, because of the details he shared in relation to the crime, it has been categorized to be a non-fiction type of writing. This is what Capote intends to mandate, especially when it comes to showing his readers the most important elements that make his writing rather different and unique compared to other forms of writing.

What made his writing so exceptional? Besides the obvious [which is connected to its being new in terms of developmental writing during the 1960s], Capote invested time and effort to complete this particular work. He and his partner Harper Lee intended to seek information that is more than what the authorities would give them with regards the crime-investigations that they themselves have completed. Capote wanted something more to share to his readers and he did not stop until he did get what he wanted. Spending his time, effort and funds to make sure he gets into the middle of the story of what makes up one of the most controversial events in the country’s history, Capote did not think twice when it came to considering the option of travelling to get to what the society living around the area where the massacre happened has turned out to be after the incident.

To note, the two authors, Capote and Lee, spend their time interviewing people who walked by the crime-scene, supposed witnesses to the case and other individuals who did have close connection to both the victims and the alleged suspects in the being of Richard Hickock and Perry Smith. It could be understood that these two suspects were among those who were concentrated upon by the authors. Giving the narration a complete vision of the case, both authors intended to make a definite intermediation on how human value and human characteristic do provide a better vision of what the whole case intends to tackle.

Capote, wanting to make a good impression to his readers, spent at least six years in completing the book detailing the case of the massacre of the Clutter family. The length of time spent in writing and coming up with good and effective narration for the target readers provided Capote the right drive he needed in order to make sure that the details of his written works would not interfere with the truth that leads to public knowledge of what the Clutter Massacre case was really about.

Providing a social lens of the matter is what makes the story more vindictive especially in the course of developing an option of mandated social growth, especially related to the ways by which humans seek to understand what these massacre cases are about. One aspect of social growth that is considered important by Capote in his writing is the interconnection of human elements that are present in a particular community. Notably, Capote wanted to give his readers an understanding of the case based on what the people think of the matter, what the surrounding community aims to impose on the situation and how it is likely supposed to make an impact on how the people view crimes such as that of the Clutter’s.

What was evidently obvious in his narration is how he intended to add in a sense of control on how the people in the community defined the way they felt with regards the occurrence of the crime and how their perception on security changed over time because of the emergence of the said case. Practically, people have become more aware of their surroundings, as if close to the determination of what social paranoia is about, Capote tried to draw a vivid picture into the minds of his readers especially in relation to the aspect of manipulating the different issues related to the case accordingly. What makes the case a big issue? This is where Capote used his creativity especially in presenting the facts that could easily relate to the depth of the narrative he wants to share to his audience.

To note, it was this particular crime-related account that first introduced the possible utilization of the different aspects of psychology in deciphering the most intuitive forms of determining particular elements that make up a crime, a case to take notice of. The society, during Capote’s time was not as open as today, especially when it comes to discussing elements leading to the controversies that are present in the society. Back in those days, controversial cases such as that of the Clutter-massacre was only heard of through news reports. Capote obviously wanted to do more than just give a full report of the situation; he wanted to analyze the social impact of such an event, especially in consideration with the differential value of what is considered as social response to social events.

Several cultural principles were used by Capote to show extensive social response on how the event has shaped the society. Practically, it could be understood that Capote’s attention to details has led him into pointing out the human elements that make the case more than just a controversial twist of fate, but an eye-opener that does create a practically mandated course of belief that manifests a sense of urgency and awareness that members of the society should be alarmed about.

Overall, the writing of Truman could be considered effective in presenting facts and drawing the perfect picture of analytical crime-investigation, especially considering the human factors that are related to the case being developed in the writing and how all these elements become highly connected to what is assumed as modern crime-reporting. Opening the doors of analytical observation for the public to embrace was a definite course of insistent value that makes Capote’s write-up more affective and reflective of the truth, a value of writing that only a few authors were able to explore during his time.