Courtney Coyle
Mrs. Robinson
AP English 3
7/24/07
The more I read, In Cold Blood, the more Dick and Perry became people I began to understand and empathize. Throughout the book, Capote frequently uses unique ways of giving us insight into their past and present lives. Getting to know the main characters so well allows us to see them as normal people, and not just as the awful murders they are. As we learned about the boys childhood, I found myself sympathizing with Perry.
Perry grew up in a disfunctional household, with parents who split up when he was a young boy. Then he had to move in with his alcoholic mother who never paid any attention to him. He was sent to live in an orphange for a few years where he was beaten and made fun of because of his bed wetting problems. When he moved in with his father things got better, but it was not the ideal condtions in which a young boy should be living. Smith never really had anyone he could honestly trust and go to, he was all alone.
On the other hand, Dick lived with a good family. They were not wealthy but they worked hard for the money they did earn, and they lived happily. Dick was “an outstanding athlete- always on the first team at school. Basketball! Baseball! Football! Dick was always the star player. A pretty good student, too, with A marks in several subjects…”(166). I think the reason I sympthesize with Perry is because he had to do everything himself with no support or guidance in the right direction, and he never really had much going for him. Dick, on the other hand, chose to go down this path even though he had a wonderful oppurtunity to live a good life, he chose to do evil. In the end, I blamed Dick more for the murders than Perry, even though Perry was the actual killer of the four Clutters. I feel as though Perry felt he was no other choice, like he had no life to loose because he had a terrible life anyways. Although it by no means gives justice to this vicious act, it allows the reader to understand how this murder could occur.
I very much agree with what Courtney has written. I also understand and empathize with Perry. I feel as if Perry was also one of the victims; although he did indeed kill the 4 Clutters, he was still a victim to Dick and Dicks plan. In my opinion after reading the book Dick was the mastermind and Perry was just the tag along murder. Courtney also has a great point when she states ” Although it by no means gives justice to this vicious act,…” It was a great ending statement to her article. Alright, well im finished. Great article Courtney!
Comment by Hannah — July 27, 2007 @ 2:33 am
Bingo! I really feel you hit it right on target. Although both men are just as much at blame for the murders, their histories do a lot of explaining. Perry went through all of the hardships and it wasn’t even his idea to take the lives of the Clutter family. How does that work? Unless Dick was rebelling against his life of perfection, no internal hurt causes him to be such a murderer. But you’re right, I’m not trying to give justice to the act that Perry committed. It just makes you think. Nice job!
Comment by cconti — July 28, 2007 @ 6:48 pm
I too found myself sympathizing with Perry more than Dick. It was more understandable that Perry’s life went down the road that it did. The troubles and hardships of his childhood set him up for the mistakes that he made. Although Dick’s life was full of success and people that supported his decisions. I did not have sympathy for Dick because I felt that if it had not been for his plan of going to the Clutter’s then Perry would have never been in that situation and would have probably never killed anybody. I found myself blaming Dick for the decisions that Perry made.
Comment by caitlinemayo — July 31, 2007 @ 11:47 pm