Mrs. Robinson

AP English 3

31, July, 2007

Who really deserves the death penalty? Dick or Perry? If the death penalty only had 

room for one of the killers, Dick in my opinion would be the one who would recieve it;

Although Perry did indeed kill the 4 Clutters, Dick was the mastermind behind it  and

Perry just couldn’t say no.  Perry came from a a very disfunctional family. Growing up

Perry was never taught right from wrong, as we all learn during our childhood. Perry just

simply did whatever he pleased. Perrys parents had split up while he was just a 

young boy. After moving in with his alcoholic mother, he was sent to live in an 

orphange for a few years. While residing there he was beaten and made fun of daily

for his bed wetting problem.  After his two other siblings commited suicide, Perry only

had one other sibling who refused to interact with him. After all this had occured Perry

had a lot of anger and personal conflicts that he was dealing with. On the other hand Dick

grew up completly opposite. Dick had grown up in an excellent household but often

stuggled to make ends meet. 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) He was a strong athlete and very

smart, but had no money for college. Dick ahd gotten married at a ver young age. After

his first wife left, Dick got into more money trouble. That is when he decided to steal from

the Clutters only because he had grown to dislike and loathe people with money;

However, Dick did not kill the  Clutter family simply because he did not want to hurt his

mother or his family. He just wanted to have a happy life afterwards. In my opinion I

feel that they both deserve the death penalty.  Before I finished reading In Cold Blood I

had a set opinion, that Dick should be the one dead and Perry should just simply go to jail

for life. Either way you look at it they both die.  But, after reading In Cold Blood I now

have a greater understanding of who was truly the killer and who just did it for financial

issues.  Dick did it for money issues and Perry did it out of spite and in cold blood. Ironic? 

Mrs. Robinson

AP Language Comp.

26, July, 2007

Capote’s Montage

  Capote’s use of montage ( switching back and fourth in the

begining between Holocombs everyday life to Dick and Perrys

drive into the small, little quaint town) very effective. It gives

a sense of drama as you read about the last days Mr. Clutters

family were seen alive, then abruptly switching to the final

days of Dick and Perrys trip into Holcomb. The switching of the

scenes is very dramatic and kept me reading. I enjoyed reading

 Mr. Clutters familys section talking about the events that took

place before the murders; however I especially enjoyed reading

Dick and Perrys section. In my opinion that was the more

interesting part of the montage. Then in the third section when

they were figuring out things that had been missing, like the

 answers to why, and how, they switched to Dick and Perrys part

and the hunt began. Capote choose a great style to write In Cold

Blood in. His use of montage and the switching between storys

keept me reading. Each section had different clues which

transitioned to the next part or section. The writting style

 Capote was going for, to me really added to the dramatic

effect and left me wanting more. After reading the different

sections I couldn’t wait to read the following section to

find out what the other characters were doing during that

period.

Hannah Carr

In Cold Blood

Ap Language

14 July 2007

                                 Holocombs Setting

         Holocomb is described like any other town would be. It appears to be very

ordinary when Capote describes  the “…high wheat plains…blue skies and

desert-clear air…the land is flat.”(pg3)  Holocomb is a simple town in a very

ordinary setting. Capote describes the setting in one word “Dry”.  Holocomb and

Carteret have some similarties  but they are also very different; however Holocomb

in comparison to Carteret County is a vast difference. Carteret County has many

hills, not many wheat plains, and does not have  desert-clear air. Carteret County does

have clear blue skies, for the most part and the views in Carteret  County are not of

many horses, cattle, or white cluster grain elevators(pg.3).  Capote spends the

first few pages describing the setting. In my opinion I feel that Capote described the

setting in such length to give the reader a better image of where the future desturbing,

gruesome murders were going to take place. The setting description in such detail helps

the reader get an idea of the surroundings where the victims lived and worked.