Monday, November 26, 2007

BLOG #1

Discuss the importance of setting (focus on Holcomb, Kansas).

In Cold Blood starts with details about the Clutter family's last day alive. Did any of the details particularly stick out to you? Did Capote make you feel attached to the family by sharing these details?

What questions do you have about the novel so far?

61 Comments:

At December 13, 2007 at 10:27 AM , Blogger Gilsonator said...

I hope that everyone is writing insightful messages.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:27 AM , Blogger Dump said...

The setting is very important i think because we view Holcomb as kind of an innocent, quiet little place where nothing really happens. so the fact that there is a mass murder if four completely loveable people, makes the story more interesting. The detail that stuck out the most in my mind was when Nancy smelt smoke in her father's office. This seemed odd to me because I picture Mr. Clutter not smoking. I felt a little attached to the family. I don,t really have any questions, I am just very curious as to the motive of the murders.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:30 AM , Blogger Gilsonator said...

Class, make sure to watch punctuation and grammar.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:30 AM , Blogger charlie said...

The fact that the girls were in a praying position and in pj, and the men were just shot shows that they cared about the girls more than the men.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:36 AM , Blogger {{Vanilla*Face}} said...

I think that the setting is important because you wouldn’t expect a murder like that to happen in a small town where nothing ever happens. There isnt any detail that really sticks out in my mind. I don’t think I was really attached to the family, but I did think they were very nice people. A family that is loved in a community getting murdered is sad no matter what. I wasn’t attached but I felt bad for them and the others in Holcomb.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:37 AM , Blogger kellster said...

Holcomb Kansas is important to the story because the state of Kansas more or less the town of Holcomb is very lonely. Lonely because it’s very low populated, and it’s like in the middle of nowhere. However, the town is close with one another because it’s so little.
Truman Capote does not do a good job writing to me. I think the book is too descriptive and too wordy. I fell that I do not relate to the book at all. I read it just to get through it. It's like he says (example), “the light bluish, pin striped pants, with stripes the seemed darker black than normal..." I feel the whole book is way too descriptive and he could just say “light blue pinstriped pants" if you can understand what I mean. I do not get into descriptive books at all, so I am not getting into this book very well at all. However, when the murders were being described I read that part very carefully. That's a part where capote used his descriptive writing very well. As for me having questions for you ...i really don't because i really do not even get into the book...at all.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:37 AM , Blogger Dustin Courchaine said...

I think that Holcomb is an unexpected place to have a bloody murder of four people. Holcomb is a quiet little town in a state not known for large quantities of crime. This turn of events makes this story very interesting to me. I think that the detail that stuck out the most was the one "dump" mentioned. I thought it was quite odd that it smelt like smoke because Herb didn't smoke or drink or anything like that. After reading about the family and getting in to more details about them the more i got attached and wished they didn't get murdered. I'm definatly excited to see how the story turns out for the rest of the family and the murderers! :P

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:38 AM , Blogger -*Pumpkin*Pie*- said...

I think that the setting is important in this book because Holcomb, Kansas is kind of out in the middle of nowhere and most people probably wouldn’t think that something like this would happen. Especially if the family is so innocent and seems to be loved by the whole town, especially Nancy. A detail that stands out to me particularly was when Nancy smelt smoke on his dads jacket, it just seemed odd to me because he wasn’t a smoker and a lot of people that smoke usually smoke because of stress and other reasons. I didn’t really catch on to it then but now that I look at it and have read farther maybe Mr. Clutter isn’t as perfect and everyone thought he was. It was also kind of weird that Mr. Clutter took out all the money 12 hours before they were killed. It makes me wonder if he maybe did know that it was going to happen or maybe he even had some part in the killing. But then again the fact that it looked like it was a struggle the way he was killed seemed as though he was really fighting for his life. I have a few questions in the novel, I was wondering if Dick and Perry new the Clutter family and what connection they have with each other, or if it was just a random killing.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:38 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Holcomb, Kansas is a small town and it is very interesting that it is the site of the murder of a family of four. Capote told us the details of the family so that we are more interested in finding out what happens to them. I thought that it was interesting that when Bobby left he felt like someone was there hiding. I don't have any questions about the novel as of right now, but I am interested to see what will happen.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:38 AM , Blogger Oh*so*random!* said...

Blog 1
I have found In Cold Blood to be a fascinating novel so far! The setting is easily related to, especially for readers from a small town, and that makes it all the more interesting. The small-town setting is stereotyped as a setting of innocence, where nothing bad can happen, and when it does, the resulting surprise shakes the citizens like an earthquake.
I love how Capote introduces us to the Clutter family, giving details of each member. These details are important, I believe, because it helps to make the reader feel for the murdered, as well as the other characters in the book. Something else I found interesting, is how Capote chose to put in little details of how the family was not as perfect and 'cookie-cutter' as everyone thought--one example of this is the bit about Bonnie Clutter, who occasionally spends time in Wichita for her mental health. Another thing that I thought stuck out was the bit about how Nancy disapproved of her brother smoking, but she herself smoked every once in a while. I love how these litte tidbits add to the mystery of the Clutters' deaths, and makes the reader search for clues.
Yet another thing I am thoroughly enjoying in this book is the details of the murderers' lives. It sounds kind of sick, but I find it really interesting to understand how the criminal's mind works, and the novel is expertly written; it is not biased, nor is it prejudiced, and allows the reader to form their own opinions.
Further, I absolutely love how Capote lures the reader into a false sense of security-as Nancy Clutter's day is described, you almost forget that she is brutally murdered--that is, until, he writes, "It was the dress in which she was to be buried."(56) These crashes to reality help to reinforce the fact that the novel is nonfiction, and while they are sudden, I love how Capote chose to remind us as readers.
A question I have so far (one that every reader will have) is why were the Clutters murdered? I have looked through the book up to page 108, (I haven't really had time to read farther yet, sorry!) and I can't seem to find a real reason yet, except for that little bit about Perry, who is said to have a flaw- Willie Jay wrote about it: "...this unreasonable anger at the sight of others who are happy or content, this growing contempt for people and the desire to hurt them(?)"(43) However, on a less obvious note, I am also wondering if we as readers will be privy to court notes of the crime-the notes that people took at the scene. I think that maybe a picture (even if it is graphic) would add to the emotional state of the book. A picture, however, is not really necessary; Capote does a very good job describing everything-almost as if he were there.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:39 AM , Blogger guess who said...

The fact that the girls were in a praying position and in pj, and the men were just shot shows that they cared about the girls more than the men.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:40 AM , Blogger UnKnOwN_GuRl said...

The setting of Holcomb, Kansas is important to the story because Holcomb is a quiet town so it takes very little to realize that something is wrong. When none of the Clutters go to answer that door Nancy E. Knows that something is wrong but feels it would be inappropriate to barg into the house unannounced.
I think that Capote is doing a good job at drawing me in. he makes it very interesting by switching back and forth between the family and the two killers.
i just want to know why the killers took more care of the women then the men.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:42 AM , Blogger rangerman said...

Blog #1

The setting is important because it is in the middle of nowhere and a small town. It makes it seem scary cause no is really around.

The details that stuck out to me are that he is rich. Capote didn’t really make me feel attached to the characters.
I have no questions

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:47 AM , Blogger pheasant said...

Blog 1

The importance of the setting to the book is very important because it helps explains the people and the fact that a non-fiction book it has to be the place it actually happen. It also sets up the scene of describing the people because it happens in the Midwest the characters are the typically Midwesterners.
The detail that sticks out at me is that Herb Clutter owned over 3500 acres, because it is hard enough to run that many acres today with all equipment around. Another detail was Herb Clutter was a rich farmer, because farmers are not typically associated with being rich in that day and age.
No I didn’t feel attached to the family because really I don’t feel that I got connected to the family.
No questions yet.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:48 AM , Blogger Gilsonator said...

Why is there so much discussion regarding the smoke on Mr. Clutter's jacket? I find it interesting and a vivid detail. I want to know what everyone thinks the significance of this detail is? Excellent job ob*so*random! on writing a very detailed blog. Star blogger :)

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:49 AM , Blogger flaumignuttehummer said...

The importance of the settings is that Kansas is more country than rural so there weren't exactly a lot of people around to witness the murder or notice that they were missing until the it was too late. None of the details really stuck out to me at all. I guess I start to feel bad for the family because I seem like I actually know them now. I like this book so far but I can't handle having that many pages for each assignment. I don't have any questions at this time

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:49 AM , Blogger Shayne Winkel said...

The town of Holcomb is such a small town that it is very easy to tell when something wrong is happening. When the Clutters don't go answer the door Nancy Knows that something is wrong, but doesn't think that it is right to barge into the house.
I think that Capote is doing a fantastic job of drawing me into the novel. He makes it very interesting by switching back and forth between the family and the two killers.
none yet

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:50 AM , Blogger Cleptomaniac said...

The setting of Holcomb, Kansas is pretty much in the middle of nowhere witch to me says that it means no trouble. Their last day almost seemed perfect well at least Mr. Clutter when he woke up, grabbed and apple and just went for a walk it didn't seem anything would bad could happen. Capote didn't make me feel attached to the family because it was too much detail. The questions I have are the hunters he ran into on his land, were they the killers?

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:50 AM , Blogger Stellar Suspension said...

The setting of Holcomb, Kansas is very important to the story. Holcomb is a very small town where everyone knows each other. This fact is important to the story because it makes it much harder to understand who would be willing to murder the whole Clutter family. The whole town knew the Clutter family as very nice people. Holcomb is also a small town where nothing out of the ordinary happens. A murder this extreme took the whole town for surprise because nothing like this ever happens in small town like Holcomb.
Capote explained a number of facts about the Clutter family the day before they died. The fact that I found the most interesting was the fact that this was the day that Herb Clutter took out a life insurance policy the day before the murder. Knowing this detail makes me analyze the intentions of the murderers. Did they know about the policy? Did they think they could somehow get the money from the policy if Mr. Clutter was out of the picture? I also found it rather interesting that Bobby said that he had a sense that he was being watched, like someone was hiding. It makes me wonder if the murderers were actually there, or if Bobby just thinks that because of what happened after he left.
I don’t feel a big connection with the Clutter family through Capote’s writing. I would have felt more connected to the family members if Capote explained their lives more in depth other than the day before the murder took place. I feel like I don’t really know the Clutter family very well, but I obviously feel sincerity toward the horrible event they endured when they were murdered.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:50 AM , Blogger kellster said...

"oh'so'random" very nice...i like what you wrote...

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:52 AM , Blogger Dump said...

Well........let's see here. I think the smoke on Mr. Clutter's jacket is a very important detail. What I think about it is that maybee Mr. Clutter was very nervous about something, so nervous that it drove him to catch a smoke.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:52 AM , Blogger MoreMan said...

The clutters a perfect stereotype of a catholic family. With the stubborn, honest, and hard working father. The frail but loving mother. The daughters are perfectly angelic, in looks and temperament. All the boys are burly and good looking. Even the rebellious youngest son is a commonly used stereotype.
Intact, the Clutter family was so stereotypical that there was no depth of character and I found it impossible to get behind any one of them.
I thought it was interesting that more details were given about Herb Clutter’s day, than any of the other member’s of his family. He seams to be the clutter that capote focused most on. I also thought that it was interesting that he had his throat slit in addition to being shot. Perhaps he had something the killers were targeting him specifically.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:53 AM , Blogger Whatdoyoumeanbythat? said...

The setting of In Cold Blood is very desolate and in the middle of no where. It’s a perfect example of a small town with a big story. The city does not have many people and everyone knows everyone. Getting away with something like murder in that small of a town is very hard.

Capote is very detailed and likes to explain every thing. He talked a lot about the family and each person that lives in the Clutter home. What stuck out to me was all the information about the family.

Capote’s explanation of the family and how he described the family almost made it to where you could not care or and feelings for the Clutters. That’s what makes it such a good reader, even though he describes everything in such detail.

A question that I have is, do Dick and Perry have personal relations with the Clutter family?

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:53 AM , Blogger UnKnOwN_GuRl said...

the smoke on Herb's jacket is very important because Herb was not a smoker and neither of the kids would be supid enough to wear his jacket and go sneak a puff outside. so the smoke is representing that something is already going wrong but no one really knows what it is.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:53 AM , Blogger -*Pumpkin*Pie*- said...

I agree with what "rushoffools" said about Bobby being watched, it was kinda wierd that he said that the night of the killing...wierd

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:54 AM , Blogger Oh*so*random!* said...

Just a comment...
I'm glad that I wasn't the only person to notice the smoke thing- because it'll probably end up being an important detail later in the book. Corky, I totally agree with you on Capote drawing the reader in, and it's not just the story; it's how he writes.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:55 AM , Blogger ohyeah said...

I think the setting in the story is very important because before the murders, I doubt that Truman Capote even knew that Holcomb existed. Small towns rarely appear in the National news, and especially not for murder. I think in a way Holcomb symbolizes a blissful, innocent place free from crime. After the murders, I think that the town’s eyes opened up and everyone started to realize that crime can occur anywhere; no matter if it’s a small town or large city.
In the first chapter, The Last to See Them Alive, Capote listed many details of the seemingly normal last day of the Clutters’ lives’. One detail that I thought was interesting was how on his last day, Mr. Clutter took out a life insurance policy which would leave his family very wealthy if he died.
Other details that stuck out were how Nancy and her mother were found tied up, both in different positions, in their beds. Also, I found it weird how Herb and Kenyon were both discovered downstairs, and Herb’s throat was cut. This makes me think that Perry and Dick both killed the family, not just one of them.
With all the details that Capote leaves, it’s hard not to become attached to the Clutter family. He describes Herb as a hard-working, devoted husband and father, Bonnie as a depressed but hopeful mother, Nancy as a beautiful go-to girl and the town sweet-heart, and Kenyon as a quiet, laid back teenager. The Clutter family sounds like the All-American family.
One question that I have- Weren’t Dick and Perry were going to the Clutter’s house and pretend that they were lost hunters?

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:55 AM , Blogger MoreMan said...

I thaught the setting of Holcomb was important because, everyone in the town personly knew the the clutters. This made their murder of personal intrest to them

 
At December 13, 2007 at 10:55 AM , Blogger MoreMan said...

I thaught the setting of Holcomb was important because, everyone in the town personly knew the the clutters. This made their murder of personal intrest to them

 
At December 13, 2007 at 12:44 PM , Blogger sublimedream1989 said...

I think that most of the information Capote gave us about the family made them seem fake. I think that if he would have told us the bad along with the good, it would make it easier to empathize with them. A lot of the details were facts, so you couldn’t really shift them to make them seem a certain way of it would have been bias. Overall I think it makes the Clutters look like a “normal” American family. I think that he did this to avoid more controversy. Certain things make you feel attached to the family because they are described in the way they are.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 12:50 PM , Blogger southtown09 said...

The setting is important because Holcomb is a small town. Since it is a small town many people think that such heinous crimes wouldn't take place, but when the do many people get all nervous and don't know what to think about it.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 12:50 PM , Blogger HP said...

I think that the setting in Holcomb, Kansas was a very important because, I think that when something big happens in a little city, it makes that city stand out in either a bad or good way. They portrayed the city of Holcomb as a tiny little city that had a good reputation and was nice to every person and entered and left the city. They also made the city seem quiet and that it was all about people helping out and being very religious. When I think of Holcomb I think of a quiet little city with no interruptions.

Capote was very detailed when he talked about the Clutter family dying. It did make me feel connected to the family as if I had been at the scene of the crime and witnessed this terrible incident. There are many things that stuck to me such as Mrs. Clutter still wearing her rings when she was murdered. When I read this I believed that the murder was not to rob the Clutter’s house because otherwise they would’ve taken the rings off her fingers. Also I remember Nancy tied up from the wrists down to her feet. I couldn’t believe that someone would actually tie up an innocent girl for no reason and shoot her. When I read about Mr. Clutter and Kenyon dying I was amazed that the murderers that they made them feel comfortable as they were dying like Mr. Clutter lying on a mattress next to the heater. The thing that amazed me the most about the details about the killings was that they were all shoot in the face.

As I was reading this I couldn’t help but think what Capote was thinking as he was writing this. To me I felt that as if couldn’t stand the murder himself that he was so attached to the family or the case itself that he couldn’t leave it alone.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 12:50 PM , Blogger Cheese said...

I think that the setting plays a great deal in the book. Holcomb, Kansas was a small, quiet town that no excitement ever really happened in. It was also filled with caring people that all were very friendly and neighbor like to each other.
Some of the details of their last day did stick out to me. One of the details was how Mr. Clutter signed a life insurance policy for $40,000, which would turn into $80,000 if anything were to happen to him. I also thought that the saying Mrs. Clutter read in the bible was ironic. Capote sort of made me feel attached because you got to learn details about the family and learn about what they did in their lives. I have a couple questions about the novel so far. One is what was the significance about the smoke on Mr. Clutter’s coat. Does it play a role in the killing or was it just some another small detail to throw the reader off? Another question I have is why didn’t the neighbor go and see if everything was ok at the Clutter home when he saw their dog run by looking scared. And many people in the town knew that the Clutter dog was gun-shy.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 12:52 PM , Blogger Peter_Thome_II said...

I think the setting of the story in holcomb is perfect. A small town in the middle of no where with a very small population where very few people are around to witness a murder. Capote made the Clutter family seem as one that everyone in town knew and that everyone liked there were no details that really stuck out at all. ALthough the love that the town gives to the Clutter family seems as it was a big loss to the community of holcomb. It made me feel bad for the town and community but not personally made me feel bad.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 12:54 PM , Blogger HP said...

I agree with Corky. If Capote didn't want us to know about something that was going to go wrong he wouldn't have stressed so much about Herb not being into alcohol and smoking and then have his jacket smell of smoke

 
At December 13, 2007 at 12:54 PM , Blogger RaiderHader said...

I think that Holcomb is a very interesting setting for the book. It is so interesting to me especially because I can easily relate to the country atmosphere and I know how the Clutter family is. In a little town like Holcomb, everyone knows everyone and it is crazy to think that something like this could happen. It makes me think that something like this could actually happen to all of us and it really makes you get into the book. Alot of the details in the book were incredible but to be honest none of them really stuck out to me. Capote definitely made me feel attached to the characters because it was so easy for me to relate real people to the characters in the book. So far the novel is pretty straight forward and I have no problems with what is going on.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 12:56 PM , Blogger Cheese said...

Hp....
I agree with you about the robbing. If the killers really wanted to rob the Clutters they would most likely have taken the rings off of Mrs. Clutter's fingers. And i also agree with you about the weird ways they killed the family such as tying them up the way they did, and having Mrs. Clutter in the praying position.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 12:57 PM , Blogger AirGoodman said...

I think Holcomb, Kansas isn't as important as the family is. I think the Clutter family (mainly Nancy and Herb) are what really makes you want to keep reading and to find out more about these murders. Holcomb, Kansas is a good sympathetic town for this story, but not as big as the way Capote portrays the family. The way that it seemed that the family didn't struggle as much as you'd think really stuck out at me. There was only two killers with one gun against four people who all knew they were going to die. There's no way there shouldn't of been more of a struggle. I think Herb somewhat knew this was coming (he took out life insurance and started smoking for example). I also do not think this was any type of robbery becuase there was nothing of importance taken (as far as we know). Nancy's purse and Herb's wallet was out but Perry and Dick couldn't of expected to leave with much. They some how knew the Clutters and therefore knew that that Herb didn't carry money. I would like to know how Dick and Perry knew the Clutters though.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 12:58 PM , Blogger DONTSHHH said...

The setting makes the book more intersting because it is in a little town. If it would have been in the big city I dont think people would have made it such of a big deal because it happens more often in the bigger city. Really I thought it was a boring life because it was such a long time ago and I cant relate to the things they did for fun. Kenyons coyote racing was the only thing that was interesting about their lives. One thing that I am clueless about is that he took out life insurance just before he was killed.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 12:58 PM , Blogger CheezeIts said...

I think that the setting of this story is very important to the mood of the novel and how we feel about the characters. Holcomb is a great town for setting the story because it is such a small town. Everyone has the stereotype of small towns as perfect, where everyone knows the whole town, they all get along, and nothing bad can ever happen. That is what makes this murder more shocking. You completely feel for the family now because how they all are such prominent members of the community, just trying to make society better. They would do anything for everyone and you wonder why someone would want to kill them.

One detail that really stuck out to me was Perry's relationship to Willie-Jay. Perry keeps on talking on and on about how he wants this friendship with Willie-Jay to last and that he wanted to live with him when he got out of prison. He also said that if he would have met up with Willie, he would not have gone on this expedition with Dick. This shocks me that a person who beat up a "colored" man with a bike chain would want to be with a gospel related man who was only in jail for petty theft. I want to learn more about this relationship as the novel goes on.

So far in this novel, I don't have many questions. Something I would like to know is why the house smelled of smoke and why that is significant to the story.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 12:59 PM , Blogger Optimus Prime said...

The setting is important that it is in a small town where everyone knows everyone else. This is weird because no matter who is the killer it is going to be someone you know personally and probably wouldn't think that they would commit murder.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 1:01 PM , Blogger Crazy Cab Driver said...

The setting was a huge part. The fact that he went into detail about how the town was set up and how everyone there knew everyone was important. It made the event seem more shocking. I think it’s really cool how Capote started it off with a description of the family’s final day. This gave us a little background about the family and so it kind of gave us a sense of actually knowing the family. I wouldn’t say it makes you feel attached to them though. I don’t really have any questions about the book; it’s pretty straight forward so far.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 1:04 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

The setting, I feel, is a very key factor. Yes, the details seem tedious and irrelevant, but there is a purpose behind what the author is describing.
I feel the author wants you to feel bored with the visual appearance of the town. I feel that by doing this, he is setting the reader up for the suspense and shock of the murders. After all, in a boring town such as Holcomb, Kansas, who would expect something like these murders to happen. The setting of the town is somewhat barren, or empty. The people in this town are very social and family oriented, making them a close-knit society. Overall, I feel that these are some contributing factors of the setting's importance.
The details that stuck out most in my mind was the hunters that came passing through the
Holcomb property. It was said that they were using birdshot while hunting. Birdshot is used in shotgun shells. Dick and Perry had a shotgun sitting in the backseat of their car. Also, when describing the hunting scene, it was stated that the Clutter family dog was gun shy. My oppinion, this would be a good thing for the killers to know. After all, they wanted the least amount of noise on their arrival.
I really don't have any questions about the novel.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 1:05 PM , Blogger KML said...

The setting is important because Holcomb is a quiet place and nothing over-exciting usually happens there. That’s part of the reason that the whole story is so interesting. One of the details that I thought was interesting was that the murderers took so much time with things. For example, tying the ropes so intricately. Obviously I felt bad that the whole family died, but I did not feel that attached to them.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 1:06 PM , Blogger Polka Dots said...

I think that the setting being in Holcomb, Kansas is important because it seems like just a little quiet town. It seems like nothing happens there and then there has to be something that shakes up the town. It is in the middle of nowhere and it is lonely. Nothing significant has really happened there before and this is something that gives some excitment to the town. The small town is seen as innocent and "goody goody" and then usually something happens that shakes things up.
Some things thatI really liked were how Capote went very in depth to each persons personality. Like everything that they liked and a deep insight into their lives. Though I think that it got annoying how we had to know "EVERYTHING", I think that it also helped me understand how these people really were. I think that it was also interesting how Capote explained the murders so intricately. It made me understand how much these people must have suffered and went through. I can't understand why Perry and Dick would want to murder these people. I don't understand what the Clutter's ever did. They seemed like the ideal family in my eyes. Though they did have their flaw, it was said that they weren't as perfect as everyone thought them up to be. I think that they certainly put on a good act in public and made others think a 'false image' for them in a way. I think that the murder will eventually really bring the town together because nothing really happened there ever. I think that a random piece of information that I found really interesting was how Nancy disapproved of Kenyon's smoking. It showed that she was a hypocrite because she did it occasionally herself.
The only thing that I really ponder was why the Clutter's were murdered. From what I have read, there is no indication whatsoever of any motive. All it said was that Perry had anger problems which was his flaw. Willie Jay said..."this unreasonable anger at the sight of others who are ahppy or content, this growing contempt for people and the desire to hurt them." (page 43) I love how Capote writes everything so indepth, almost as if he was there. It is kind of creepy yet cool because it shows his honest dedication to the writing of this book.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 1:07 PM , Blogger [*daisy~girl*] said...

I think the setting is every important because everyone thought that the small town of Holcomb was really innocent until the murders of the Clutter's. Everyone in Holcomb thought they were safe to be in their own homes, but alot of people are not able to sleep after what had happened. They couldn't believe that something like this could happen. I thought that the details of how the bodies were was very important cause the positions they were in seemed like they were every comfortable. So to me it seems that the killers knew and liked the them. I think that the people wanted to kill the Clutter's for their money and life insurance.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 1:07 PM , Blogger CheezeIts said...

Courchaine

I disagree with how you say that no details stuck out to you. The insurance policy was coincidental, but it should make you wonder if there was more to the story. Also the fact that there was only 2 killers and four people who died should not really make any sense. They were all found in different rooms and shot gun blasts are not very quite. So someone should have been alerted to get out of the house.

These should have made some impact on how you read the story!

 
At December 13, 2007 at 1:07 PM , Blogger Lin said...

I think that the setting is important, because it is a small town where everyone knows eachother. This gives the town a sence of innocence and perfection, and you would never think that anyone would commit such a horrible crime. It's almost sureal. Yet when the Clutter family is murdered, the town nolonger seems to be that innocent,and it is almost like the town is no longer perfect. the biggest thing that stuck out to me was the fact that Herb took out a life insurance policy the day before he died. I do feel a bit attached to the characters, one in particular and that is Nancy. She seems to be the sweet talented girl from a small town. Who has everything going for her. She is the best pie maker in the town and is always willing to help, it's almost as if she doesn't know how to say no when people ask for help. I feel bad for Bonnie, because she is looked down upon by some of the members of the community for her mental illness. I have two questions and they would be, why did Herb take out that life insurance policy? Also why was the Clutter family killed?

 
At December 13, 2007 at 1:07 PM , Blogger Staring at you said...

The setting in the book is very important because I think Truman wants us to see that we have things in common with the Clutter family. He also sets up the book to make us feel at home like our little community where nothing can happen, but in the next moment something terrible could happen. Some details that stuck out at me were how perfect Nancy was and how helpful she was in the community and that someone would want to kill her. The other thing that stuck out was that Mr. Clutter took out his insurance the day before he died. For the moment I have no questions, but will in the furture.

Thanks for stopping by class.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 1:07 PM , Blogger Dassey said...

The setting of a small town named Holcomb is important because it is a small town and things that happen can get around the town quickly. None of the details stuck out to me and I did not feel attached because there are too many details so it is hard for me to understand it.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 1:09 PM , Blogger gilmore said...

I think Holcomb, Kansas is a very important setting because it is a small and quiet town. People of Holcomb are close to eachother and when something big happens the whole community comes together to mourn the lose. I felt attached to the family because they seemed innocent and didn't deserve to die. It seems as though there were no connections between the killers and the family so far, so I don't understand why they picked the Clutter family. The detail i think about most is that Nancy smelt smoke in the house and Herd doesn't even smoke. I don't really have any questions about the story so far. I just want to learn more details about the killers and why they killed an innocent family.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 1:11 PM , Blogger bulletproof said...

The setting is very important, because everything happens there. None of the details stuck out because Capote used to many i think. No because there are so many different details used.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 1:11 PM , Blogger Omari West said...

Holcomb, Kansas is a town so everyone knows each other. Since it is a small town it is peaceful and people dont think that something bad could happen. The thing that stood out in my mind is that he just made nacy sound so perfect and like she was the one to be. Capote did make me attrached to the family because the charaters arer interesting and he described them very well.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 1:13 PM , Blogger Colby said...

I believe that the setting of Holcomb, Kansas is important because it gives you the impression that it is just a sleepy little town where no serious crimes have ever really been committed. The mass murder that takes place there draws the attention of the entire nation and I believe that this exposure ends up poisoning their community because henceforth, Holcomb will only be remembered as the site of a tragic incident. There were a few details about the Clutter family that aroused my interest while I was reading about their lives. I thought that it was a tremendous coincidence that Mr. Clutter got an improved life insurance policy just the day previous to his murder. It made me wonder whether or not he knew that someone could be coming to kill him or if he at least had reason to suspect that he was in danger. Also, the references in the book to the possibility that he could be smoking behind everyone's back, even though there was reason to believe that his wife condition might soon be alleviated, compounds this reasoning because it gives evidence that something was distressing him greatly. Therefore, my most pressing questions so far would have to be whether or not Mr. Clutter was aware that there would be an attempt on his life and whether or not Perry Smith and Dick Hickock invaded his house with the intent of simply robbing him and eliminating the witnesses or because they wanted to kill Mr. Clutter based on deeper, more personal motivations.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 1:13 PM , Blogger The Real Gilsonator said...

I think the setting in the story is in a small town like Holcomb, Kansas, becasue it makes it easier for the reader to relate to it. The fact that Herb took out his insurance the day before he died stuck out to me because that makes it seem that he knew he was going to die. Capote made me feel somewhat attatched to Nancy because she was "perfect." There was extra sympathy toward Nancy after her death because she was the town girl.

You Stay Classy Class! ;)

 
At December 13, 2007 at 1:13 PM , Blogger Heckler & Coch said...

I think that the setting of the story is very important. It really makes the story relate to me even more because the town reminds me of New Holstein. Everyone knows who everyone is, and if something happens to someone, everyone in the town knows about within 24 hours. Also the fact that everyone trusted each other so much before the killings is important. It makes it very difficult to think of who the murderer would be. Also the fact that noone was really an enemy of the Clutters also will make it very difficult to find suspects.
The book started a little slow as far as I was concerned. I didn’t really like the start of it because he talks so much about details. He describes each member of the family so in depth.
I think that one of the most noticeable details from the start of the book is that Mr. Clutter took out his life insurance plan the day before the murder. The fact that Mr. Clutter could have been related to the crime almost, or knew something was going to happen is quite startling. It really just captured my attention, and I really want to know if he knew something bad was coming.
I was really not totally attached to the family. I just didn’t really relate to them I guess. I am very interested in the killers; because I know the Clutter family is going to die I just don’t have the same interest.
I really don’t have too many questions so far, the main thing that I really want to know is whether or not Mr. Clutter knew something bad was going to happen to his family. I really am interested in finding out how the killers were able to tie up all the members of the family without them fighting. I also really want to know is how the killers had previously known the Clutters, because they had to have known them some time. The killers were so smart about how they did the crime that they must have really thought it out, and known how everyone in the family would act. The fact that the killers knew the shots wouldn’t be heard, and that they picked up the discharged shells show just how smart they were about the crime. The only other thing I want to know is how the killers were caught, it is almost the perfect crime, they live very far away, and the only piece of evidence that the authorities have is a couple of boot prints, which would almost be impossible to trace back to Perry and Dick. I am interested in finding out what other evidence is found.

 
At December 13, 2007 at 7:17 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Cheezeits, lin, and Unknown....You all bring up very interesting points. I must admit, you brought up some details I was unsure about, but now have a little more certainty. Keep up the good work!

 
At December 18, 2007 at 10:18 AM , Blogger *Stump* said...

The setting is important to the story because we see Holcomb as a quiet and caring town and it was unusual that something exciting would ever happen. Some details that stook out to me were the family and town was just too perfect. Nothing ever happened which made it kind of suspicious to me. I don't think that everything can just go perfect even with a perfect family and a perfect town. I definately think he made me feel attatched through all the descriptions and what the familt has all been through.

 
At December 18, 2007 at 10:18 AM , Blogger *Stump* said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

 
At December 18, 2007 at 10:50 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I find Willie jay the most memorable secondary character because he seems to be a pretty weird character that seems to be half way caring but still is in prison for committing a crime


The back and forth depiction keeps you reading because it leaves you with a feeling of suspense every time capote jumps to a different part like he’ll be explaining the murder and jump to dick and Perry and your still tied to whats happening with the murder so you keep reading to find out about the murder


I feel a little sympathy for dick’s parents but not dick and I feel no sympathy for perry either they killed for some reason whether it’s money or revenge it aint right to kill

 
At December 18, 2007 at 12:43 PM , Blogger malachi said...

The setting is a smaller town and everyone believes that in smaller towns everyone knows everyone and not too much is missed. After the death of the Clutter family lots there is lots of drama.

The only detail that really stuck out too me was when Mr. Clutter took out their life insurance, it seemed really random.

 

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