The Rhetoric of Characterization

One of Capote's goals in detailing the events of this murder case is to affect how the reader feels about Hickock and Smith. What do you believe was Capote's intent in making the reader spend so much time with these two individuals; i.e., how does he want you to feel about them? What phrases create these feelings in the reader? Analyze dialogue and diction in forming your answer.

Antithesis

After reading the entire book:
Capote effectively uses a rhetorical device called antithesis. Antithesis is the contrast of ideas or words in parallel constructions. Remember Julius Caesar (heavy sigh)? Brutus says, “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.” That’s an excellent use of antithesis, and it definitely touches an audience in distinct and varied ways. Where do you notice Capote’s use of antithesis? How does it affect you as the reader?

Truth vs. Fiction

After reading the entire book:
How could Capote have written such a perfect non-fiction story, with such a smooth narrative flow? Many contend that he didn’t – that when the details of the truth mired the telling of the story, Capote turned to invention. If that is the case, where do you suspect that happened? What makes you suspect that that particular part of the story is “fudged”? Does it make a difference to you, the reader?

Blogging Etiquette

Please abide by these guidelines when blogging on this spot.
1. Treat blogspaces as classroom spaces. Speech that is inappropriate for class is not appropriate for your blog. While we encourage you to engage in debate and conversation with other bloggers, we also expect that you will conduct yourself in a way that would be acceptable in the classroom.
2. It is okay to be critical, but it is not okay to be mean-spirited.
3. Make sure your comment stays on the topic.
4. Write in complete sentences, and refer to the post to which you are responding.
5. You may support your answer with a quote from the book.
6. Write an original thought. Think outside the box.
7. Include connections: text-self (this book to your own life), text-text (this book to another book or an article) or text-world (what is going on in the larger world that connects to this book?)
8. Write a minimum of 125 words.
9. Do not write “shallow” comments like “You da man!” “I agree!” unless you plan to follow up with thoughtful comments.
10. Include your first name and last initial.

adapted from William Kist - Social Networking in the Classroom