My idea is that Capote split the book in three to represent the beginning, middle, and end of the story in the most literal sense of the phrase. The story isn't really about the Clutter family at all, but the trials and tribulations that the two men, Perry and Dick, have had to go through to get to a certain point. Don't get me wrong, i mean most of their problems, if not all, are entirely self-inflicted. What I'm saying is that the murder of the Clutters, part one, is the beginning of the end for the two men. The start of life on the run. Part two deals with their background, letting the reader get to know them and see them as human beings, not just murderers. It also unfolds the little actions and mistakes that lead up to their capture. Part three is the end of the line. Both characters are reaping the rewards of their actions and are given a chance to repent for their deeds. When that doesn't happen, their lives, much like the book, come to an end.
I belive that Capote split the book into three sections so that the reader could better understand the chain of events and to retain suspense. Capote wants the reader to know what's going on and to have an understanding of what life was like forhte characters but at the same time he can't bore his audiences. By putting the book in three sections, last of which sums up the story, Capote doesn't tell the what they want to know till the end. This keepse the reader interested so that they will finish the book.
I believe Capote separated the book into three sections to show the sequence of events. He probably also did this to build suspense, because the story builds up with the Clutter family living its life before the horrible murders. Then this crime is committed with almost no evidence and no motive, this is perfect for suspense and keeps the reader interested about these grisly murders. Then the killers are caught and the question the reader is dying to know is why. This will keep your reader interested in the book the whole way.
Nina pretty much said all that I wanted to say. Yes, the 3 parts help us understand the chain of events, but really, I believe the main reason he split up the book into 3 parts was for the character development of Dick and Perry. In the first section, we don't know much about Dick and Perry. We do know, however, that these 2 men are the murderers, but we don't know much else besides that. Then in the second section, Capote really introduces us into their backgrounds, so we have a better understanding of who Dick and Perry are. And finally, in the third part, we learn how they are caught, and with their confessions we learn what really happened; how Perry was deemed insane and had committed the murderers, much to our suprise. And in the end, the pair is executed for their crimes.
Great job Nina! I agree! I think Capote split the narratives into three sections because it helps the reader better understand each aspect of the story. The first section introduces the Clutters and their normal, happy life along with introducing the criminals and thier not-so-normal, not-so-happy life. While reading this section you start to care about this cute little country Clutter family, which later makes the crime seem more real. You also begin to wonder about the details of the crime, leading you to continue into part two. Part two mostly focuses on developing Dick and Perry, along with introducing the investigation following the case and the townspeoples' increasing paranoia. Part three is, as Nina put it, "the end of the line" for the boys as they are captured and remain unrepentant. Part four is where they come to an end, thus ending the story.
I agree with Nina on the idea of Capote separating the novel into three parts based on trials and actions of the murderers. I believe Capote divided his novel based on three basic ideas, each of which he turned into a section of narrative. Three ideas roughly translating to: introduction, familiarization, and explanation. To begin, Capote introduces the all-American family that the reader already knows will die, creating a sense of reality to the crime itself. Much as if to say "this happened to real people, with real lives and real dreams", while also introducing the family's killers in juxtaposition. This phase of the novel marks, as Nina said, the "beginning of the end" for the two criminals. In part two of his novel, Capote deliberately withholds the details of the crime so that he may better explain the motives and circumstances surrounding the criminals, while also marking the beginning of the hunt for the two men. He leads the reader through their history, their backgrounds, bringing out their true colors and making them seem more human, less murderer. By the point of their arrest, which signifies the true and final downfall for the two, the reader feels personally attached to them, perhaps to the point of not wanting nor anticipating their demise, which I believe was Capote's goal in the second part of his novel. The third section, unlike its predecessors, relays detailed information regarding the investigation, as well as a complete summary as to what occurred on the night of the Clutters' deaths. The reader is presented with evidence withheld throughout the entirety of the novel, evidence that is purely unbiased and fact. Capote deliberately held out, drew the reader into the story, the lives of the two men, the hunt for them, with the first two parts of the book. He then created a third part to explain it, enlightening the reader with questions finally answered and facts finally unveiled. As the section draws to a close, the reader is left with their own views of the two criminals, of the trial, and of the capitol punishment itself. Capote's three-part strategy leaves people to think for themselves, to roughly draw their own conclusions about life and death, and finally, in a fourth and final section, the reader is presented with the conclusion of the book, the hunt, the trial, and the criminals' lives. B.Leggett
Capote split the narrative into three sections to continously challenge the readers' preconceptions, values on life, and verdict of the criminals. Throughout the novel, Capote intends to test the readers' instinctive decisions. During the first section, readers cant imagine the atrocities commited by the criminals and their hearts are quickly hardened and their ears shut to any attempt of repreive for the criminals. The readers instinctively condemn these criminals, but not without good reason. The second section requires the reader to view the criminals, not as cold-blooded animals but, as humans. As one classmate stated, "The reader learned about who the criminals were, not what they had done". Capote brilliantly creates empathy among the readers by presenting the criminals as human beings that muse,feel, and live as any other. Capote attributes the quality and necessity of life to the criminals. In the third section, Capote has so incredibly constructed a masterpiece, that the criminals are no longer the beasts but the prey. The murder of the Clutter family hardly carries the same weight of condemnation and the criminals appear to play the role of the victims. Capote split the narrative into three sections because thats what he needed in order to develop, and overall, transform the mind of the readers.
Im going to answer two questions. Capote seperated the book into four parts because they were the names of the headlines in the newspapers when the actual murders occurred. Within the four sections Capote splits them into three sections I think this is because he wants to show the feelings of the people close to the Clutters, the feelings of Perry and Dick and also the investigation that is going on. He wants to take the readers into the minds of all the people involved and by making different sections he can do that.
I agree with Nina that Capote divided the narrative into three parts to show the beginning, middle and the end of the criminals' actions. By dividing the book this way, it helps us better understand the chain of events in the lives of these two men. In the first section, after they commit their murders, they have to then live life on the run. Then, Capote goes though the events in their lives that show why Dick and Perry came to the decision to live a life of crime. In the end, these men get caught and have a chance to sort of right their wrong. But when they do not choose to do this, they end along with the book.
I believe that Capote chose to set the book up this way to imitate that of a real case and how it unfolds. Though the reader knows the whole outcome of the story before he or she even nears the end, they know not how it happened. They take the story from the beginning with the murder, to the culprits, getting some backround information about there lives before hand and criminal records as well as their mental instability. Then the book comes right back up to the conviction and death of these two men. The whole book was designed to keep the reader interested on how these murders commited and what the murderers exact motives were.
I agree with mostly everyone's idea of why Capote split the narrative into three sections. He writes it in chronological order to create suspense as well as acquaint you with the main characters. He gives you an opportunity to determine the true personality of the characters and build a relationship with them before the crime is commited. I also realized within each chapter Capote writes from the view of three different accounts which vary between the Clutter family members and friends, the murderers, and the investigators. By writing it in this way i was easily hooked to the plot and constantly interested with the story.
I agree with Eric S's statement that Capote split the book in such a way to support character development without damning Dick and Perry in the reader's minds from the very beginning.
Capote shaped his novel in this manner because he knew that readers would build preconceived ideas about the murderer's personality and mental state, and to completely counter-balance this natural occurence in the mind of the reader. As the novel progressed, I found myself sympathizing almost as equally with Perry as with the victims of the murder, but in a radically different way.
The separation of In Cold Blood into three different parts was dual-purposed. I believe Capote formed his narrative this way for structure and for the freedom to switch characters while still maintaining plot progression.
The story itself has three parts: the beginning, wherein we are introduced to the characters and the crime; the middle, during which we get to know the criminals and follow their escape and also watch as the investigators close in on them; and the end, where the conflict is resolved through court and the death of Dick and Perry. The three parts mirror the three major plot points.
Furthermore, that it was divided into three parts allowed for Capote to switch perspectives while still maintaing a firm backbone for the story. His character switches are numerous and often, and that there is a clear idea of time progression throughout the three parts enables the reader to gain a full scope of the crime and it's effects. Many of the character's perspectives were accounts of the past, and knowing that it was Part 2, after the crime, helped give the reader clarity about the timeline.
To offer a different perspective than most people, I don't feel that Capote wanted to break the story into three parts to add suspense. The story does that by itself.
I believe that his intention was to simply separate the events. The sections don't necessarily discuss very similar topics. In the first section, obviously it explains the everyday life of the Clutter household, and introduces you to Dick and Perry. At the end, it tells you that the Clutters were discovered dead.
In the second section, Dick and Perry are on the run, and the town is in shock after its most esteemed household has been murdered. Police roam the scene and reporters are scattered through town. Though it dives into the depths of Perry's past, other than that, it isn't too similar to the first section.
And finally, the third section describes the capture and arrest of the two fiends, all the way to their deaths.
While possibly it did increase the element of suspense, I believe a very likely reason for the book being broken up into sections is simply to better illustrate the chronological order of the case.
I think he broke the story into three parts so that you could focus on the events leading up to the crime, the events when they fled and the events when captured. These three sections help you focus on the characters actions and thoughts at that specific time.
I Believe That Capote Split Up The Book Into The Three Narrative Sections To Allow the Reader To Better Understand && Grasp The Concept. If The Story Was Not Separated I Believe That The Story Would Have Just 'Collided' For Lack Of A Better Word. There Wouldn't Be Time To Really Understand What Was Happen Nor Have Emotional Feelings & Thoughts About The Sequence Of Events . The Separation Really Did Allow The Reader To Better Visualize What Was Taking Place Sort Of Like A Movie . And I Agree That Capote Might've Also Written It In Chronological Order To Create A Suspenseful Element To The Story . The Split Allows The Reader To Have Time To Assess The Characters Personalities & Sort Of Piece How Things Would Play Out & & Follow & Solve The Case As The Reader Reads Along With The Story .
I believe capote split the book up into 3 parts so the reader can get the total effect of the murder from the diffrent perspectives, the murders, the townspeople, the investigaters and of course the murders. This helps to add suspence and also helps the reader understand the diffrent emotions and the reasons for those emotions and helps the reader simpathize with all the diffrent parties.
I think that Capote split the book into three sections because he wanted the reader to more easily determine the beginning, middle, and the end of the criminal investigation. The book, in a sense, is more about lives of the murders and the different perspectives of the Clutter family, townspeople, detectives, and the jury. By splitting the book into three sections Capote doesn't necessarily add suspense but instead he more clearly separates the order of events that occurred up to the capture of the murders.
My idea is that Capote split the book in three to represent the beginning, middle, and end of the story in the most literal sense of the phrase. The story isn't really about the Clutter family at all, but the trials and tribulations that the two men, Perry and Dick, have had to go through to get to a certain point. Don't get me wrong, i mean most of their problems, if not all, are entirely self-inflicted. What I'm saying is that the murder of the Clutters, part one, is the beginning of the end for the two men. The start of life on the run. Part two deals with their background, letting the reader get to know them and see them as human beings, not just murderers. It also unfolds the little actions and mistakes that lead up to their capture. Part three is the end of the line. Both characters are reaping the rewards of their actions and are given a chance to repent for their deeds. When that doesn't happen, their lives, much like the book, come to an end.
ReplyDeleteNina G.
I belive that Capote split the book into three sections so that the reader could better understand the chain of events and to retain suspense. Capote wants the reader to know what's going on and to have an understanding of what life was like forhte characters but at the same time he can't bore his audiences. By putting the book in three sections, last of which sums up the story, Capote doesn't tell the what they want to know till the end. This keepse the reader interested so that they will finish the book.
ReplyDeleteRachael Jensen
Well said, ladies!
ReplyDeleteMrs. Kasper
I believe Capote separated the book into three sections to show the sequence of events. He probably also did this to build suspense, because the story builds up with the Clutter family living its life before the horrible murders. Then this crime is committed with almost no evidence and no motive, this is perfect for suspense and keeps the reader interested about these grisly murders. Then the killers are caught and the question the reader is dying to know is why. This will keep your reader interested in the book the whole way.
ReplyDeleteNina pretty much said all that I wanted to say. Yes, the 3 parts help us understand the chain of events, but really, I believe the main reason he split up the book into 3 parts was for the character development of Dick and Perry. In the first section, we don't know much about Dick and Perry. We do know, however, that these 2 men are the murderers, but we don't know much else besides that. Then in the second section, Capote really introduces us into their backgrounds, so we have a better understanding of who Dick and Perry are. And finally, in the third part, we learn how they are caught, and with their confessions we learn what really happened; how Perry was deemed insane and had committed the murderers, much to our suprise. And in the end, the pair is executed for their crimes.
ReplyDeleteKelsey J.
Great job Nina! I agree! I think Capote split the narratives into three sections because it helps the reader better understand each aspect of the story. The first section introduces the Clutters and their normal, happy life along with introducing the criminals and thier not-so-normal, not-so-happy life. While reading this section you start to care about this cute little country Clutter family, which later makes the crime seem more real. You also begin to wonder about the details of the crime, leading you to continue into part two. Part two mostly focuses on developing Dick and Perry, along with introducing the investigation following the case and the townspeoples' increasing paranoia. Part three is, as Nina put it, "the end of the line" for the boys as they are captured and remain unrepentant. Part four is where they come to an end, thus ending the story.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Nina on the idea of Capote separating the novel into three parts based on trials and actions of the murderers. I believe Capote divided his novel based on three basic ideas, each of which he turned into a section of narrative. Three ideas roughly translating to: introduction, familiarization, and explanation. To begin, Capote introduces the all-American family that the reader already knows will die, creating a sense of reality to the crime itself. Much as if to say "this happened to real people, with real lives and real dreams", while also introducing the family's killers in juxtaposition. This phase of the novel marks, as Nina said, the "beginning of the end" for the two criminals. In part two of his novel, Capote deliberately withholds the details of the crime so that he may better explain the motives and circumstances surrounding the criminals, while also marking the beginning of the hunt for the two men. He leads the reader through their history, their backgrounds, bringing out their true colors and making them seem more human, less murderer. By the point of their arrest, which signifies the true and final downfall for the two, the reader feels personally attached to them, perhaps to the point of not wanting nor anticipating their demise, which I believe was Capote's goal in the second part of his novel. The third section, unlike its predecessors, relays detailed information regarding the investigation, as well as a complete summary as to what occurred on the night of the Clutters' deaths. The reader is presented with evidence withheld throughout the entirety of the novel, evidence that is purely unbiased and fact. Capote deliberately held out, drew the reader into the story, the lives of the two men, the hunt for them, with the first two parts of the book. He then created a third part to explain it, enlightening the reader with questions finally answered and facts finally unveiled. As the section draws to a close, the reader is left with their own views of the two criminals, of the trial, and of the capitol punishment itself. Capote's three-part strategy leaves people to think for themselves, to roughly draw their own conclusions about life and death, and finally, in a fourth and final section, the reader is presented with the conclusion of the book, the hunt, the trial, and the criminals' lives.
ReplyDeleteB.Leggett
Capote split the narrative into three sections to continously challenge the readers' preconceptions, values on life, and verdict of the criminals. Throughout the novel, Capote intends to test the readers' instinctive decisions. During the first section, readers cant imagine the atrocities commited by the criminals and their hearts are quickly hardened and their ears shut to any attempt of repreive for the criminals. The readers instinctively condemn these criminals, but not without good reason. The second section requires the reader to view the criminals, not as cold-blooded animals but, as humans. As one classmate stated, "The reader learned about who the criminals were, not what they had done". Capote brilliantly creates empathy among the readers by presenting the criminals as human beings that muse,feel, and live as any other. Capote attributes the quality and necessity of life to the criminals. In the third section, Capote has so incredibly constructed a masterpiece, that the criminals are no longer the beasts but the prey. The murder of the Clutter family hardly carries the same weight of condemnation and the criminals appear to play the role of the victims.
ReplyDeleteCapote split the narrative into three sections because thats what he needed in order to develop, and overall, transform the mind of the readers.
Im going to answer two questions. Capote seperated the book into four parts because they were the names of the headlines in the newspapers when the actual murders occurred. Within the four sections Capote splits them into three sections I think this is because he wants to show the feelings of the people close to the Clutters, the feelings of Perry and Dick and also the investigation that is going on. He wants to take the readers into the minds of all the people involved and by making different sections he can do that.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Nina that Capote divided the narrative into three parts to show the beginning, middle and the end of the criminals' actions. By dividing the book this way, it helps us better understand the chain of events in the lives of these two men. In the first section, after they commit their murders, they have to then live life on the run. Then, Capote goes though the events in their lives that show why Dick and Perry came to the decision to live a life of crime. In the end, these men get caught and have a chance to sort of right their wrong. But when they do not choose to do this, they end along with the book.
ReplyDeleteWesley Cannon
I believe that Capote chose to set the book up this way to imitate that of a real case and how it unfolds. Though the reader knows the whole outcome of the story before he or she even nears the end, they know not how it happened. They take the story from the beginning with the murder, to the culprits, getting some backround information about there lives before hand and criminal records as well as their mental instability. Then the book comes right back up to the conviction and death of these two men. The whole book was designed to keep the reader interested on how these murders commited and what the murderers exact motives were.
ReplyDeleteI agree with mostly everyone's idea of why Capote split the narrative into three sections. He writes it in chronological order to create suspense as well as acquaint you with the main characters. He gives you an opportunity to determine the true personality of the characters and build a relationship with them before the crime is commited. I also realized within each chapter Capote writes from the view of three different accounts which vary between the Clutter family members and friends, the murderers, and the investigators. By writing it in this way i was easily hooked to the plot and constantly interested with the story.
ReplyDeleteAlexa Johnson
I agree with Eric S's statement that Capote split the book in such a way to support character development without damning Dick and Perry in the reader's minds from the very beginning.
ReplyDeleteCapote shaped his novel in this manner because he knew that readers would build preconceived ideas about the murderer's personality and mental state, and to completely counter-balance this natural occurence in the mind of the reader. As the novel progressed, I found myself sympathizing almost as equally with Perry as with the victims of the murder, but in a radically different way.
-Angela Boyrie
The separation of In Cold Blood into three different parts was dual-purposed. I believe Capote formed his narrative this way for structure and for the freedom to switch characters while still maintaining plot progression.
ReplyDeleteThe story itself has three parts: the beginning, wherein we are introduced to the characters and the crime; the middle, during which we get to know the criminals and follow their escape and also watch as the investigators close in on them; and the end, where the conflict is resolved through court and the death of Dick and Perry. The three parts mirror the three major plot points.
Furthermore, that it was divided into three parts allowed for Capote to switch perspectives while still maintaing a firm backbone for the story. His character switches are numerous and often, and that there is a clear idea of time progression throughout the three parts enables the reader to gain a full scope of the crime and it's effects. Many of the character's perspectives were accounts of the past, and knowing that it was Part 2, after the crime, helped give the reader clarity about the timeline.
To offer a different perspective than most people, I don't feel that Capote wanted to break the story into three parts to add suspense. The story does that by itself.
ReplyDeleteI believe that his intention was to simply separate the events. The sections don't necessarily discuss very similar topics. In the first section, obviously it explains the everyday life of the Clutter household, and introduces you to Dick and Perry. At the end, it tells you that the Clutters were discovered dead.
In the second section, Dick and Perry are on the run, and the town is in shock after its most esteemed household has been murdered. Police roam the scene and reporters are scattered through town. Though it dives into the depths of Perry's past, other than that, it isn't too similar to the first section.
And finally, the third section describes the capture and arrest of the two fiends, all the way to their deaths.
While possibly it did increase the element of suspense, I believe a very likely reason for the book being broken up into sections is simply to better illustrate the chronological order of the case.
-JR Bryant
I think he broke the story into three parts so that you could focus on the events leading up to the crime, the events when they fled and the events when captured. These three sections help you focus on the characters actions and thoughts at that specific time.
ReplyDeleteI Believe That Capote Split Up The Book Into The Three Narrative Sections To Allow the Reader To Better Understand && Grasp The Concept. If The Story Was Not Separated I Believe That The Story Would Have Just 'Collided' For Lack Of A Better Word. There Wouldn't Be Time To Really Understand What Was Happen Nor Have Emotional Feelings & Thoughts About The Sequence Of Events . The Separation Really Did Allow The Reader To Better Visualize What Was Taking Place Sort Of Like A Movie . And I Agree That Capote Might've Also Written It In Chronological Order To Create A Suspenseful Element To The Story . The Split Allows The Reader To Have Time To Assess The Characters Personalities & Sort Of Piece How Things Would Play Out & & Follow & Solve The Case As The Reader Reads Along With The Story .
ReplyDeleteWell Capote acctually sperated the book into four sections and honestly i had no clue why. I must say it was a little irritating.
ReplyDeleteI believe capote split the book up into 3 parts so the reader can get the total effect of the murder from the diffrent perspectives, the murders, the townspeople, the investigaters and of course the murders. This helps to add suspence and also helps the reader understand the diffrent emotions and the reasons for those emotions and helps the reader simpathize with all the diffrent parties.
ReplyDeleteI think that Capote split the book into three sections because he wanted the reader to more easily determine the beginning, middle, and the end of the criminal investigation. The book, in a sense, is more about lives of the murders and the different perspectives of the Clutter family, townspeople, detectives, and the jury. By splitting the book into three sections Capote doesn't necessarily add suspense but instead he more clearly separates the order of events that occurred up to the capture of the murders.
ReplyDelete