How Does Truman Capote Create Sympathy For In Cold Blood

Words: 568
Pages: 3

Should mass murderers be put to death after being found guilty? The author, Truman Capote, helps the reader examine both sides of this argument. Throughout the book, Capote creates sympathy for every character in the purpose of trying to make all characters feel human. However, Capote is wrong in creating sympathy for Dick and Perry, the two killers that broke in and murdered four members of the Clutter family. The book’s focus for this sympathy is primarily on these two, with the purpose of making them seem less like psychopathic monsters and more like human beings. Both of these men are guilty of the murders of the Clutter family. Regardless of who pulled the trigger on the shotgun, both of them are equally guilty. It doesn’t matter if Dick didn’t kill any of them, or if they both killed two, or whatever. Even if one didn’t harm anyone, they’re still an accomplice to the other. It really doesn’t matter. The prosecuting attorney is correct- even if Dick is being honest, he still masterminded the crime and saw to it being carried out. So, both men are guilty. …show more content…
Capote creates sympathy for just about everyone in this book, and the killers aren’t excluded. However, his sympathy primarily focuses on Dick and Perry, and to a greater extent, just Perry. Capote’s reasoning for creating this sympathy is to formulate a platform for which to express his opinions on the death penalty by trying to make us feel sorry for Perry, who was full of regret after the crime. The book goes into great detail on Perry’s background and former life in an attempt to make him a much more human character, rather than just a crazy man who needs mental evaluation. Both of them, despite being given this sympathy, are still murderers that killed without a cause- a sign of serious mental illness, no