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Book Report edited lr7l Katie Bowles 4th Period Wilder American Classics: Book Report The book I chose for this…

lr7lKatie Bowles
4th Period
Wilder
American Classics: Book Report
The book I chose for this book report is titled, In Cold Blood. The book was written by Truman Capote and contains 343 pages. In Cold Blood was originally published by Random House Publishing in 1965. The publishing was done solely in New York City. It was then published again by Vintage Books , also in New York City in 1993. I chose to read this due to a number of reasons. First off, I’m drawn to suspenseful, mysterious books. Any book that involves solving some sort of mystery interests me due to their suspenseful storylines. Another reason for choosing this book, is due to the fact that people recommended this book to me. They enjoyed the plotline and personally loved the author, Truman Capote. The book was recreated into a movie in 1967, and was nominated for 4 Academy Awards.
There are a variety of characters in the novel In Cold Blood. One of the main characters is named Perry Smith. Perry was the main character who in turn helped commit the murders in the story. Perry is a very complex character, in which he shows compassion in some parts of the book, but overall bad behavior by committing the murders. He’s described as a short, uneducated man. We are given some information on his childhood as it being unsettling and lonely. He also has a past of being a criminal. Another main character is named Dick Hickcock, who also participated in the murder. As described, Dick grew up in Kansas and was married twice. Dick was put in jail for attempting fraud. Dick’s character is not as complex when compared to Perry’s . Herb Clutter is also a main character. Herb is the father of the Clutter family and lived on and owned River Valley Farm. He has 4 children and a wife named Bonnie. Herb throughout the book is characterized as a community leader, and involved in Methodist church. He is killed in the story.
There are also many supporting character roles in this story. Alvin Dewey is the head investigator for the case in the story. He gets very involved in the case throughout the story and causes some tension in his personal life with his wife. Susan Kidwell, who is one of Nancy Clutter’s friends, was the character to discover the bodies. Bonnie Clutter is Herb Clutter’s wife, and is very withdrawn from the town. She suffers from mental illness. Nancy Clutter is one of the Clutter children, and is considered popular around town. Kenyon Clutter is one of the younger Clutter children. Don is a friend of Perry who reads of the murder investigation in the paper and tells him. Harold Nye is an assistant investigator in the Clutter investigation and is one of Alvin’s assistants. Roy “Curly” Church is an older assistant investigator. Floyd Wells is a a convict in prison who hears of the murder. He ends up talking to the police and admitting Dick and Perry murdered the family.
In Cold Blood is a mystery novel based in Kansas. The murder takes place on the River Valley Farm in Kansas. The story also changes settings because Dick and Perry flee to Mexico, Las Vegas, and Miami after the murder. Despite the migration of the two main characters to , the investigation takes place mainly in the state of Kansas. The book is set in the early 1960’s during a time and place where communities were rarely experiencing situations like murder. In Cold Blood was very suspenseful, and an interesting read. The book uses past situations to help envelop the characters. The story was very well paced, and pieced out like an investigation . The main characters simply were trying to avoid getting caught for the murder they committed, while everyone back in Kansas were simply trying to accomplish solving the crime. The turning point in the story has dual sides. In the story Floyd Wells finally decides to talk to the police about the murder. Also, Perry and Dick steal a car and travel to a few places before settling in Las Vegas. A policewoman positively identifies the license plate number on the back of the stolen car and arrests them. The two are questioned and both confess. The two men are sentenced to death for committing the murders.
My final thoughts about In Cold Blood are varied. I loved the suspense of the investigation in the story, but had some problems with the way the story was arranged. I personally am more used to things leading up to a murder, then an investigation. In this book, you follow the characters through a lot of events and have flashbacks thrown at you. Due to the migration of Dick and Perry, the author forces us to focus on them and their past, instead of focusing on just the investigation. I liked the fact there are many personalities among the minor characters in the story. I also like the fact it involves a lot of the details of the investigation and doesn’t just simply state the major points of the investigation. The book taught me personally, that everyone, despite what people think of you in the present, has a past. The past most certainly shapes the way people grow up and function as they gain in age and maturity. I would strongly recommend this book to someone who enjoys out of the ordinary mysteries and who like the sequencing of investigation.

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