Imagery In Truman Capote's In Cold Blood

On November 15, 1959, a tragedy would strike that would not only have a large effect on the small town it occurred in, but also ensnare the entirety of America. In the opening passage of In Cold Blood, Truman Capote’s humdrum portrayal of small-town America, instances of life within the seemingly run-down town, and the subtle nods to the grim events yet to occur are used to ensnare the reader with a sense of curiosity.
Truman Capote’s intricately humdrum introduction to the town of Kansas through its far-from-urban location, clear blue skies, and vastly peaceful ranches viewable long before anyone reaches them instantly creates the impression of safety through its mundane simplicity. However, this peacefully dull imagery is abruptly shattered by “Holcomb, too, can be seen from great distances. Not that there

The first instance of foreshadowing the Clutter murder can be seen in the passage “Until one morning in mid-November of 1959, few Americans–in fact, few Kansans–had ever heard of Holcomb” (Capote-5). This highlights just how isolated the town of Holcomb was from the world outside its borders. This passage has the added effect of making the reader question what could have happened to drastically change how prominent the town would become. The question is quickly answered with the following quote “Four shotgun blasts that, all told, ended six human lives” (Capote-5). The single sentence would without a doubt create a spur of new questions the reader would hope to have answered with the addition of the quote “In the glare of which many old neighbors viewed each other strangely, and as strangers” (Capote-5). It becomes known that the tragedy affected the town on an immense scale as the crumbling town’s newfound prosperity is turned into accusations and mistrust leaving the reader wondering what is to happen to the town of