Sympathy For Characters In Truman Capote's In Cold Blood

In the novel, the stability of a family dictates the outcome of the family members’ lives. The Clutter murders and other crimes committed by the murderous duo are direct results of their turbulent lives. The Clutter family represents innocence and the wholesomeness of a good, loving family, while Dick and especially Perry’s family lives symbolize corruption and chaos.

He is actually a pretty sensitive guy who has problems with his mom and dad, and he makes sacrifices for his peers. Like when they went to get the pot from John Bender’s locker and they were about to get caught. John Bender stayed behind so his friends could get back to the library without getting in trouble. John Bender’s family is really kind of the abusive type of family. John gets

As a returned World War I veteran, Shadrack is traumatized from the scenes he witnessed and took part of during his time there. Consequently, as a way to take control of his fears he institutes National Suicide Day, a day dedicated to all the negative feelings he has, so that the rest of year can be enjoyed without these negative feelings. As he shares this holiday with the townspeople it is described, “The people in the town were frightened; they knew Shadrack was crazy but that did not mean that he didn’t have any sense or, even more important, that he had no power. His eyes were so wild, his hair so long…” (Morrison 15).

What makes Smith an unsympathetic character is that he has killed before the Clutter just for spite. Smith also can seem to think for himself, it seems as though Hickock has to do most of the thinking because he himself is

This novel was an emotional read because of the unfair killing of Jefferson, but it was also a great learning experience because it teaches the reader to try and help others during difficult times. During the time that this event took place there was still racial discrimination, therefore Jefferson was not given a fair trial. He did steal the money, but he did not kill the people in the store. Jefferson knew that stealing was wrong, but he was poor and saw that no one was around to say anything so he took it. Due to this wrong decision he believes that he is a hog who deserves to die.

In the ordinary hours of life I try not to dwell on it, but now and then, when I’m reading a newspaper or just sitting alone in a room, I’ll look up and see the young man coming out of the morning fog” (Ambush). Tim O’Brien was a father, a son, and a husband, yet he was also able to kill without giving thought to the action. Afterwards, however, when presented with his family, friends, and other civilians, Tim realized the gravity of the deaths he caused. Another example of paradox was the murder that in Queens, New York, around the same period as the Vietnam War. A criminal stabbed a woman outside her home, and out of the thirty-eight people in the neighborhood, zero people called the police or helped the woman.

By solely reading, “But all I can say is that if you are willing to dig below the surface, you will discover the real Skeezie Tookis, and there you will find as big a heart as was ever produced by the little town of Paintbrush Falls, New York,” on page one and two, you can identify his benevolence towards others. Bobby constantly beats his ingenuity down, due to the fact that his father discourages it. Mike Goodspeed, Bobby’s dad, isn’t an ideal figure to idolize because once his wife died “he hit the bad times” (page 62). This included a series of alcoholism, job loss, depression, and bankruptcy, but as an attempt to cheer up his mourning son and be an exceptional father, Mr. Goodspeed shared his wife’s favorite sandwich recipe: marshmallow fluff, peanut butter, and bread. Bobby started bringing in the sandwich for lunch as a coping mechanism for his grief, but naive classmates commenced calling Bobby “Fluff” (pg. 12) because of his weight.

In the original story, the ending leaves to question the intention of the Misfit. This is a key note that I wanted to hit on in my story. Not only does the misfit explain that he is not a good man, we also get to understand why he kills the Grandma. In the original story this is left up to the imagination, so I imagined a man who was greatly conflicted. The Misfit has been labeled a bad man his entire life and has learned to accept it.

Throughout the last two acts of the novel, we see Laertes change from an impulsive instigator into a more wise and rational person who realizes he is in the wrong. After he first learns of his father’s death, Laertes is seething due to his misery, and consequently, strives for immediate retaliation. Contrastingly, at the conclusion of the duel scene, he is downcast over his looming death and the fact that he has caused Hamlet’s death, while also being ashamed of how quick he was to murder. Though to some, Laertes may be a seemingly insignificant character, it is Laertes affliction (as a result of his father’s death) that ultimately drives the novel to its grievous climax. Albeit tragic, if the end scene would not have happened, Laertes would not have had the opportunity to discover that he was wrong, and thus change.

He is stubborn in resisting the truth but he still seeks for it and that is his final undoing. Wanting to know the truth is not necessarily a bad thing but it is often the cause for bad things to happen. Oedipus is a key example of this when he finally realizes that he was the one who killed his father when he is faced with his dead wife and mother. He reacts harshly to this, stabbing out his eyes and banishing himself all over again. There is no denying that Oedipus caused a lot of his pain himself with no one else to blame.

The author makes the reader gain sympathy for him, as he explains as he is a few of the lucky from his community to be successful and not lose their lives to violence. In paragraph 7, Staples states, “As a boy, I saw countless tough guys locked away; I have since buried several, too… a teenage cousin, a brother of twenty-two, a childhood friend in his mid-twenties- all gone down in episodes of bravado played out in the streets” (Para 7). The third and last reason why I picked this essay is because the essay was extremely detailed, which helps the reader believe that these stories are actually true then rather false like the other paper is like. For example, in paragraph 3, Staples stated, “At dark, shadowy intersections, I could cross in front of a car stopped at a traffic light and elicit the thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk of the driver…” (Para 3).

The concept of retribution sits well in the framework of police work. My parents, both being former police officers, believe heavily in retribution/just deserts. It is ingrained in the mindset of police, “You do the crime, and you pay the time.” The majority of the Reagan police family has that ideology. Retribution is also known as Just Deserts, which the book argues is a term that more liberals use, which is punishment that is due to the offender but only the punishment the offender deserves as to not cause the offender more suffering than deserved.

Following Victor’s whole trial he was only saved because his father spoke out and someone from the justice system saw how the evidence did not point to him. Showing how dysfunctional and irresponsible society and the justice system at the time was what Mary Shelley intended. Commenting on these issues was what the novel proved effective on showing just how dysfunctional the government and their neighbors really

Lennie has made some poor decisions throughout this story which leads to his death by the hands his own best friend, George. Throughout the story these two farmers realize that events in life can conspire against the realization of one’s dreams George killed Lennie, because he felt as if it was his job to kill his best friend rather than watching him suffer. George was right to kill

Conflict occurs in the novel when Jack meaningly disobeys Ralph on a multitude of occasions. These times include the signal fire, hunting, building shelters, and the murder of Simon and Piggy, both of which are Ralph’s friends. The first reason I think the boys’