Closing of the story

At the end of In Cold Blood it is very dark because it explains about the hangings, however Capote makes the ending of the book lighter and it focuses on the Clutter family once again. It explains how even after all that time two of the character meet again at the graveson of the Clutter family, the two people who are reunited are Alvin Dewey and Susan Kidwell. At the beginning of their conversation it takes a while for Dewey to completely recognise who Susan is as he hadn't seen her for a while and Dewey was still thinking of the Clutter murder case, this is because he was one of the main detectives on the case. The story never left the mind of many, including Capote, he turned to a life of alcoholism which ended up killing him. Capote never really left the town of Holcomb and the Clutters and the killers were constantly playing on his mind.

My physiatrist report on Perry Smith

Perry Smith is a very young gentleman, he is quite short (5ft3) for his age of 36. He weighs 163lb and is quite stocky.  He has brown eyes and dark brown hair. He has a tanned completion. He has many scars of his body, including his large array of tattoos.

From his previous occupations we are able to apply some disorders or problems he may have picked up. He has been a soldier for part of his life, it is evident that this has caused some stress disorders within him. When he was a car painter he would have been working many toxic paints, if he had inhaled any of these paints then his brain could have been damaged as it is not good to inhale toxic paints.

Perry also had a very broken childhood, this would have made him feel unwanted and worthless, not only that he would not have had people to teach him right and wrong. He would also be 'immune' to sadness as he has had to deal with it all of his life. Even by the age of 36 it is evident that he didn't have a planned future for himself, and he barely had enough money to look after himself.

These are some of the thing which would have mentally been affecting Perry on the dreadful night of the Clutter family's deaths.

Sincerely yours,

Elliot Cheng 

My perspective on the killings- Herb Clutter

While I was lying there, on my own, I was simply at peace, almost as if my spirit had left to rest. I had a very calm night, the children were upstairs, with my wife. As I was just closing my eyes, just before I fell into my sleep. But then I heard the floorboards creak, I was going to go and check but I thought that it was one of the children getting a glass of water.

Suddenly the office door swung open, this was definitely not the kids, they would never go in there. I was quite worried by now, I didn't know wether to go and investigate or just leave it.

 Then almost out of nowhere my bedroom door swung open and I was blinded by a light, I heard the deep breathing, I thought it was my wife. I called out to her "honey?, is that you honey?". There was no reply, then a mans voice, one that I had never heard before replied and explained to me how he was a door-to-door salesman and wanted to have a talk in my office. I hopped out of bed and they led the way, I was just I my pyjamas, with no shoes on, the floor was bitterly cold.

The two gentlemen seemed very kind and gentle, they stepped into the office and signalled me to come in, I didn't see any reason not to so in I went. I hadn't properly seen these two men however I wasn't slightly suspicious about them, they seemed to be good guys.

Then almost out of nowhere two thuggish looking men were shown in the moonlight. As if the man was bi-polar they started questioning me about a safe, I didn't know what they were talking about, we didn't have a safe. I persistently tried to tell them this but they wouldn't listen to me. I tried to stay as calm and peaceful as possible, even if they were not, however only one of them really talked, the leader out of the two.
The other guy seemed reasonable, he looked more worried than me, it was almost as if he didn't want to be there. However I couldn't concentrate on him for long because they started to threaten me with there knife, he pressed it up against my chest, I didn't know what to do. He threatened me again, he said, "show us where the safe is or you're goons be a good bit sorrier". Again I told them that there was no safe and I was telling the truth, I didn't want to raise my voice as they clearly outmanned and 'outgunned'.

Then the other one spoke, he asked me if there were anymore telephone line in the house, after he cut the ones in my office. I told him about the one in the kitchen, he took the flashlightand headed over to the kitchen. After he had left I heard some creaking upstairs, I just hope that they hadn't heard it. But there was no hope in that, the who went to go and cut the phone wires was even more twitchy than myself, he had definitely heard. Who was awake, the kids, my wife!

But then he returned I they were both in the room again. They were having a whispering conversation, I couldn't understand what they were saying, I only picked out a few words like upstairs, gun, then I blanked out for a second I had the sudden rush that they were going to kill my family. Then they led me back to the bedroom, I gave them all the money I had and all the valuables in my possession. Then they started asking me about my family upstairs. They wanted to know if my wife had any money. I old them that she was Ill and I begged them not to disturb her. But the more irrational one insisted that we should go and check. By then I knew that they would never give until they got all the money in the whole house, including 'the safe'. As I led them upstairs I turned on the lights, I walked over to Bonnie's room, as I entered, with the two 'salesmen' behind me. I tried to keep her calm, but she knew what was going on.

I couldn't do anything, she burst into to tears, my own wife crying, and I was helpless, I felt torn apart, why couldn't I do anything. I knew where she kept her purse so I went into her draw and took out her purse, she had around five dollars in there. Was this really just for money? I handed over the second couple of dollars, then the quite one stepped outside with the more malicious one, they started to whisper again. But this I couldn't make out a word, I was too busy worrying about my wife and trying to get her to calm down.

When they came back from the talk they shoved us into the bathroom and tied us up, they gave my wife a chair sloshed could sit and rest, then they led us and headed to the kids rooms and put them with us. I felt terrible that we were all there, in that moment it felt like that it was the last time I was going to see them. Then I was taken downstairs into the basement, the place where once the kids played and were simply happy. However I was taken away from this half and shoved into the other room. He tied me up again, however he did in a gentle way, ensuring that it wasn't too tight. He also lay down a flattened cardboard box so I wasn't lying on the floor. Before he left I begged him not to harm my family, especially my wife, she was so fragile. He told me that he would try and help them but there was no way I could know what was happening. I was left down there trying not to imagine what was going on upstairs.

When they did come back down for me it wasn't to free me or ask for money. They both came down and taped me up. Before they tied me up I asked how my wife was, they told me that she was fine and ready to go to sleep. As were everyone. They never left after that, they were talking. I could hear perfectly, but I couldn't listen. My tears were blinding but I could still see one of them walking up to me holding the knife, the one I was threatened with earlier with, he knelt down beside me, as if to comfort me. He got really close and then......

How does capote retell Perry's confession of the Clutter murders?

Perry thoroughly describes the night and all of features of the house on the night of the killings. It is all written in the present tense. Captors interrupts the story to add his opinion, and some extra facts, he helps the picture. Perry remembers the night very well, it is almost as if has scarred him. The story is told through various filters, which could mean that the story is not 100% correct. Dick is more ruthless and a more natural killer, Perry seems a lot calmer until something snaps. Dick got exited when he had control over them.  Herb 'couldn't' have suspected that him and his family were going to be killed, because then Herb would have fought for his wife and kids. When perry explains the killings, he says that he was a polite, nice person towards the Clutters. Perry makes the Clutters feel comfortable, before he killed them. Capote describes the killing of the Clutters, instead of Perry.

Crime scene

Where- The murders took place in the quiet desolate house of Herb clutter, he had a wife and four children,two of which were at home. 

Weapon- pump action shotgun


Why/Motive- Herb's money, even though it turned out there was none.


Who- Dick Hickok and Perry Smith.


When- November 14th, 1959

Storyline review

In 1959, Truman Capote, a popular writer for The New Yorker, reads about the horrific and bloody murder of a family in Holcomb, Kansas. he is taken back by the story, which Capote and his partner, Harper Lee (the author of 'To Kill a Mockingbird'), traveled the town to research for an article. However, as Capote digs deeper and deeper into his article, he is inspired to expand the project into what would be his greatest work, the first of it's kind, a non- fiction novel, In Cold Blood.


I think that this is a phenomenal story which is fuelled by passion and desire, which is created after the killers are found. The novel change from 'Who did it?' to 'Why did they do it?". in this novel these questions are answered, one very early on ad the other near the end of the novel. Truman has to dig very deep into to Perry, who he has a connection with, to find out what made him squeeze the trigger, all four times.


This Story consumes Capote entirely, it even drives him to alcoholism, which leads him to death. The story is said to have taken seven lives, the four Clutters, the murderers and the writer.

Perry's story of his murder

Perry asks Capote what the name of his book is; Capote lies to Perry and says that he didn’t choose the title, ‘In Cold Blood’. Capote then shows him a picture he got from his sister and uses this as a turning point. These pictures make Perry believe that Truman is on his side.

Perry then tells him. Perry tells him how they went in there for money, Dick was very angry when he found out that there was no money. Perry tried to keep them alive, but Dick was persistent. Perry looked into Herb and Herb was petrified. Perry said that he felt ashamed when he killed him; he thought that he was very nice. Perry said ‘I didn’t know what I did until I heard the sound’.

Capote is taken back by the explanation. Capote asks Perry how much money they stole from the Clutters that night, it was $40-$50. Capote then takes everything he told him and leaves Perry to grieve over his own killings.

Before Perry is hung he sends Capote and Harper Lee a telegram to say thank you and good-bye.