Capote’s Mistake

            “Capote himself — who always maintained that In Cold Blood was “immaculately factual”— made thousands of changes” (Miller). Of these changes Capote made one major change that completely disregards the facts. Capote wrote that Alvin Dewey suspected that the killers of the Clutter family were Dick and Perry all along and he reacted instantly by sending Nye to question the Hickocks. These were not unintentional mistakes, Capote altered them for a reason. The distorted facts make Alvin Dewey look like the hero of the novel and make the story more engagingly fast paced. Capote made the KBI investigators react near instantly to the news of Dick and Perry from Vegas to portray Dewey as a hero and make the story engaging.

            Capote made Dewey look like a hero by changing the facts and bending the truth. Capote had several reasons to do this as “Dewey provided Capote with essential help in the research of In Cold Blood” (Miller). This could have served as a reflection of gratitude for his help. Capote made Dewey chase after Dick and Perry when in reality “Dewey initially refused to consider the two men because they did not match his theory of the killings” (Miller), he “was convinced it was somebody local who had a grudge against Herb Clutter” (Miller). Capote changed this fact in his book and made it seem like Dewey suspected the actual killers all along. “Those men turned up in Kansas City – came and went without getting caught- and I never saw Alvin more depressed” (Capote 212) is what Dewey’s wife says which implies that Dewey suspected it was Dick and Perry and that they got away from him. On top of that why would Dewey “leave for Las Vegas straightaway” (Capote 212) in the middle of a shower if he did not think Dick and Perry were the killers. Capote makes it seem like Dewey had it all figured out the moment the information came from Floyd Wells. This however is clearly not case as can be seen in the KBI’s documented records of the investigation that “indicates that investigators did not visit the Hickocks until five days after receiving the informant’s tip” (Miller). This Delay is evidence that Dewey did not believe that the killers were Dick and Perry. Capote covers this up and portrays Dewey as the hero, the one did all the work and reaped the rewards.

            Changing the facts also served the purpose of making the story more engaging for the readers. He added suspense and overall made the story flow. “Capote fudged the account of how quickly the KBI acted after receiving that decisive tip, the author did it because he thought the detail didn’t matter much” (Miller) and by removing the useless details Capote twists the story to increase engagement of the readers. The fast reaction keeps the readers on the edge of their seats wondering how and when Dick and Perry will be caught. Capote disregarded the time delay between Harold Nye going to the Hickocks and Floyd Wells lead. Again, this creates suspense as the novel is faster paced than reality. Continuing the action leading up to the capture was when “Nye spotted a 12-gauge shotgun belonging to Hickock, the same type of gun used in the killings.” (Miller). This discovery when combined with the sped up story line and confirms the readers that this is how Dick and Perry get caught without making them wait. Capote made changes to make the originally slow story fast paced and full of suspense, ultimately engaging the reader more than the original story would have.

            Capote changed the facts to make Dewey a hero and make the Clutter’s story more interesting and engaging in general. Dewey was changed to portray a hero when in reality he hesitated and stuck to his belief that the killers were people with a personal grudge. Capote enhanced the story by hastening its pace and in doing so making the novel more suspenseful. Although Capote was trying to improve his novel that was his greatest mistake was to not keep the novel “immaculately factual” (Capote) as he himself said. In Cold Blood lost value as a non-fiction novel the moment Capote bent the truth.

Works Cited

Miller, Laura. "Truman Capote’s Greatest Lie." Saloncom RSS. Salon Media Group, 14 Feb. 2013. Web. 09 Sept. 2014.

Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood. Boston, MA: G.K. Hall, 1993. Print.