White Angel Analysis

Throughout the story, there are several references to the theme of escapism from the banality of everyday life – what reoccurring symbols do you see that reinforce this theme?

            Throughout White Angel there are several references to the theme of escapism from the banality of everyday life and the use of symbolism to symbolize this theme. The main recurring symbol used is the brothers’ love of taking risks and their pursuit of freedom to escape. Carlton and Frisco use drugs, alcohol and hide it all from their parents. This risk is an escape from their everyday boring lives, it sort of gives them a second secret life away from home. The drugs also help them escape because it lets them feel as if “miracles are happening” (Cunningham 232) and that they have “taken momentary leave of the earth” (Cunningham 232) to be free. This idea of being free is symbolized by Woodstock, they dream of living there where they can do acid all day live independently. They don’t want a life of schooling and jobs, they want to live simply “among the trees by the river” (Cunningham 231), a life they think that Woodstock will give them. They think that school and jobs create a cage and to escape this everyday event they must run to drugs and to Woodstock because it makes them feel “excited and terrified” (Cunningham 230). By the end of the story it can be seen through Carlton that the ultimate escape from the banality of life is to not drugs, or Woodstock, it is to simply not be in it, to die.

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.

Truman Capote's Greatest Lie

Main points:

1. Five day delay between the the informants tip on who the killers were and checking Hickocks house.
2. Dewey was convinced that the killers were locals that held a grudge.
3. Capote was trying to make Dewey look like the hero by making him run to the killers as soon as possible.
4. KBI did not look into the lead by the informant as soon as possible.
5. Hickock and Smith are also suspected for killing the walkers family in Florida before being caught and after killing the Clutters.
6. If the KBI delayed in following the tip and Hickock and Smith did kill the Walkers then it is possible that if the KBI instantly followed the tip then the Walkers family might have not died.
7. Smith and Hickock were known to in Florida days before the Walkers murder and had no alibi for that night.
8. According to the book Hickock and Smith were in Kansas city a week before Christmas when in reality they were there nine days before the holiday.
9. Capote was not trying to cover up the Walkers murder.
10. Capote probably thought that the KBI reaction time did not matter much or he did it as a favor for Dewey.
11. The people or person that helps the author the most is more likely to get portrayed as the good guy and vice versa.
12. Capote sold out his readers by telling them the KBI investigators had a fast reaction to the informant tip.
13. Capote's biggest lie was about how fast the KBI followed the lead.

Reader, Writer, Thinker

Ankit Ranjan

English 11

Ms.Gray

August 3, 2014

Telling you about me

            I am a consistent and picky reader. I read throughout the school year and vacation. I mainly read fiction containing thrillers, sci-fi, and dystopian. My all-time favorite genre out of these is dystopian because they show a different world that could have happened, a world solves the problems of today while paying a hefty price. I am currently reading the last book of the divergent series, Allegiant. I am very picky about the books I read, I simply do not pick a book and read it. I tend to ask people who have read the book, read the reviews on the book and read the synopsis. I do this because it makes sure that I will like the book and not read half of the book only to find that I dislike the book. Books with hard to grasp concepts that make me rethink about the plot, action and a bit of romance keep me engaged with the book. I enjoyed reading In Cold Blood because it had a different perspective compared to other detective books, instead leaving the killers to be discovered in the end Truman Capote explored how the crime was committed and included the view of the murderers.

            Writing is probably my most weakest and disliked part of English. For me writing is a long and hard process. The development of arguments and ideas to the point of good writing is a tedious job. I also find it hard to get all my ideas on paper (or computer) as they are in my head. Writing has many ways to phrase the same idea but some are better than others. I personally dislike writing and prefer reading. One thing that inspires me to write is when I believe what I am writing and not writing simply for the sake of it. I understand that writing is necessary and an essential part of life, but I find myself more of a factual person rather than a literature person.

            I like thinking a lot. After watching or reading an interesting movie or book I like to think about the plot of what I just saw or read. I try to empathize with the characters and try understand their point of view while reading. Complex plots and characters that are portrayed with deep emotion and vivid backgrounds engages me to think about the concepts with in the book as well as the characters choices. I also think about what I would do if places in the position of the characters. I also think a lot about the impact of twist endings on the story and how they fit in to the plot.

Letter from Perry to Dick

Ankit Ranjan

English 11

Mrs. Gray

19 August 2014

A Reminder and Criticism

Dear, Dick

I am writing this letter to inform you about my opinion towards you and what you have done at this current moment. My opinions on disobeying direct instructions from the righteous oracle at home (I mean planet Pathos not our earthly home) about not dying and my opinion on you accusing me of killing the whole family. By telling the KBI investigators of the killing you have jeopardized our lives and mission.

First of all, how could you cave in to mere humans, when you know that we are immensely more superior? You must have felt what these humans call feelings, in particular fear. I too have adapted to gain some feeling of fear and sympathy, especially toward children when you abuse them. In the Clutters house I felt sorry for them until I picked up the knife and realized we are not the same. On top of showing fear you blamed everything on me when you were there as well. I depended on you to not tell them anything, in fact, I thought that out of the two of us I would be the one to mistakenly leak information. By telling the truth I am now forced to tell them as well.

            If you remember, our mission from the righteous oracle on planet Pathos was to find out how earth functions, what could bring chaos and strike fear into humans and if the humans are more intelligent than us. With this information the dying planet Pathos could conquer earth and bring about a new age; imagine all the splendor, recognition and money we would receive. Gods are what we would be, but to bring this information back to Pathos we must be alive. As you know the penalty for murder is death. Our mission from the day we were born has failed, because of you we have failed in life.

~Perry