The Depth of In Cold Blood Essay

The Clutter family murders are timeless; no matter what decade you put them in they will be shocking to anyone who hears about them. Truman Capote presents the tale of the chilling murders in Holcomb, in a non-fiction format, and also gives the reader a different perspective than what is expected. Instead of a straight-forward story, the author gives insight into what the murderers were feeling and thinking. The author of The Lost Continent, Bill Bryson, visits the small town in Kansas and believes that the book is nothing but a true crime story. In Cold Blood is more than just a story retelling the murders that took place; it is a story that shows how the human mind can manipulate itself to think even horrible acts are worth committing.

By taking a road trip to the Holcomb in The Lost Continent, Bryson realizes that the murders are extraordinary, but feels that the story itself is just a way of telling an audience about it. He wrote that, It was essentially just a grisly and sensational murder story But the book has so much more meaning than that. It grips its audience in an almost unbelievable murder story, but is unlike most other murder mystery books, because the reader gets to look into the mind of the murderer while its happening.

Capote helps reveal to his audience the feelings and emotions of many characters throughout the book. The reader gets an inside view of the murderers perspective for many events including the actual killings and their trial. Even though it is hard to comprehend, the reader can better understand the motive and make sense of how the men were feeling while they committed the crime.

In Cold Blood takes the readers mind into more depth than the average true crime story. It helps you think about what is happening from another perspective, a perspective you did not think you could understand. It does all of this while still having all the elements a well-written book needs. Capote understood how to make his point in a way that would get to readers.

It is hard to understand how Bryson would come to a conclusion that the story is nothing but a true story. It is much more than that, and will not only inform readers about the infamous murders, but also give a little insight into the human mind. Whether you agree or not, is up to you, but there is no denying the hostility behind the murders and how two human minds thought it was worth it.