Go on to explore the presentation of the American Dream
elsewhere in In Cold Blood. [16] (Rewrite)
The American Dream is a national ethos of the United States, the set of ideals in which
freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success which is achieved through hard
work. In this faction novel, In Cold Blood, Capote presents the Clutters living the American
Dream in various ways, but also uses this to highlight the inequality of this attitude through
Smith and Hickock as Norman Mailer wrote in one of The Presidential Papers: 'Since the
First World War Americans have been leading a double life, and our history has moved on
two rivers, one visible, the other underground.'
Capote uses Section 1, The Last to See Them Alive, of the novel to present the various
ways the Clutters represent the American Dream. With a multitude of research, Capote
describes the Clutters last day alive in Holcomb, describing Herb as “the community’s most
widely known citizen” and recognising his hard work on the farm, and how Nancy is “a real
Southern belle” and a “straight-A student” as well as someone who has strong family and
community values. Bonnie’s post natal depression, a misunderstood issue in 1950’s
America, is presented as “suffered ‘little spells’” in hopes to resolve it with surgery. Capote
clearly establishes the Clutter family as living the American Dream and evokes empathy
from the reader throughout Section 1. However, Tony Tanner’s review in the Spectator
claimed, “the American Dream turning into the American Nightmare” suggested that the
novel unsettled the readers implying that the perfect American Dream lifestyle, who people
work so hard for, can be taken away so easily as Andy Erhart stated, “How is it possible that
such effort, such plain virtue, could overnight be reduced to this”.
As a screenplay writer as well as a novelist, Capote uses a specific structure to highlight the
connection between the Clutter family and the murderers Smith and Hickock. By juxtaposing
and linking the lives and values of the Clutters and those of the killers, Capote produces a
stark image of the deep doubleness in American life. This also encourages the readers to
see how Smith and Hickock have a different approach to achieving their American Dream
such as finding treasure and committing fraud, unlike Herb Clutter’s approach of honest hard
work on a farm.
Capote appears to have a pessimistic view towards the American Dream in In Cold Blood as
the murder of the Clutters put a sudden end to the idyllic lifestyle in the Holcomb community
and the reader is reminded of the lives that have been affected.
elsewhere in In Cold Blood. [16] (Rewrite)
The American Dream is a national ethos of the United States, the set of ideals in which
freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success which is achieved through hard
work. In this faction novel, In Cold Blood, Capote presents the Clutters living the American
Dream in various ways, but also uses this to highlight the inequality of this attitude through
Smith and Hickock as Norman Mailer wrote in one of The Presidential Papers: 'Since the
First World War Americans have been leading a double life, and our history has moved on
two rivers, one visible, the other underground.'
Capote uses Section 1, The Last to See Them Alive, of the novel to present the various
ways the Clutters represent the American Dream. With a multitude of research, Capote
describes the Clutters last day alive in Holcomb, describing Herb as “the community’s most
widely known citizen” and recognising his hard work on the farm, and how Nancy is “a real
Southern belle” and a “straight-A student” as well as someone who has strong family and
community values. Bonnie’s post natal depression, a misunderstood issue in 1950’s
America, is presented as “suffered ‘little spells’” in hopes to resolve it with surgery. Capote
clearly establishes the Clutter family as living the American Dream and evokes empathy
from the reader throughout Section 1. However, Tony Tanner’s review in the Spectator
claimed, “the American Dream turning into the American Nightmare” suggested that the
novel unsettled the readers implying that the perfect American Dream lifestyle, who people
work so hard for, can be taken away so easily as Andy Erhart stated, “How is it possible that
such effort, such plain virtue, could overnight be reduced to this”.
As a screenplay writer as well as a novelist, Capote uses a specific structure to highlight the
connection between the Clutter family and the murderers Smith and Hickock. By juxtaposing
and linking the lives and values of the Clutters and those of the killers, Capote produces a
stark image of the deep doubleness in American life. This also encourages the readers to
see how Smith and Hickock have a different approach to achieving their American Dream
such as finding treasure and committing fraud, unlike Herb Clutter’s approach of honest hard
work on a farm.
Capote appears to have a pessimistic view towards the American Dream in In Cold Blood as
the murder of the Clutters put a sudden end to the idyllic lifestyle in the Holcomb community
and the reader is reminded of the lives that have been affected.
