Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood"

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that, when Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood" was first published in serialized form in 1965 in "The New Yorker", it created a sensation, which catapulted the young author to the forefront of the literary world, and, according to the author, created a new genre called the non-fiction novel, an artful blending of facts and fiction. The author stresses that Capote's practice of simply listening to his subjects without the aid of recording devices or written notes was decidedly unscientific and, due to the unpredictable idiosyncrasies of the human mind, susceptible to corruption. The paper relates that, following the enduring success of "In Cold Blood", other authors have indulged in Capote's penchant for exaggeration, sometimes crossing over into outright fabrication such as the cases of Stephen Glass, Jayson Blair and James Frey.

From the Paper:

"Capote's colorful treatment of the Clutter family's murder and the careful yet fanciful examination of their killers showed the world the value and power of presenting a story with a theatrical flair, but questions about Capote's methods and the accuracy of his "true account" have existed since In Cold Blood's publication. Capote seemed to argue that the point of the story was more important than the details presented to illustrate it, but that sentiment has not helped Stephen Glass or Jayson Blair to regain their credibility or James Frey in the defense of his book, nor should it be acceptable when history looks back on Capote's work."

More papers on Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood":

• Analytical Essay # 126272 : "'In Cold Blood' and Capital Punishment"
• Book Review # 111876 : "Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood"
• Book Review # 112649 : "Murder in Capote's "In Cold Blood"

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