In Cold Blood, Truman Capote

In Cold Blood, Truman Capote Study and Comprehension Questions pages 159-248

1. Explain the connection Floyd Wells has to the Clutter murders.

2. What are the two reasons Wells is reluctant to come forward? What eventually changes his mind?

3. What is Marie’s reaction to the lead introduced by Floyd Wells?

4. Identify at least two clues ascertained by Detective Nye after his interview with Mr. and Mrs. Hickocks. How does this evidence corroborate the Wells story?

5. Why don’t Perry and Dick kill Mr. Bell?

6. What are some of the key pieces of evidence or information gleaned by Detective Nye while investigating Perry’s activity in Las Vegas?

7. What request does Mrs. Barbara Johnson make of Detective Nye? Why does she make this request?

8. Describe Mrs. Barbara Johnson’s trip down memory lane. What does she think of her father, her brother Jimmy, her mother and Fern? How has her view of Perry changed? What are some of the differences between Perry’s upbringing and the upbringing of the other children?

9. What did Perry consider a “crazy man stunt?”

10. What do you think of Dewey’s philosophy, “the safer they feel the sooner we’ll catch them”?

11. What prohibition is made by both Mrs. Hartman and Myrt Clare?

12. What is foremost in Perry’s mind as he cleans his laundry at the Washateria? 13. By this point of the book, we have learned a great deal about Dick and Perry’s criminal relationship and friendship together. Describe their relationship. How does each character seem to fulfill a need for the other character?

14. Describe Inspector/Detective Dewey’s dream. Does it turn out to be accurate? Why does Dewey mistrust his own premonition?

15. How does Capote’s writing develop Dick’s psychological state of mind? How does Capote help readers to understand how power functions or what might contribute to Dick’s rage?

16. What little secret of Dick’s is revealed in this section? What is his primary motivation for keeping this aspect of himself a secret?

17. What is Perry’s opinion of Dick’s secret? Use a quote from the book to reinforce your answer.

18. What is Perry’s “tremendous fascination”? In what way has he granted in himself this wish since his actions at the Clutter household?

19. How are Perry’s and Dick’s views of the future starting to diverge?

20. How has Bobby Rupp fared as time has passed?

21. Why does Capote bother to relate the tale of the boy and Johnny collecting cans?

22. How does Dewey ruin his wife’s party? Why isn’t she angry with him?

23. What was the second half of Dick’s Las Vegas plan? Why doesn’t it work? 24. Describe Dick’s family background. Why does he think that he and Perry have been picked up by the cops?

25. How did Dick end up in jail the first time?

26. Why are Perry and Dick being held separately?

27. As they are being questioned, where do Dick and Perry’s stories diverge?

28. Identify the holes in Dick’s story that allow Church and Nye to pinpoint him as one of the murderers.

29. What leads to Hickock’s eventual confession? What does he say when he eventually confesses?

30. After news of Dick’s confession spreads across the airwaves, Mrs. Myrt Clare maintains her theory is correct. How does her theory of the Clutters’ murder differ from the story being told by Dick and Perry?

31. Describe Perry’s state of mind during the night of the killings. Trace Perry’s excuses and alternatives as he tries to get out of the score entirely or change the violent nature of the crime. Begin with the inception of the crime and follow through to the execution of the crime.

32. What did Nancy and Perry discuss? What did Nancy and Dick discuss? Which additional offense did Perry refuse to go along with?

33. According to Perry, what was the order of killings?

34. According to Perry, which of the Clutters did he kill?

35. According to Perry, which of the Clutters did Dick kill?

36. What did Perry think of after he and Dick had committed all four murders and were down in Mr. Clutter’s office again? How is this reminiscent of something Dick thought of early on in his interrogation?

37. How did Perry’s and Dick’s versions of the crime differ?

38. What was Dewey’s reaction to Perry’s version of the crime? How did he feel towards Perry? 39. What was the outcome of the score, meaning what did Perry and Dick get out of robbing the Clutter household?

40. Describe the scene at the Garden City Courthouse on the day that Perry and Dick arrive.