Themes of community, family, and mental illness in the book In Cold Research Paper

Themes of community, family, and mental illness in the book In Cold Blood by Truman Capote - Research Paper Example The clutter is portrayed as a well to do family of six who started from a humble background. At the time of the murder, Clutter was said to have graduated into a successful farmer and a generous employee who is admired by many people in his community. Capote in writing his book brings out certain pertinent ideas on the American living that are artistically captured in creatively organized themes. This paper examines the themes of community, family, and mental illness as portrayed in Capote’s In Cold Blood and how they are intertwined in describing a true American Countryside life. Community The role of the community in a Native American countryside life is pleasingly analyzed in Capote’s book by examining the organization of the community and the role played by the community members to each other in their bid to co-exist. Holcomb village is pictured as a middle class American village characterized by people of different caliber. According to Gibson, the Clutter is said to be one among the other members who can be graded as successful members of the Holcomb community and his status earns him a lot of respect from the whole community and in the whole state as a generous employer. The family is highly regarded as having started off from a humble background to their then state. ... e community members respect the Clutters because of his kindness despite his status despite the material wealth he owns as compared to the surrounding neighborhood and this is evidenced in the shock and sympathy with which the whole village receives the news about their murder. Capote describes a friendly community as one where the members live in harmony with each other regardless of one’s social status and the Clutter’s death is a revelation to the security threat in the region that a long time has co-existed in a peaceful environment. (Capote) This is contrasted with the Smith’s community, which is rather brutal, and each one is not concerned about the welfare of the other. Smith’s father is an example in this case who continuously batters his wife to an extent that they divorce. Moreover, the situation in the Smith’s village is expended when the Smith’s family is torn apart due to constant quarrels, he runs away from home and finding no f riends to confide in, he engages himself in crimes influenced by the bitter experiences and neglect he had been subjected. No one cares about him despite the ordeal he undergoes, Guest further asserts that his beating and humiliation by cottage mistress result from his maturity malfunction. Out of loneliness, Smith is most likely lured into criminal offenses, in order to avenge his bitter experiences, that lands him in and out of detention several times. Smith’s coincidental meeting with Dick who takes advantage of his situation is probably augmented by lack of care and intervention by the surrounding people and family friends. Even after he has landed into bad company the community members are still silent about this and no one intervenes to offer comfort or counseling to their troubled fellow. This only accelerates