Discuss the importance of setting (focus on Holcomb, Kansas).
In Cold Blood starts with details about the Clutter family's last day alive. Did any of the details particularly stick out to you? Did Capote make you feel attached to the family by sharing these details?
What questions do you have about the novel so far?
89 comments:
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I don’t think that the setting in Holcomb, Kansas has much to do with the story, I don’t find it that important. I believe that he did try to make us feel some kind of sympathy towards these people but I really didn’t take it all in.
I feel a little sympathy for the characters that were brutally killed. I feel horrible for them. I think he should have gave the same amount of information for each character.
I believe that the setting is very important to the story. It helps set the feeling that this is a small town that nothing bad ever happens in. It helps to show how surprising and unexpected this was to the people of the town. It really shows the impact of these events. Capote makes you feel that this is an outgoing, helpful family that you would love to know. When he describes the day’s events, it shows that it was a normal day for everyone. Since he shows the normality of the day and how outstanding the family is, you can’t help but feel sympathy for the family. My only question is what is the motives of the killers?
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I believe that the setting is very important to the story. It helps set the feeling that this is a small town that nothing bad ever happens in. It helps to show how surprising and unexpected this was to the people of the town. It really shows the impact of these events. Capote makes you feel that this is an outgoing, helpful family that you would love to know. When he describes the day’s events, it shows that it was a normal day for everyone. Since he shows the normality of the day and how outstanding the family is, you can’t help but feel sympathy for the family. My only question is what is the motives of the killers?
Holcomb, Kansas is the kind of town where everyone trusts everyone. It`s a quiet little town where you would never expect a murder to happen. This is important because everyone is shocked when the Clutter family is brutally murdered there. Before they were murdered everyone in the family acted like they usually did. None of the details about the family stuck out because they acted like any normal family would.
I think that the setting in Holcomb, Kansas doesn't really have any importance. i think they just took a random, small town. and a well-known family that everyone knew and liked. this created sympathy towards the town and the people that knew them. Capote made me feel like i actually knew the family because of how he explained what they did the last day they were alive. he also talked to people from the town and how they knew the family. This made me feel closer to the family as well
Truman Capoti, or however you spell his name, does a great job of making you feel sympathy towards the characters, because the kids a great kids they are involved in many things and really have little to no free time. Plus, their moms a lunatic. cause its hard out here for a pimp, when he's tryin to get the money for the rent, with the cadillac's gas money spent, will cause a whole lot of women jumping ship
I don’t think that the setting being in Holcomb, Kansa had much to do with the story but I do think it being in such a small town had a lot to do with it. The small town setting had a big impact on the people in the town. In a small town everyone knows everyone and basically trusts each other for the most part. At night most people leave their doors unlock because they usually don’t fear anyone breaking into their homes. When the murder happened everyone started to lock their doors and they started to become more aware of everything and everyone around them. I think that Capote, going into detail was a great way to explain every character and make you feel bad for them being murdered. I mean the family killed didn’t do anything wrong to deserve to be killed. Each person in the family was a rather respectable person and was looked up to by the community.
Rosie and Geoff, do not write the same thing!
I think that the setting gave you this feeling of a quiet little town where nothing bad ever happens, so for this to happen to this family was just a complete shock to everyone. He did a really good job describing the characters even though i think he spent to much time talking about Nancy. I felt really bad for the family because of the way he described them, you kinda feel like you actually knew the family as well.
I love the way that everybody has died already. I like the way that everybody was killed in a different part of the house. I think it really builds the suspense of the story. I think it was kind of weird how everybody was shot in the head, but only mr. clutter was slit in the throat also.
Great details Twix!
This book scares the shizznit out of me when i think that i could have my brains splattered against the wall by some random dudes with shotties i think i soiled myself alittle after reading this
I couldnt even sleep last night I was so scared of reading this book. I like the killing and everything but, omg it is so scary.
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Well to be completely honest, I thought that the describing part of the book was extremely intense, actually I would prefer watching paint dry. But overall it was very detailed and it kind of boring but it really did a good job at setting the scene. Truman Capote is probably the most detailed writer that I know. Even though quite descriptive I didn't feel any attachement of affiliation to any of the characters. It seemed as though the author knew the characters a little too much, more as a stalker than a researcher. The setting is crucial to the story because it will make people try to think of any possible motive that the killer had. When I think about it I can't come up with any logical answer.
Real Mature Rosie Roepke
I think that the setting is important to the story because it shows how important that family was to that town since it was so small that since it happened it was devastaing to the entire town. I also feel sympathy for the family cause that would suck to be shoot in the face and yea.
I think that the setting counts. The fact that this happened in a small town instead of a larger city is also taken into consideration. Cities do have loads of murders, but one of the more brutally murders happened to be in a small town. That makes me feel that it doesn't matter where you live, no place is a safe place.
On the pages that were explaining the beginning the characters were being explained the way the author expressed every detail of their lives. Giving that much detail is boring to read and for the pages I read I was sort of impressed on all the detail he gives about the characters. Not knowing what would happen next is interesting how life should be its like being in a horror movie and the people watching kind of know what’s going to happen but in the movie(book) no one knows and I honestly want to know what happens next.
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I think the setting in Holcomb was a way to help the reader imagine what the town was like and how simple it was. I think he made us feel sympathy for the characters because he described how brutally the family was murdered. The day the family was murdered was just another normal day and it shows how fast a normal day can turn into a catostrophic event. You would have never expected this to happen in a small town like Holcomb becasuse its a town that you think you know everyone until something bad happens.
I think it is interesting that the setting is in a small, quiet town. This makes the plot more ironic because you wouldn't expect such a terrible crime to happen in a place like Holcomb.
I like that Capote builds suspense by describing the Clutter's everyday lives. Readers know that the Clutter's are going to die, but the family members themselves are oblivious. Becasue of this, i didn't feel particulairily attached to any of the characters. I like the fact that the novel is fastpaced and quickly shifts from scene to scene.
The only question I have so far is what the killers motives could be.
I think that his description of Holcomb is a way to relate their story to the reader. He describes it as a small, ordinary town, just like any other in the U.S. This way it has much more of an impact when the killings occur. It provides some explanation to why the characters react the way they do and why they are so shocked. Capote definitely made these characters likeable by showing how the town admires them, especially Nancy. By doing this, he gets the reader to feel the same sympathy as the characters in the book. One detail that stood out to me is Capote’s description of Nancy. He focused a lot more on her, because she was essentially the talk of the town. By describing each character in such detail he draws in the reader and intensifies the killings.
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I feel a lot of sympathy for the towns people cause they are terrified of their little town that once was perfect until the Clutter's were brutally murdered. How could anyone ever murder anyone they way they did; what was their main reason. I believe the murderers should be brutally murdered the way they murdered the Clutter family; that way they know what it was like for the Clutter family. I got a little involved with the characters but not to the point where I feel their pain. I think strongly that Capote should have given the same amount of information for each character. Cause Kenyon has very little about him and you really can't get to know him. Nancy has tons about her and you can explore her life more. I feel distraught for the family and the towns people. My one question is why?
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When it comes to the setting i think it makes a lot of sense because sinse its such a small you would have not expectd this to happen. With having the killing happen a small town and everyone knowing everyone what would make someone to do this. Expecally to a well known family. Having the killing happen it must make everyone in town feel hurt becasue everyone knew that family and was really close to them. I think once the books goes on that it will make more sense of why it's in such a small town.
The setting in Holcomb is very important. Some of the details of the murders really stuck to me. Capote made me feel attached to the family by sharing these details.
The setting is the most important part. The setting is important because you have to know where the story takes place. I felt like i was in Holcomb, Kansas. I like when he describe the characters. That was another important part of the book.
I think that the setting is supposed to make us feel a little more attached to the story. i think that the main point of being THAT descriptive is to make us feel like a part of the story to draw us in and then when capote makes a reference to a person or place we will know exactly what he’s talking about. i think that it was a great thing that he was descriptive but do go that far over board with it kind of made it hard to keep even a little interest in the first parts of the book. I think that once you get past the beginning of the book it will pick up in its readability. Your all Jews.
I am not going to lie. I had a rough time reading this book because of how slow it starts. I know that the setting is very important but it was tough to understand but what I got out of it is that Holcomb is a small town. I also think it is a town based around farming and it isn’t very up to date with technology of that time. I really can’t think of any details that suck out to me about the Clutter family beside that they are farmers. They also seem to be a pretty nice family and just like any other family. I think that Capote wants you to become connected to this family and feel for them. He wants you to sympathize with them and feel terrible about their death. Like I said earlier though I was not hooked on this book because the beginning is soooo slow!
I think that the setting is important because it makes you see that Holcomb, Kansas is a small town where pretty much everybody knows everybody and no body thinks that anything bad could ever happen there. I did feel some sympathy toward the characters because the selection was random and they had no idea what was coming. I wish I knew how the killers knew of the Clutters and why they chose to kill them.
I agree with Geoff, the setting in Holcomb is important because of the fact that nothing bad ever does happen there. Let alone four brutal murders. Holcomb is the equivalent of the “Holy Lands” in this area. Yes, the teenagers can get a little rowdy, and yes illegal actions do take place. The point is that something as tragic and horrible as murder seems almost impossible. It is like they are in their own little bubble that they think is impenetrable, but they realize that no matter how isolated they think their town may be, they have the same chances as anyone of getting hurt, or worse.
Since the story is based on real events, I believe it is important to the reader for the story to be placed in Holcomb. If the story was fiction, the readers would pay much less attention to the town it is in.
The one character that stood out for me was Nancy because she is almost perfect in every way. I did not feel much sympathy towards the family. The details became somewhat boring after a while. I think Capote could have made the descriptions shorter.
While I was reading the book I felt like I was one of the family. The author gave good details about everyone but a little more for some. He gave the most details about Nancy. Holcomb is a very small quiet town and he wants us to think that nothing bad could happen there but something bad does happen. I feel bad for the family for being brutally murdered. I think that the setting plays a huge role in the book.
I think that the setting of the book is great importance. Holcomb Kansas is a small town in which crime doesnt happen very often. But for a brutel murder like that to happen there is unbelieveable. You would think that it would happen in the bigger cities but it always seems like the worst crimes happen in places you dont expect to happen
I think that the setting is important. It's a small community and mostly everyone in that town gets along together. Nobody would expect nothing bad to happen. Capote did a good job describing the family. It seems that they are loving famiy and try to be a helpful family to everyone and that everyone would want to be their friends. The family seems to have a ordinary day and all of a sudden this happens to them. I didnt feel any attachment to them but I feel sorry that this tragedy happened to them. One question that I have is why did the killers do it?
The setting of Holcomb, Kansas is very important in the story. How such a terrible thing could happen in such a small farming town surprises people. Everyone in Holcomb knew each other and people seldom even locked their doors at night.
He described the Clutter's as well liked, helpful people of the community.Capote made me feel sympathy for the Clutter family in the way he described them and their murders.
I think the setting is pretty important because it needed to be somewhere people wouldn't think anything out of the ordinary, especially four murders would happen. The house needed to be in the country, but not too far from people, with the landforms and landmarks that were provided. It needed to be somewhere where people couldn't hear the sound of gunshots or if there was screaming or not.
Capote really has you sympathize for the murder victims by sharing all the great accomplishments and achievements the family had; how much they are involved with the community and how they went out of their way to help those who asked. Capote described them as the perfect family; they would be the last ones something like this would ever happen too.
Good comments so far!
I think the setting plays a very important role in the book. It is a very small town where everyone thought that nothing bad could ever happen there. The brutal murders of the Clutter family worried everyone because they thought they were the next victims. The details of the Clutter family's last day reveal that there was nothing out of the ordinary. No one expected anything. I didn't necessarily feel attached to the characters, but I did feel sympathy towards them because they were so well respected and liked.
I think that brutal murders such as this one are actually commen in small towns. The fact that the family is religious and wellknown make it more surprising.
I think that since Holcomb was such a small town that the setting was a big deal. Small towns seem to be very close knit and you wouldn't expect a whole family to just drop dead by the doing of another town member.
I find Copote's descriptions of each family member interesting because he is trying to make you know the family more, but we as readers know that they are going to get killed. I don't feel attached to any of the family members because of that point.
I still want to know why this family was murdered.
asian why do you feel that holcomb is not important i think it is important to the story because you always hear where places have killers. I feel sympathy for all of the characters to. I feel bad for the girl the most because they made her do alot.
I think the setting is vital to the story, most of all, it keeps the story real. The fact that this brutal murder occurs in such a small town makes the reader feel like this can happen to anyone, regardless of the humility of the people in your town or the atmosphere in which you live.
Because Capote went so into detail, I felt like I was seeing first-hand what was going on. He follows the characters so closely that when every little detail gets tied together, the story becomes so real, and every vivid detail gets meshed together to make a story that moves the reader so much. I definitely empathized for the family because he draws them out to be such a normal and outgoing family.
One question I have is, was there anything mentioned yet that hints to why the killers actually did it?
Holcomb, Kansas is not a very large town, and I personal think the author (Truman Capote) want us to know this because he wants us to question ourselves. In a small town when a small thing goes wrong the whole town knows about it by the next day. Truman Capote was showing us that there was nothing wrong with the Clutter family or nothing that happen to bother the town. As I stated before he is trying to make ourselves question, question why the Clutter family was murdered.
I find it kind of weird that he made Nancy sound so perfect along with Mr. Clutter, but nobody in their right mind can be perfect without a flaw. Capote made me feel sorrow for the Clutter family, they seem like they where a nice family and a quite one at that.
I don't think that this book even have been written if the setting wasn't in a small town. I think the setting makes the entire book. In big cities, people get killed everyday. I don't think the book would be as interesting to read or even as popular if the setting wasn't in a small town where everyone knows everyone else. The description of the characters are important too. Part of what makes this book worth while to read is trying to figure out why this crime happened and who did it. If we don't know anything about the characters, it makes it hard to even care about what happened or why it happened.
I think that since Holcomb was such a small town that the setting was a big deal. Small towns seem to be very close knit and you wouldn't expect a whole family to just drop dead by the doing of another town member. Although I think we know that they weren't killed by another town member.
I find Copote's descriptions of each family member interesting because he is trying to make you know the family more, but we as readers know that they are going to get killed. I don't feel attached to any of the family members because of that point.
I still want to know why this family was murdered.
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I feel that the details are very essential in the story, because it causes you to have empathy for the characters and actually care about what happens to them. The fact that the story occurs in Holcomb is frightening because it destroys the stereotype that small towns are safe. Holcomb is described as a solitary town on the high wheat plains of Kansas. Capote talks about precise details that make you feel like the family is a positive influence in the town. Some of the details that really stuck out had to do with Nancy, such as her being a member of FFA, being good at cooking, and how she helps out the community. He gives these details so you can have an indulgent of who these people were and hopes that these fine points connect you to the characters. This way, you will miss the characters and have somewhat a feeling of hatred towards the killers; which causes suspense within the story. It proves that many things that seem ordinary on the surface are not always what they appear to be. One of the things I was confused about during the story was at one point of the story it goes in first person. Isn’t it not in Capote’s point of view? Also; like others said, what are the motives of the killers? Will the book tell us eventually?
I feel that the reason Truman Capote was so detailed was because it was such a small town. Holcomb, Kansas is a small, religious town that respected the Clutter family. Another fact I believed he showed it was a small town, was to get the help of a stereotype of small towns; that there is always someone looking.
Once he started in with the family and their home and lives, you start to know them almost as a friend you have known for a long time. It shows how normal their last day was and how unknowing they were to the trouble ahead. Once the killing starts it makes you wonder why this was happening to such an incident family.
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I think the setting of the story is important because you wouldn't expect something as drastic, as murder to happen in a small town. The fact that the family has no idea what is going to happen to them is frustrating because we are reading in full detail of the last day of their lives. A detail that sticks out is when Nancy baked her last apple pie. We also learned about who they are so you feel sympathy for them because they are a very well respected family and played a big role in the community of Holcomb, so why would you want to kill them?
Please stick to the topics everyone!
I think the fact that these murders happen in a small town like Holcomb is very important part in this novel. I mean think about it, if you hear that someone got killed in a huge city like Milwaukee, you wouldn’t be as interested. It would be just another murder in just another big city, but the fact that a beloved family like the Clutter’s would be murdered in such a small town makes it even more disturbing. Everyone knows everyone. It’s almost like one big family. Who to suspect is the question. Well if it’s not a big town then everyone will suspect everyone. This big question of who did it is in the air is causing confusion. Causing people to move! Also, could possibly live here in our little town of Holcomb and why would someone kill such great people?
I think the thing that most sticks out to me is how Capote explains their incredibly normal last day. If you were reading just the parts about their day you would never see their horrible fate coming. Another thing that sticks out to me was the peculiar smoke smell within the house.
He did make me feel attached to some of the family in a sense. We didn’t hear much about Kenyon, so you can’t really sympathize with him, but I personally, most sympathize with Nancy because she is around our age. When Capote tells you about her day, it seems like an ordinary day for any teenager. She sets out her clothes at the end of the night, the ones she will be wearing for her funeral. I mean we can somewhat relate. She was so helpless looking forward to days with her boyfriend. She had her whole life ahead of her.
I think that the setting of the story really reflects the effect of the murder on the townspeople. Since Holcomb is such a small town, everyone knows everyone else. After the murder, people aren’t quite sure who to trust anymore because it is assumed that someone for Holcomb is responsible for the crime. People become so scared that they all bought new locks for their doors and the Clutter’s closest neighbors moved away. I thought it was sort of creepy how Capote said that Nancy laid out her red dress for church on Sunday even though she would never get to wear it and how it was Mr. Clutters last day of work. I felt sorry for Mrs. Clutter. She just found out that she was going to start feeling better and become her old self again, and soon after she is murdered. Also the fact that she was the first suspect because of her condition made me sympathize for her. I want to know how Dick and Perry know the Clutter house so well and why they would want to murder such a perfect family.
I think that Holcomb, Kansas is a very important location because it made the story as interesting as it is. If this story took place in a bigger city it wouldn’t have been as big of a deal, but because it was in such a rural location everyone was shocked.
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Holcomb, Kansas is a small town where everyone knows about each others life whether they are new to the town or not. Nobody locks there doors because they are all very comfortable with eachother. I think this is important because it shows that nobody would have thought something so terrible would have happened in such a small town. Capote did a good job describing the details of the Clutter family and it really makes you understand what there life was like.
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I thought the setting in Holcomb Kansas was very important, it made to story hit closer to home. It really showed the impact of effects on the family. In a town where everyone trusted everyone knowing the setting made you realize all the thoughts going through everyone’s head. It really made me feel sympathy for the characters. I also agree with Lauren E Feider if the book was in a larger city not a rural place the murder wouldn’t have been as big of deal (The book is kind of freaking me out).
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I don't feel that the setting of Holcomb has much to do with the story itself, but I do think that a small, quiet town is an important part. In a community such as Holcomb, people normally feel safe and comfortable because everyone knows everyone else, and not many people who are strangers to the town pass through, unless visiting friends or family. The fact that such a crime could take place in a such a compact, homely area is creepy. It shows that no matter where you live, you can never be so sure of your safety, and you should always be cautious.
The way that Capote described each character in depth made you feel like you knew them personally. Doing this, it made you sympathise that much more when the family was murdered. Especially because there was no real evidence that the family did anything or bothered anyone to deserve such a brutal death, or any death at all. The Clutter family was well-known and respected among Holcomb, which contributes to the chill of the reality that such an action could truely take place to anyone at anytime.
I think that Holcomb being such a small town had quite a bit to do with it. A lot of stuff goes on in a small town, and news travels pretty fast. Also everyone basically knows eachother which is great but if something bad happens then its not so good. Now that the murders have been committed everyone is scared. And theres not many people that it could be considering its such a small town. Everyone now locks their doors at night, which before they didn't have to cuz they thought they were safe enough and that nobody would hurt them. No one knows why they were murdered cuz they were well known people throughout the town and they weren't mean or rude people either. The characters were well defined by Capote. He really makes the readers feel sympathy for the characters.
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I think that the setting in Holcomb, Kansas was important and tells a lot about the town that we can relate to.Living in such a small town lets us know that news travels fast and there is always new things happening and new and exciting drama everyday.
I really think that the setting helped bring me into the book. I really do think that the characters deserve a little sympathy and that none of them had deserved to be killed
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