coldblood

herbert clutter physical appearance

broad shoulders, dark color, square jawed, confident face, with in tact teeth

perry smith physical description

man with tiny feet, no taller than a twelve year old, stunted legs, crouching torso of a weightlifter

dick hickock physical description

a man with a tattooed covered boy, slightly aslant lips, askew nose, and uneven eyes,

bonnie clutter looks like

heart shaped face. missionary face,

Nancy clutter looks like

a pretty girl, lean and boyishingly agile, short bobbed. shining chestnut hair.

Kenyon Clutter appearace

boy with crewcut hemp-colored hair, 6 feet tall and lanky.

Bobby Rupp

apppearance

A big-shouldered boy with a good-natured face

alvin dewey appearance

“A tall, square-shouldered man, his dark hair tinged with gray, his manner serious and composed

harold nye appearance

short man

susan kidwell appearance

A shy, gentle girl with dark hair and large, solemn eyes.

tex smith appearance

A lean, sun-worn man with a cowboy’s gait and a face lined by years of hard living

who is dick hickock

Along with Perry, one of the two murderers of the Clutter family

who is perry smith

Along with Dick, one of the two murderers of the Clutter family.

who is herbert clutter

The father of the Clutter family. Herb’s wife is Bonnie.

who is bonnie clutter

Herbert's wife who suffers from depressive mental disorders she spends a great deal of time in bed.

who is kenyon clutter

Along with nancy, one of the two youngest kenyon children.

who is nancy clutter

Along with Kenyon, one of the two youngest Clutter children.

who is Bobby Rupp

a high school basketball star whos dating Nancy.

who is Alvin Dewey

An investigator for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI)

who is Harold Nye

One of Dewey's principal KBI assistants.

who is Susan Kidwell

Nancy's best friend

who is Tex Smith

Perry's father

when does the novel mention perrys yellow bird

During Perry’s confession in Part III: Answer, he recalls his lifelong vision of a giant yellow bird swooping in to save him from abuse, particularly from nuns and his father.

how does perry describe the yellow bird

"an avenging angel," would tear his tormentors apart, offering him the protection he never had in real life.

what does the yellow bird represent

Represents freedom and power in contrast to Perry’s real-life helplessness

what does the yellow bird symbolize

Symbolizes his inner rage and thirst for revenge, particularly against authority figures who mistreated him.

perrys lack of love and security

made him deeply distrustful and emotionally unstable.

Education Deprivation

Perry had little formal education, which made him insecure about his intelligence.

perrys family

their marriage ended due to his mother’s alcoholism and his father’s harsh temperament. After the divorce, his mother took him and his siblings, but she was unable to properly care for them.

neglect & orphanages

After his mother’s death, Perry was placed in various orphanages. In one Catholic orphanage, nuns physically abused him for wetting the bed, an experience that deeply traumatized him.

The Clutter house

represents Herb Clutter’s hard work, discipline, and success.

why does clutters house represent success

He built his family’s prosperity from the ground up, and the home stands as a testament to his achievements.

The House as a Symbol of Vulnerability

Despite its size and wealth, the Clutter home is isolated in the Kansas plains, making it an easy target.

he openness of the house—like the Clutters’ habit of leaving doors unlocked—symbolizes

trust in a safe world, which is tragically misplaced.

After the murders, the house becomes

a site of horror, proving that no amount of success or morality can guarantee safety.

The House After the Murders: Loss of Innocence

Once filled with life, warmth, and love, the house is now empty and abandoned, mirroring how the Clutter family is completely erased.

The Clutter home represents

the illusion of safety and the fragility of the American Dream.

what does the clutter house go from

It starts as a symbol of success and security but ends as a symbol of how quickly that security can be destroyed by senseless violence.

Perrys Remorse Over Nancy Clutter’s Death

After the murders, Perry recalls Nancy Clutter and feels deep regret about killing her.

What does perry tell investigators

He tells investigators that he didn’t want her to suffer and wishes he could take back his actions.

Dick’s Lack of Remorse

feels no guilt at all—he jokes about the crime, objectifies Nancy, and is more concerned about covering his tracks than about the people he killed.

Is Guilt an Inherent Trait or a Learned Response?

guilt is a learned response, shaped by experience, empathy, and personal morals rather than something purely innate.

Perry vs. Dick Contrast

Perry struggles with guilt, while Dick feels nothing for the Clutters.

If guilt were inherent,

both men should experience it. Instead, Perry's guilt comes from his troubled past, sensitivity, and moral conflicts, while Dick lacks this emotional capacity.

Arguments for Perry’s Redemption

He shows guilt and remorse, His traumatic past shaped his violence, He is not inherently cruel

Perry is not inherently cruel

Unlike Dick, Perry doesn’t kill for pleasure or power; rather, his violence comes from internal rage and emotional breakdowns.

Arguments Against Perry’s Redemption:

He actively participated in the murders, He struggled with violent urges before the crime, Regret doesn’t undo his actions

Perry actively participated in the murders

Regardless of his remorse, he still took multiple lives in a brutal and premeditated crime.

Regret doesn’t undo his actions

Feeling guilty doesn’t change the fact that he committed murder, and in the eyes of the law, he remains responsible.

Perry’s Emotional Instability

Perry struggles with violent impulses, often trying to convince himself he’s gentle, but when angered, he loses control (as seen when he suddenly kills Herb Clutter).

Dick’s Predatory Urges

Unlike Perry, Dick’s impulses revolve around sexual desires and manipulation. He repeatedly makes crude comments about Nancy and had originally planned to rape her.

Dick also has an uncontrollable urge to

con and steal, even from people who trust him, like passing bad checks without considering the consequences.

Dicks lack of self-control shows his

complete disregard for morality, making him an irredeemable character in contrast to Perry.

The Execution

(April 14, 1965)

who hanged

• Dick is hanged first, still joking, with no remorse.

• Perry is hanged next, looking solemn and regretful.

Perry & Dick’s Time on Death Row

Perry reflects on his past, childhood trauma, and guilt over the killings.

Dick remains cocky and believes he’ll avoid execution.

where are they caught

They are caught in Las Vegas after using a stolen car and writing bad checks.

in the interrogation

Dick blames Perry, while Perry initially denies everything.

who confesses first

Perry confesses first, describing the killings in cold, detailed terms.

No leads at first—until

Floyd Wells, an ex-cellmate of Dick’s, tells authorities that Dick had talked about robbing and killing the Clutters.

how do police link perry and dick

Police link Perry and Dick to the crime through a stolen boot print at the scene.

Perry and Dick’s Escape & Life on the Run

They flee Kansas, cashing stolen checks, hitchhiking, and evading police.

They travel through Mexico and different U.S. states, hoping to start over.

The Clutter Family Murders (November 15, 1959)

The killers, Perry Smith and Dick Hickock, tie up the family, searching for money that isn’t there. Perry slashes Herb’s throat and shoots the family, while Dick mostly watches.

author

Truman Capote

2 actions perry smith

Killed the Clutter family and confessed to the murders

dick 2 actions

Planned the Clutter robbery and murders, wrote bad checks while on the run

herbert clutter 2 actions

Was murdered by Perry Smith, hired farm workers and managed River Valley Farm

Bonnie Clutter 2 actions

Suffered from chronic depression, Was murdered by Perry Smith

Nancy Clutter 2 actions

Helped a younger girl with baking, Was murdered by Perry Smith

Kenyon Clutter 2 actions

Built a wooden hope chest for his sister, Was murdered by Perry Smith

Bobby Rupp 2 actions

Visited Nancy the night before the murders, Was questioned by police

Alvin Dewey 2 actions

Investigated the Clutter murders, Witnessed the execution of Perry and Dick

Harold Nye 2 actions

Interrogated Perry and Dick, Followed a lead from Floyd Wells

Susan Kidwell 2 actions

Discovered Nancy Clutter’s body, Moved away from Holcomb

Tex Smith 2 actions

Traveled with Perry across the country, Wrote a letter pleading for Perry’s life