Geoffrey S. Fletcher once said that, “Characters who experience great trauma will sometimes create an escape”. This escape, for Perry Edward Smith anyway, was murdering four innocent people on November 15, 1959 in Holcomb, Kansas. However, there was no excuse for this massacre, but reasons as to why he did it are explainable, and these reasons lay deeply psychological. Perry Smith experienced a dreadfully traumatic life, starting from an adolescent age. Arguably, Perry could have led an ordinary life if it wasn’t for these certain traumatic occurrences. Three distinct experiences shaped his mental stability forever and directly correlated to his murderous ways, which included him never receiving a proper education, getting into a motorcycle …show more content…
The Clutter family consisted of Herbert and Bonnie Clutter, the parents, their two children who lived inside of their house, Nancy and Kenyon Clutter, and their two other daughters who moved out, Beverly and Eveanna Clutter. The Clutters were a well-respected family throughout the small town of Holcomb, Kansas. However, Herbert was a wealthy farmer, his wife suffered from psychiatric spells, Nancy was the town’s sweetheart, and Kenyon was a soft-spoken teenager with an interest of building things. On a particular Saturday night in 1959, the family went to bed as usual, nothing seeming to be able to go wrong. That same night, they were all brutally murdered by Dick Hickock and Perry Smith for the reason being greed and wealth. After they murdered the family, they set out to travel to Mexico to search for riches, but it did not suit their expectations. From there on out, they avoided the police and covered up the evidence as best they could, but still it was not enough. Nearly two months after the slaughter, on December 30, they were captured in Las Vegas. From there, they were taken back to Kansas for the trial, and were sentenced to the death penalty. In conclusions, Mr. Smith and Mr. Hickock were hanged on April 14,
Growing up in a small town you would never expect for a family to get murdered. Many people have the perception that in a small-town things, never happen. Well I’m sure that’s what Herbert and Bonnie Clutter thought to until the night of their death. Herbert and Bonnie Clutter lived in Holcomb, Kansas with their two kids Nancy and Kenyon on their family farm. The Clutter family was very respected within the community and in Garden City. Herbert was also a very respected employer. The Clutter family lived a very disciplined but still enjoyable and well provided for.
In Blood In Blood Out is a drama directed by Taylor Hackford, and starring Damian Chapa (Miklo), Benjamin Bratt (Paco), and Jesse Borrego (Cruz), produced by Hollywood Pictures. The film was based off everyday life in East Los Angeles, from the 1970’s through the 1980’s. Damian Chapa stars as Miklo in the film, a Mexican-American who wanted to be accepted, not by his skin but for the Mexican within him. Benjamin Bratt (Paco) was the older cousin of Miklo, who learned his lesson throughout the movie and changed his ways. Jesse Borrego (Cruz) is the step-brother of Paco who was a talent artist, who ended up turning to drugs because of back problems caused by a rival gang incident.
The clutters or close family but like all family they have their differences Mr. Clutter tells Nancy to break off a relationship, “By accident, surprised his daughter and the Rupp boy Kissing. He had then suggested that Nancy discontinue seeing so much of Bobby” (page 8) but yet Nancy does not want to end her relationship. The clutters also feel that they do not want him to fall on each other and
During his childhood, Perry experienced and was marked by brutality and lack of concern on the part of both parents (Capote 296). Dr. Jones gives a very detailed description of Perry's behavior. He says that Perry, who grew up without love, direction, or m...
“Having secured a pair of women’s panties or drawers, he would take it to his basement or home, put it on, experience excitement and sexual completion” (Kennedy, Hoffman, Haines). This is said about William Heirens, a serial killer from Chicago. People that are insane should not be punished for what they cannot control. They should be helped. William did not receive the help he should’ve when he was younger, and that is why he was able to kill without mercy. William Heirens was destined to become a monster; evidence of this is shown in his early life as a child, the many influences he had throughout his life, and the inevitable capture of the man.
The lives of everyone in the town of Springfield Oregon changed on May 21st of 1998. A quiet boy named Kip Kinkel became known as “The Killer at Thurston High” after killing both of his parents, murdering two classmates, and severely injuring 24 others. There are many factors in the 15 year old boy’s life that led up to the horrific events that occurred on that day. The same factors that influenced the tragedy in occurring could have very easily insured that it never happened to begin with.
In the book In Cold Blood the people of Holcomb and other friends of the Clutter family are deeply affected by the murders. The people in the town perceive the Clutters as the family “least likely” in the world to be killed. Rejecting the idea that the killers were strangers, many of them become suspicious of everyone and anxious about their own safety in the company of their neighbors. According to Truman Capote, the author, it is the first time the community of this part of Kansas have had to undergo the “unique experience of distrusting each other” (page 88).
Harris was “the callously brutal mastermind” while Klebold was the “quivering depressive who journaled obsessively about love and attended the Columbine prom three days before opening fire” (Columbine High School, History). On an article published by Cullen on Slate.com, it reveals the true motivation and meaning behind the actions of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold.
Capote presents alternating perspectives, the four members of the Clutter family Nancy, Kenyon, Mrs. Clutter and Mr. Clutter, being victims, and the two murderers, Dick Hickock and Perry Smith. These different perspectives allow the reader to relive each side of the story for example, “Good grief, Kenyon” (Capote 17). Then the next part begins "Dick was driving a black 1949 Chevrolet sedan” (Capote 22). The alternating views help to control each section of thoughts and help prevent the reader from misinterpreting the thoughts. I found it easier to read since so many characters were involved. By using this perspective the reader gathers pieces of the puzzle leading up to an awful Clutter family murder.
Herman Mudgett, better known as Dr. H.H. Holmes, was born May 16th, 1861, and died May 7th, 1896. He was an American serial killer who trapped, tortured, and murdered possibly hundreds of people. It is believed that his early life is what influenced his love for death and killing. According to Jerrod Brown, Eric Hickey, and Blake Harris, “the childhood of Holmes was shaped by physical abuse, difficulties in socializing with peers, and cruelty towards animals” (Brown, Hickey, and Harris). Holmes obsession with inflicting pain on others would eventually lead him to becoming America’s first documented serial killer. In this paper, Holmes early abusive life and late life will be discussed as well as his life of a serial killer
Several times in the story the Misfit tries to victimize himself. He says he “ain’t recalled to this day” (265) why he got sent to the penitentiary even though there seems to be proof that he killed h...
Perry Smith did not live the happy childhood that he deserved, abandoned by his family at a young age he was forced to live at a terrible orphanage. “The one where Black Widows were always at me. Hitting me. Because of wetting the bed...They hated me, too.” (Capote 132). In this specific orphanage, Perry was beaten by the nuns that own the place. The short sentences within this quote truly emphasize the dramatic and horrible conditions that Perry had to live with in the orphanage. Sympathy is created ...
Being defined by nature or nurture. Isn't enough to make finally decisions about one person. But for some it just might be. Perry Smith had an abusive past. It seems to still haunt him when he looks back on it. But that justify his crimes in anyway. Perry seems to have handles himself very well about the past ,but that isn't enough. Perry Smith on the night of November 15, 1959 was at a point where he made a choice that would affect him for the rest of his life. Perry deep down believes Mr. Clutter is a nice gentlemen and even says so. Yet his actions were done out of the natural nature to him. He then ends up cutting his throat, followed by shooting the rest of his family brutally. In this case, it clearly shows Perry smith as someone who takes up in the naturally
Watching this tragic documentary left me with a lot of questions. I can relate this documentary to more than one theory that I have learned in class, but I think the best theory that explains what I saw is the Psychological School of Criminology. This documentary is a vivid picture of how a person’s life can devastate them psychologically and turn them into something deplorable. According to the Psychological School of Criminology crime results from inappropriate conditioned behavior or abnormal, inappropriate or dysfunctional mental processes stemming from the personality. Defective or abnormal mental processes have a variety for causes including a diseased mind, inappropriate learning, or inadequate conditioning, usually in early childhood. This theory best fits with the documentary of Aileen: The life and death of a Serial Killer. All the mental or psychological damage was done to her during her childhood. All that made an impact on her to the point where she has no self-respect.
In “The Brain on trial”, David Eagleman (2011) recounts the horrifying events which occurred on August 1, 1966. Charles Whitman entered the University of Texas with a rifle and secured himself in the bell tower. He then proceeded to shoot and kill 13 people and injure 32 more. Whitman was also shot and killed; however, during his autopsy it was discovered that a tumor was pressing against his amygdala. According to Eagleman, “The amygdala is involved in emotional regulation, especially of fear and aggression” (2011). Therefore, Whitman was possibly experiencing a fundamental change in his emotions and personality due to the tumor. Though Whitman did not survive, his case still poses questions as to whether or not he should be held accountable for his actions; moreover, should Whitman have received the maximum punishment for the murder he committed? Charles Whitman may not have had control over the feelings of “rage and irrational thoughts” (2011) he was experiencing; however, the precision of the attack indicates he was well aware of the actions he was committing.