The American Dream is something that anyone no matter their background, social standings, or ethnicity can improve their life through hard work. The Clutter family has achieved the American Dream. Mr. Clutter worked for many people working his way up to become successful. He had a huge farm that he dedicated many many hours too. His hard work paid off. Nancy Clutter is the town sweetheart. She can do no wrong. The entire Clutter is seen as perfect. They have their whole life planned out for them. They define what it means to work hard to achieve the American Dream. Another character who achieved the American Dream is Perry's sister, Barbara Johnson. Regardless of having a similar background to Perry, she lives in a house with a white picket fence. Also, …show more content…
Dick's greed leads to the murder of six. Dick wanted a normal life. Possibly owning a business of his own with a house, a horse, and a car. Unfortunately Dick was too greedy and ended up committing crime. Dick would bounce checks and him and his wife would purchase items they did not have the money for. Dick is able to work, but he wanted to do the minimum amount of and no salary satisfied him. Turning to crime was only because of his greed. Perry was crippled in a motorcycle accident and haunted by a childhood of poverty and abuse. His childhood prevented him from finding happiness. Since the American dream is out of reach for Perry, he turned to a life of crime, where he thinks he can make enough money to treasure hunt in Mexico. Perry is unwilling to work hard for what he wants. Barbara Johnson in a letter says, “are you willing to work and make an honest effort to attain whatever it is you choose to do?”, this reminded him that life isn't handed to you on a silver platter. However, Perry does not see crime as the only way to accomplish what he wants. This said, crime is what Perry ended up turning to; killing the members of the Clutter
Why should that “big-shot bastard” have all the luck? With a knife in his hand, he, Dick, had power. Bigshot bastards like that had better be careful or he might “open them up and let a little of their luck spill on the floor.”,”; even though Dick was only observing a stranger on the beach, these dark images of killing an innocent man flooded his mind (194). Thus, Capote’s use of rhetorical questions did not only show the dark, homicidal side of Dick, but highlighted the insecurities that boiled within him. Nevertheless, he contrasted Dick with Perry, describing Perry’s strong moral beliefs. Nevertheless, Perry had a dark childhood where his mother died an alcoholic and two of his siblings killed themselves, yet he had strong moral beliefs that stopped Dick from committing disgusting crimes, such as wishing to rape Nancy Clutter. Consequently, Capote used rhetorical questions to allow suspense within the story and to let the reader analyze Perry and Dick as the book precedes. For instance, Capote asked about Perry, “How was it possible that so gifted a man had wound up in Lansing?”, which as Perry’s story unfolds, the question must be answered by the reader based on the information Capote gave
Richard killed Frank, an innocent young man and Kyle killed an innocent young couple. Their “choices” to kill—accident or not—changed their lives forever. When Kyle chose to drive while intoxicated, he received negative consequences, living with the fact he murdered an innocent couple and serving jail time. This is something that never leaves his mind and on no
As Dick and Perry are in Mexico, Dick recounts his impression of Perry in the Kansas State Penitentiary where they met. He described Perry as,“such a kid,’ always wetting his bed and crying in his sleep (‘Dad, I been looking everywhere, where you been,Dad?’)” (Capote 108). Because Perry is referred to as a little kid through the use of various metaphors, it is implied that he needs someone to be there for him. It implies that Perry is in need of help from someone because he is really just a lost kid who is confused. He needs a role model and someone to look up to. This person becomes Dick who eventually influences him enough to commit a murder. If Perry is not portrayed as someone in need he would not be easily influenced by Dick. BEcause Perry was lost, he found Dick and was greatly influenced by his
Richard Eugene Hickock, better known as “Dick” throughout the book, suffers tremendously from the constant realization that he is a disappointment to his parents. Dick most likely felt alone and rejected from society due to the constant lying that comes second nature to him. Depression would also most likely be a contributing factor to all of his daily problems. Jail, his first complicated marriage, and debt all had a consuming effect on Dick’s life. All of these overwhelming factors in his life have left him to make some pretty drastic decisions in his life including the grisly murder of the clutter family. Dick’s intellect is what helps him to devise intricate lies and short-term solutions to complex problems. Hickock was a womanizer after his divorce with his first wife. His family consisted of a wife and three children. Hickock had no problem walking away from his three children due...
Although society struggles to see past brutality, Capote use of juxtaposition between the actions of Dick and Perry allows him to justifies Perry’s actions over those of his counterpart, therefore he asserts how good can even be found in people who have committed horrible crimes.
Dick’s character could possibly represent the “evil” throughout the story because of his violent tendencies and lack of remorse and Perry can be seen as the “good,” because there are several parts in the novel that show him both questioning and at times displaying disgust towards Dick’s actions, along with feeling guilty for what they had done. While they were heading to their next destination, Mexico City, Perry stated, “I think there must be something wrong with us. To do what we did”, causing Dick to retaliate even though he initially didn’t realize what Perry was referring to (Capote 108). The fact that Dick didn’t know what Perry was talking about indicates that had chosen to not pay much mind to the whole situation and that he didn’t feel as guilt-ridden as Perry. The author later notes, “they’d agreed, sort of, not to talk about the goddam thing. Just forget it,” further backing up the previous idea (Capote
The whole “robbery” was planned by Dick, the drive was planned by Dick, and even the cover up process was his idea. Although he wasn’t the one who pulled the trigger, Dick is equally responsible for the Clutter family murder as Perry. It would take a horrible person to murder a family, but it takes a vial beast to plan, examine, organize, and operate the murder. Dick grew up with loving parents who were no poorer than any other family in the neighborhood. According to both him and his parents, he was a good kid who did well in school and lettered in nine sports. Similar to Perry, he feels cheated in life and is willing to do anything he must to get what he deserves. Along with this, he has zero insight on how to life a normal life. Dick is the type of person to act on his impulses. He 's likes to have a good time and live in the moment. His aspirations are easy money and easy women. With this, he seems to have no ability to weigh the consequences of his actions, and he will do whatever it takes to get his way. This type of momentary reaction is prone to lead a life of “poor decision.” If he’s in need of money, he will write a few bad checks or maybe steal from a store. If this jig wasn’t plentiful enough, he hitches a ride with a stranger to basically rob and kill everyone in the car. Dick was known for being a terrible person as one man stated, “Dick Hickock! Don 't talk to me about
...ch as the ones above. It was tragic that Dick and Perry lost their lives, but such an occurrence coincides with the idea of the “American nightmare.” Society expects that people like Dick and Perry will be brought to justice and that people like the Clutters will live in peace and fulfillment. Capote argues that while we want things to work out this way it is inevitable that tragedy will strike some of those who embody the “American dream.”
Many of Brent’s careless and violent actions have caused negative consequences. Brent starts the ball of bad consequences rolling when he goes to a party with his friend Jake. The night starts off bad and gets worse from there. Brent begins to drink, clouding his mind and affecting his judgement. He goes up to his crush Brianna while under the influence and starts to chafe her, causing her to get mad and begin yelling at him. Brent becomes severely depressed and suicidal, and he decides to try and kill himself while supposedly driving home. This is the first of many corollaries that Brent experiences. After his unsuccessful attempt to commit suicide, Brent is informed that he has killed Lea Zamora, an 18 year old girl who is a “...senior at Niles North High School, an honor student, ...volunteer at Resurrection Hospital. Why did he have to kill someone like that?”(35) When he hears this, Brent begins to feel a strong g...
Rather then getting help and support to deal with the depression and the pain from watching his daughter slowly kill herself he is stuck in a cycle of anger and defeatism. Anger can be insidious, and it motivates. Stephens is using anger as a way of passing psychic pain on to others I, making others also pay for his emotional deficits. Stephens is very aware of this but chooses to keep taking these cases. “ So I am no Lone Ranger riding into town in my white Mercedes-Benz to save the local sheepherders from the cattle barons in black hats. I am clear on that. Moreover, I do not burn myself out with these awful cases because it somehow makes me a better person. No, I admit it, I’m, on a personal vendetta; what the hell, it is obvious. And I don’t need a shrink to tell me what motivates me.”
Perry thinks in a self deprecating way, he reflects upon his childhood, his siblings, and the Clutters. Perry cannot shake an unrelenting guilt and is driven to the conclusion that in order for two men to commit an act as grisly as theirs, they must have had some form of mental instability. Dick becomes incredibly irritable at the mention of what him and Perry had done and demonstrates a lack of concern for what it takes for two men to butcher a family of four they had never known. Though Capote seldom breaks an impartial journalists perspective in the novel, within this passage Capote seems to intentionally frame Dick and Perry in negative and positive lights. Dick’s syntax always contrasts to Perry’s, but within this passage he is even more aggressive and dismissive than he usually is. In one such instance, Dick challenges Perry’s story of how he bludgeoned King to death with a bike chain, asking Perry whether or not he actually had murdered the former roommate of his. Dick does this to get Perry of the topic and then proceeds to bluntly tell him to “just shut up!”. Capote deepens the negative view his the reader has towards Dick by ending the passage with him running down a stray mangy dog with his car simply for the joy in doing
The American Dream is an idea that anyone can live in the United States through hard work and live happy successful lives. There are many obstacles that would stand in the way from achieving the American Dream. Fear, money and education/training, families changing in size, disability, race and gender, are some of the hurdles that many Americans face as they try to achieve the typical American Dream.
We also learn how the American Dream has changed for Perry, Dick and for everyone living in Kansas, throughout the book. The American Dream is very important, as we learn how it differed for each character depending on their portrayal of their families. The importance of the author using the portrayals of the characters families was to emphasize the American Dream for different types of people.
What is the American Dream? There are a myriad of aspects to it, but one general idea: the ideal life. It is making a lot of money, being respected, and triumphing difficult situations. The American Dream has been pursued by many, but only few make it all the way.
"The American Dream" is that dream of a nation in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with options for each according to capacity or accomplishments. It is a dream of social stability in which each man and each woman shall be able to achieve to the fullest distinction of which they are essentially competent, and be distinguish by others for what they are, despite of the incidental conditions of birth or stance. The American Dream is often something that humanity wonders about. What is the American dream? Many people discover success in a range of things. There are many different definitions of the American Dream. However, the American Dream embraces prosperity, personal safety, and personal liberty. The American dream is a continually fluctuating set of ideals, reflecting the ideas of an era.