Truman Capote

In a world where people have succumb to viewing people and objects only for face value, there are few who take a deeper look into what is actually present underneath the surface. One of these people was Truman Capote. Capote was able to take experiences from his own life and put them into words for the public to read and relate to.

Truman Capote was born Truman Streckfus Persons on September 30, 1924 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (“Great” 233) His mother, Lillie Mae Faulk was married to Arch Persons. (“Great” 234”) She was the tender age of sixteen when she had married him in an attempt to escape her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama. (“Notable” 218). Arch tried many other jobs and was often near being in trouble with the law due to his schemes and sketchy dealings. Capote’s parent’s marriage ended after seven years and in 1930, he was left with Lillie’s family in Monroeville. As a child, he was considered a “sissy” but was a very likeable child. He made friends with his neighbor, Harper Lee, who would later become the author of award-winning novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, and would help him in his research on In Cold Blood. Lillie Mae moved to New York and then married Joseph Garcia Capote. In 1932, she brought Truman to join them and Joseph adopted him in 1935, giving him the name of Capote. (“Great” 234)

Capote started attempting fiction at the age of ten and often felt himself different from others around him. The absence of love from his parents and the unstableness of a home contributed to his developed sense of isolation. (“Notable” 219) Capote decided to become a writer in high school but due to his preoccupation with it he failed classes. (“Great” 234) He had been sending out publications for his stories since he was f...

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...uce everything that he saw and heard exactly as he had perceived it. He was able to use the techniques of fiction – characterization, description and detail – to dive deeper underneath to surface of journalistic writing to bring the people and events of the story to life. He was able to demonstrate that when true events are given shape and structure, reportage can be turned into a story. (“Great” 241)

Truman Capote is one writer in American Literature that has left his mark on the world of writing. Through works such as Other Voices, Other Rooms, and his non-fiction masterpiece, In Cold Blood, his words and ideas will be valued and critiqued as masterful literature for decades to come. He was a pioneer in short story writing and brought new life to the genre of reportage. The lasting influence of Capote’s work will pave the way for aspiring writers in the future.