Year 12 Literature 201
2015
Unit 3 Outcome 3:
Considering Alternate Views
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
From this point on you should be doing EXAM PREPARATION as all
remaining texts to be studied are examinable. You may have an idea in your
head now of which texts you are going to work with on the exam but this may
change. It is also good to start your skill preparation early. I will provide you
with passages to examine and have outlined a process for text review which
helps as well.
Try to dedicate an hour a week to the development and practice of this skill –
this is not homework, it is study but it pays off for both the SACs and the
exam!
Unit 3: Outcome 1
On completion of this unit the student should be able to analyse, interpret and evaluate the views and
values of a text in terms of the ideas, social conventions and beliefs that the text appears to endorse,
challenge or leave unquestioned.
The study design indicates that this unit of work should cover the following aspects:
Key knowledge
This knowledge includes
• the viewpoints and assumptions of a review, critical essay or commentary;
• how various viewpoints about a text can be developed;
• how to construct a response that articulates and justifies an independent interpretation.
Key skills
These skills include the ability to
• identify the viewpoints or theoretical perspectives expressed in a review, critical essay or
commentary;
• demonstrate an understanding of the underlying values and assumptions of the review, critical essay or
commentary;
• evaluate another interpretation;
• construct an interpretation providing supporting evidence from the text.
Unit Outline
Week
3
5
6
7
8
Day
Mon 27/4
Tues 28/4
Wed 29/4
Thur 30/4
Lesson
Practice Writing For Laskey SAC
Overview
Infamous – Film Viewing
Homework
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Preparation for Laskey SAC
including practice writing and
working on your adaptation
Mon 11/5
Tues 12/5
Wed 13/5
Thur 14/5
Mon 18/5
Wed 20/5
Fri 22/5
Week 4 - Michael Laskey Poetry SAC
Text Review and Discussion – Part 1
Study Session
• Close Reading Questions – 2 hour
Text Review and Discussion – Part 2
• Analysis Micro-Passages – 1 hour
SAC Tutorial
Text Review and Discussion – Part 3
• Close Reading Questions – 2 hour
Study Session
Text Review and Discussion – Part 4
• Analysis Micro-Passages – 1 hour
Mon 25/5
Tue 26/5
Wed 27/5
Thur 28/5
Mon 1/6
Wed 3/6
Fri 5/6
Study Session
Practice SAC – Article Analysis and Plan
Practice SAC – Written Response
Text Review and Final Discussions
Practice SAC Feedback
SAC – Article Analysis and Plan
SAC – Written Response
Assessment
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In this unit your assessment is broken into two components.
In the first you analyse an article which provides commentary on the text.
In the second you discus this article and indicate your own response.
You will have a number of short activities throughout the unit which will model the style of the
assessment as well as a full practice task to complete.
The SAC itself is undertaken over two sessions with one session for each component.
This assessment task is worth 20 percent of the semester mark or 5 percent or your study score.
Context and Overview
Notes as we view ‘Infamous’
Having read In Cold Blood certain things should occur to you during ‘Infamous’.
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What moments strike you as being important?
Note down moments where you suddenly realise that Capote was there – it might help you look at
that moment in a new way.
Note down potential biases, Capote’s nature and contextual features that may give you a new insight
into moments of the text.
Note down your reactions to the relationships in the film. Questions the accuracy of their portrayal
but also think about the way they may have impacted the writing.
Note down contextual information that may have impacted the writing and ideas explored.
Research
You can find plenty of biographical information about Truman Capote and the events of the Clutter
murders on Wikipedia. Here are a few quick references to get you started.
This is the first part of a documentary which looks at Capote’s early life. It is interesting to compare it to
Perry’s life. You can keep watching for more information and sections on his writing of our text.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfWMAReGazY
This is a short news item from Newsweek on the anniversary of the Clutter murders. It provides a good
insight into the town, the Clutters and the events that are depicted in the text. The interviews with the
people of the town that knew the Clutters and the photos and images of them are very evocative. Be
warned however that the crime scene photos are quite confronting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhWlkrkpE08
Focus
Read through these questions now but return to them in the week when we are completing the practice
SAC as your homework. Engage in some discussion of these as this might help you draw together some
ideas on the text and practice writing about those ideas.
1. Capote tried to be both documentary and literary author. How does the literary embellishment of a
true story influence readers?
2. How is montage used? Does shifting perspective hide what Capote thinks of the crime or people
involved? Does it make the tale more vivid?
3. The voice of the Clutter’s comes from friends, neighbours and family whereas the perpetrators of
the crime can speak for themselves. How do the sources of the information shade the readers’
opinions?
4. Beside the primary characters why would Capote flesh out people like Dewey, the other prisoners
on death row, Mrs Ashida or Bobby Rupp?
5. Why would Capote choose the order he did to tell the story?
6. Did Capote take a stand on the death penalty?
The Last To See Them Alive
Consider This View
Truman Capote’s new form of ‘reportage’ is most clearly evident in the way he reconstructs the last moments of the lives of the
Clutter family. The first section of In Cold Blood paints such a clear picture of the last day of both Mr Clutter and Nancy that the
brutal murder of the family, even though evident from the outset, has a resonance with the reader that makes them feel great
sorrow at this loss. The description of the murder scene by Larry Hendricks, the accounts of Nancy’s friends and the reactions of
the other town’s people heightens the impact of the murders by showing how devastating the events of that night were on the
entire town. Extending this is the interspersed introduction of Perry and Dick, showing them as cold and heartless in their
forethought of the killing and intentions. What ultimately tugs at the hearts of the readers however is the futility of the crime;
the loss of such an innocent family with such noble and virtuous character is the result of greed that was always destined to go
unsatisfied.
Close Reading Focus Questions
1. Given that we know what happens how does Capote create suspense in this section? Find three
examples to deconstruct for tension and suspense building techniques.
2. How does Capote suggest that each of the Clutter family were viewed but their community? Complete
a set of notes on each character with page references or specific quotes which suggest how they are
portrayed. Break down at least two quotes which result in the reader being positioned.
3. What is the reaction intended to Herb buying the insurance policy? Given that this is a true event how
is this emphasised by Capote’s choice of explanation and description to make it serve its purpose.
4. Pick 3 other details of the Clutter’s last day that makes you feel attached and invested in the family
and explain how it does this.
5. How is the reader initially positioned to see Dick and Perry? Deconstruct three quotes that suggest
how we are meant to view them.
6. How do Dick and Perry compare. Draw a Venn diagram showing each man’s characteristics with the
centre shared space indicating those things they have in common.
7. What is the significance of Willie Jay? He is introduced as being an influence on Perry at page 40.
8. Larry Hendricks relates the first investigation of the house. Why is the tale related from his point of
view? Look at this section beginning on page 59 and choose 3 examples of description or commentary
that expose the purpose of using Hendricks as the narrator here.
9. Mrs Clare’s response (p66) is somewhat bizarre in the degree to which it differs from everyone else’s.
Why does Capote include it?
10. Write a short explanation of why Bobby’s reaction to the news is so impactful. What is the intention
of including it? Make sure you justify, with specific textual evidence, why you think this.
Persons Unknown
Consider This View
Following the horrific descriptions of the Clutter murders it is hard to believe that Truman Capote could create sympathy for the
murderers but in the second section of In Cold Blood, one constructed after Capote had met both Perry Smith and Dick Hickock,
the reader is presented with the pair’s pasts. The information included in this section, which fleshes out the life of Perry Smith
particularly, forces the reader to see the men not just as a criminal force but as people with ambition and impediments to these
ambitions which force them down a certain life path. It is however difficult to view the dissatisfaction of the men with the
outcome of their crime and resulting struggles in Mexico without experiencing disgust at their lack of remorse.
Truman Capote perhaps empathises with Perry Smith due to the similarity in difficulties of their upbringing. In this way Capote
fails in his attempt to develop a new type of novel which recounts factual events in a literary style. His own voice, biases and
interests seep through and influence how he shares information and what information he preferences.
In an attempt to balance the account of the murderers’ lives and experiences Truman Capote perhaps builds sympathy for Alvin
Dewey as he investigates the case. As a member of the community that is noticeably damaged by the loss of the Clutter family
and as the man tasked with capturing those responsible the reader is made to feel the intensity of the burden placed on Dewey.
The fear he must confront in the community and his own household is an intense motivation to see those responsible brought to
justice and the reader observes the toll that is taken on this man as an allegory of the impact of crime on those who know victims
rather than just the victims themselves.
Close Reading Focus Questions
1. Look at the scene where Perry reads the paper (pg 84). What is important about this moment?
What does it expose about Dick and Perry?
2. Consider how we are introduced to Dewey. Find five quotes that support your idea of how the
reader is meant to see him / be positioned. You may like to move onto the discussion of the impact
of the investigation on his family.
3. We gain a lot of information about Perry’s upbringing. Undertake 3 close analysis discussions of
three of the different ways we learn of his past. You may like to choose from:
a. Fixing the Guy in Vegas(pg 105)
b. His father’s letter (pg 121)
c. His Reaction to his father’s letter (pg126)
d. His sister’s letter (pg134)
e. Willy Jay’s interpretation of his sister’s letter (pg139)
4. What does Mrs Ashida’s decision suggest to the reader? You may like to think about how it
positions the reader to consider the views and values of the text.
Answers
Consider This View
Truman Capote exposes his preference for Perry Smith over Dick Hickock in the third section of In Cold Blood. His focus on Perry’s
accounts and regular inclusion of commentary which places more of the planning and premeditation on Dick’s shoulders damn’s
this man to forever be blamed for the murders despite not firing a shot. In addition Capote constructs, through what he chooses
to include, a difference in the two characters that suggests that Smith is a pitiable but pleasant fellow who is swept up in a
situation he cannot control by a manipulative and aggressive individual in Hickock. The way Dick’s actions are described in his
interaction with hitchhikers, in the final days of the pair’s flight from the law and in his eventual questioning by detectives, shows
him as the more inherently criminal. Perry, by contrast, seems a more naive person and his eventual admission of his actions
seems so out of character with the young man we have been exposed to that the reader musty assume that he is not fully aware
of his actions or in control of them.
Close Reading Focus Questions
1. Floyd Wells’ connection to the Clutters is a positive one. How does his discussion of their
relationship impact the reader (pg152)?
2. Look at Detective Nye’s conversations with Mr and Mrs Hickock (pg 158). What is the result, for the
reader, of the parent’s thoughts of their son? Cite at least two specific pieces of evidence.
3. How does the interview with Perry’s sister have an impact on the reader (pg 173)? Does Barbara’s
request of Nye make you feel differently about Perry?
4. What do you make of Dewey’s dream on page 189? Deconstruct and unpack it in light of what
happens next.
5. Look at the interaction with the boy and his grandpa that Perry and Dick have which begins on page
200.
a. How does it show the difference between Perry and Dick?
b. Does it result in a different view for the reader?
c. What comparison or contrast do we draw between the boy and man and the murderers?
6. Look at Dick’s interview from page 210 to 217. Break it into three parts. In each section pick a
quote which characterises or says something about Dick. Break down what it says and how it
positions the reader.
7. Compare Dick’s interview to Perry’s. Who do you sympathise with more? Why?
8. Consider Perry and Dick’s interaction with Nancy prior to killing her. How does Perry’s account on
page 235-236 make you feel about him as compared to Dick?
9. Perry’s description of the moment when he kills Mr Clutter is interesting in light of the psychiatric
evidence not admitted in the trial. Look closely at his statement and deconstruct the narrative of
this moment. (pg 237-238)
10. What is the significance of Dewey’s reaction to Perry’s statement? (pg 239
The Corner
Consider This View
The final section of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood is a fierce indictment of the criminal justice system and capital punishment.
Capote, as a famous liberal figure, uses the story of two men who he came to know very well to suggest that capital punishment
is a barbaric act. Equally he questions the nature of the court system in Kansas, especially drawing attention the lack of
recognition given to psychiatry as a valid form of expertise for explaining the actions of criminals and potentially mitigating the
most sever punishments. Ultimately, the vivid descriptions of the hangings leaves the reader with little option than to agree that,
despite the horrendous nature of the pair’s actions, their fate is less than deserved. This is compounded by the ongoing
suggestion that Perry, in particular, has a past and mental state which should minimise his responsibility for his actions.
Close Reading Focus Questions
1. Perry gives two reasons for initially blaming two of the murders on Dick (pg 247). How does this
reposition you to Perry? Does attributing all of the murders to him make you feel differently? How
does his desire to protect Mrs Hickock complicate this?
2. On page 248 Perry describes Dick and himself as not being able to ‘stop laughing, neither one of us;
suddenly it all seemed very funny – I don’t know why, it just did.’ How do you react to this
statement? Think about the less common punctuation used here and how it makes you read the
statement.
3. On page 249 Duane West is one of the first to really spell out the seeking of the death penalty.
a. Outline your own response to the request? What do you think of the death penalty? Do
you think it was deserved in this case? It is important to recognise your own thinking.
b. Now consider what you think the feeling in America about the death penalty may have been
at the time? Do you think this differs from your own thoughts?
4. Do you think the description of Dick’s behaviour in prison positions the reader?
5. Consider the selection of the jury (pg 264). What strikes you as unusual about this? Is there
anything given your context that especially seems unfair or non-represeatative?
6. Dick writes an autobiography of himself at the request of Dr Jones, a psychiatrist, look at it closely
(pg 268-271). How does he try to build a case for himself. Is this included in a way that makes it
seem realistic that it will work? Does it build the same degree of sympathy as has been built for
Perry?
7. Mrs Hickock speaks, most likely to Harper Lee, on page 278. Look at this section and consider the
point of its inclusion. What do you think Capote hoped the response to be?
8. Breakdown the role of Cullivan. How is the reader supposed to react to this past acquaintance of
Perry? How might he be a powerful technique to show how lacking in compassion the justice
system is?
9. How do the five character witnesses called for Perry and Dick fair? Do you think they have any
impact on the outcome of the case? Do you think they have any impact on the reader?
10. Closely examine the descriptions of the closing arguments of both sides.
a. What do you think Capote wants the reader to infer by comparing them?
b. What is the significance of both sides citing the Bible? How does Green’s reference make
you feel about capital punishment? Do you think this is how Capote wants you to react?
11. Consider the character of Lowell Lee Andrews. Provide an example from his brief history that
indicates why he is included in the text and one from his hanging that indicates another reason for
his inclusion. Be sure to deconstruct and unpack each example.
12. The various appeals and arguments of Perry and Dick’s various lawyers while they are on death row
raise many issues with their trial and sentencing. Does Capote give them an unbiased coverage or
is there an argument being made through their inclusion? Provide evidence for your position.
13. Look at Dewey’s reaction to those witnessing the hanging (pg 330) in contrast to those of the others
present. Do you think he has compassion for the murderers’ deaths? What might be the point of
suggesting this?
14. Do you think Perry actually apologised? Consider the comments made in ‘Infamous’. Why might
have Capote needed him to? Justify your opinion.
15. Dewey’s response to Perry’s hanging is very different to Dick’s. Look closely at the insights given
into Dewey’s different reactions (pg 333). As a final thought in the text about the two men how
powerful do you think this is? Does it support your feelings about Capote’s bias?
Sample response to a view
The final section of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood is a fierce indictment of the criminal justice system and
capital punishment. Capote, as a famous liberal figure, uses the story of two men who he came to know
very well to suggest that capital punishment is a barbaric act. Equally he questions the nature of the court
system in Kansas, especially drawing attention the lack of recognition given to psychiatry as a valid form of
expertise for explaining the actions of criminals and potentially mitigating the most sever punishments.
Ultimately, the vivid descriptions of the hangings leaves the reader with little option than to agree that,
despite the horrendous nature of the pair’s actions, their fate is less than deserved. This is compounded by
the ongoing suggestion that Perry, in particular, has a past and mental state which should minimise his
responsibility for his actions.
Contention
John Simpleton suggests in his article that Truman Capote is critical of the criminal justice system and
opposes capital punishment and positions the readers of his true account to also see the system as flawed and
as heinous in its punishments as the criminals it deals with.
Assertions
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Capote feels capital punishment is ‘barbaric’ Agree
Capote does not believe the men deserve to be put to death Agree with clarification
Capote highlights how the justice system is flawed particularly in regards to its recognition of
experts’ opinions Agree but extend to other flaws
Capote elicits sympathy for Perry through his past and uses his harsh upbringing to minimise his
responsibility Agree and compare with Dick
On the following page I have written a detailed response to the third assertion here as a model for you.
You should work through it and in the space to the side indicate what function each of the sentences is
fulfilling. You can attempt to replicate this style of response for one or more of the other points.
Point 3
In his article John Simpleton asserts that Capote ‘questions the nature of the
court system in Kansas’ and he is astute in this observation. Smith claims that
the nature of this questioning focuses on the acknowledgments of ‘psychiatry as
a valid form of expertise for explaining the actions of criminals’ and the way in
which it is not made use of to limit punishments and responsibility. Through the
inclusion of Dr Jones’ appraisal of Dick Capote first introduces the idea that
important evidence is not allowed to come to light in the trial. While simply
presenting the true assessment of Dr Jones Capote sets up the inclusion by
stating ‘had Dr Jones been allowed to speak further this is what he would have
said’. The assertion that an essential truth has been silenced and not ‘allowed’
subtly positions the reader to view this as unfair. The subsequent detail of Dr
Jones’ testimony is also suggestive of its value and worth in understanding the
character of Dick. But it is Perry Smith that John Simpleton’s article refers to
and the way in which his psychiatric evidence is summarily dismissed is more
impactful even than Dick’s. In this case the examination of Dr Jones is
recounted verbatim rather than just summarised by Capote. The reader can
therefore see the hostile way in which he is addressed by the presiding judge.
Capote recounts that Fleming, Smith’s defence attorney, asked if Dr Jones had
an opinion regarding Smith’s mental capacity and before an answer could be
given the court ‘once more’ ‘admonished the witness’ to prevent a detailed
discussion being given. The way in which Capote suggests that Dr Jones has
been repetitively reprimanded demonstrates the lack of value placed upon his
opinion and the way in which he is being treated as a hostile witness not just by
the prosecution but also by the supposedly impartial Judge. Capote follows this
with what Dr Jones would have explained had he been ‘permitted to discourse’,
again giving voice to what Capote sees as important information that was not
permitted to be shared in the trial. John Simpleton is therefore observant of
Capote’s sympathies; however he neglects to discuss the many other instances of
unfairness and bias in the trial which also shock a contemporary reader. The
obvious bias of the jury is demonstrated through the selection of members
known to the victim and with an obvious opinion on the death penalty. The way
in which Hickock’s father is shown to be ‘the only voice raised in an
exceedingly silent courtroom’ in identifying the potential bias of the Judge due
to the case being heard in the Clutter’s home town also indicates the limited
ability of Dick and Perry to receive a fair hearing.
450 words
Close Analysis Micro Passages
Often the thing that students of Literature find most rewarding is building a discussion out of evidence
rather than thinking of what to talk about and then finding the relevant evidence to back it up.
Building discussion out of evidence forces you to base what you say on close examination of the text and
its construction. It also leads to you developing original and plausible discussion – two criteria important
for exam essays.
So… you are going to practice this as your homework during this unit. Hopefully you have already started.
Below are a collection of moments from the four sections of the text. You should discuss one or more of
them as skills practice for deconstruction and unpacking as well as general discussion of the text and
fluency of expression. You can use the paragraph structures shown in our units on The Rip or Past The
Shallows or your own developing hybrid of these sorts of discussions.
I have given you the starting line of a paragraph and it is then up to you to look at this section and choose
the specific lines, images and language to pull apart. Even if you are choosing a long section (say a couple
of paragraphs), restrict your discussion to the few very specific textual references within these that lead to
an interpretation.
I am sure you understand how close analysis works by now but just as a generic reminder:
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Start by subtly contextualising the moment to be discussed
Then indicated what the moment suggests
Select a feature (characterisation, imagery, structural feature, language device etc) that leads to
you thinking this way
Outline how that feature leads you to this conclusion
Support this with at least one or two other features, techniques, or moments that construct the
same meaning
Finish by suggesting how this may form part of a larger interpretation of the views and values
present in the text.
Good luck.
Part 1
Page 7 – Other than a housekeeper who came in on weekdays…
Page 17 – Now upstairs she changed into faded Levis and a green sweater…
Page 35 – ‘Miss,’ said Perry, attracting a salesgirl’s attention…
Page 45 – ‘Yes, yes,’ said Mr Clutter, as though conversing with himself…
Page 50 – The phone rang once. Twice? Gosh, I can’t remember…
Page 60 – ‘Well, it was pretty bad. That wonderful girl…
Page 71 – Far of, in the town of Olathe, in a hotel room where ….
Part 2
Page 83 – Not everybody. Certainly not Holcomb’s widowed post mistress….
Page 85 – Perry shoved the plate across the table…
Page 88 – Never mind. It’s not important….
Page 91 – The four coffins, which quite filled the small, flower crowded parlour…
Page 100 – Dewey’s wife dozed, but she awakened when she felt him leave their bed…
Page 108 – There was some truth in the story…
Part 3
Page 163 – Mr Hickock ruminated…
Page 166 – Perry, as he later recalled, thought, Five kids – well too bad…
Page 175 – She considered, and unable to decide, said she didn’t know….
Page 178 – ‘Please, Bobo. Please listen…
Page 186 – A clock on the wall kept catching his eye…
Page 189 – Dewey and his colleague KBI Agent Clarence Duntz stood waiting for a free table…
Page 207 – ‘Paul – I’d sent him out to the washline for some of Alvin’s socks…
Page 235 – ‘No. The taping came later…
Part 4
Page 251 – Neither Perry Smith’s father nor sister wrote him or came to see him…
Page 273 – While this was being done Hickock’s father, addressing a journalist seater near him…
Page 278 – Once her anguish has subsided, Mrs Hickock expressed a need to confide…
Page 280 – Many observers of the trial scene were baffled by the visitor…
Page 299 – Train whistles, the fanfare of an approaching Santa Fe express…
Page 311 – All summer Perry undulated between half-awake stupors and sickly…
Page 314 – Unlike conventional prisoners, the condemned are not …
Page 328 – ‘Well, what’s there to say about capital punishment…
Your Critical Response to Commentary
Often students find this essay the most challenging to wrap their heads around but really it isn’t all that
difficult. You just have to really make sure you understand what you are required to do. Essentially you are
required to show that you can respond to other people’s opinions and ideas by either being critical of them
or expanding on their ideas with your own discussion. This is actually a key element of literature studies at
a university level.
What does this mean for you? Well first of all you need to read another person’s comments on the text
you are studying. While reading you should think about the following ideas:
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What are their main ideas?
Can you boil these down to one major contention?
Do you agree with them? If so what have they said that is compelling and why? How might you
extend on their idea with additional evidence or your own ideas?
Do you have issues with anything they have said? Where are they mistaken or where do you see
things differently? What evidence supports your point of view?
Do you think they could have taken their ideas further and gone deeper? How?
Just be clear you are not being critical of their writing but of their ideas. Reserve your comment for
an analysis of what they have said not how they have said it.
Now for the writing. I guess this essay is a little different because as well as responding to the text itself
you are responding to the comment that has been made on it. There is a very basic structure you should
follow:
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Introduction
Identify the contention of the commentary you are responding to.
Align your own opinion with this contention such as ‘I agree with this and can take this further’ or
‘I agree with some of what is said but would like to clarify other elements’ or ‘The author of the
piece is mistaken in a number of respects I would like to clarify.’
State how you can clarify or extend the ideas. This indicates your reading of the text more clearly.
Body
Each paragraph is based around one of the points in the commentary you would like
to respond to. I will look at how you might like to structure each of these points in
more detail shortly.
Conclusion
What is your overall response to the text?
How does this relate to the comment being made in the article you are responding
to?
So now for the body paragraphs - like all essays there is no one approach but a simple checklist of what
should be in each paragraph can help. This is an essay about how you respond to critical commentary and
ideas of others and how these lead you to more complex ideas of your own so structuring your paragraphs
in the following ways should mean you cover these bases:
Element
Topic Sentence
Explanation
Context Of
Evidence
Main Evidence
Interpretation,
Unpacking and
Deconstruction
Link Back To
Contention
Content
This sentence flags the idea you will be exploring in this paragraph. It is
like a mini contention and should share some of the wording of the ideas
outlined in the introduction without being repetitive. You will likely
make reference to both the article and the text.
This gives some of the detail of your idea and expands upon your topic
sentence. In the case of this essay you may find that this involves citing a
comment made by the commentator and pointing out how you would
respond to the idea being presented. This means you might incorporate
a quote from the article.
To support your opinion presented in your topic sentence you are going
to have to cite evidence from the text itself. Because at this point you
may have only discussed the article you should now incorporate some
overarching discussion of the way in which the text connects to the
article and your position on comments in the article. This will include
setting up the evidence you will b citing.
This is a long quote (a full sentence of about 8-14 words). It might also
be a major image of significance or a major symbol or language feature.
You shouldn’t just shove it in as its own sentence but try and find a way
to weave it into your discussion or interpretation.
You need to discuss the reason for including this evidence, pointing out
why it is important and how it supports your response to the
commentary. This might mean explaining how the evidence justifies you
disagreeing with the commentary or how it extends upon the ideas
presented. As always you may need to point to the hidden meaning in
the quote or image. In this type of essay you should be exploring how
the evidence relates to the interpretation both you and the
commentator are making but you don’t have to be quite as specific as in
a views and value essay or passage analysis – you only need as much as
proves your interpretation
Finish with additional explanation and discussion that links your detailed
unpacking of the evidence back to your overall contention.
Purpose
“This is what I
think”
“What I mean
by that is...”
“This is
evident in the
original text
when...”
“I can prove
this because
this means...”
“This is
important
because...”
Now for the criteria. You should never ignore the criteria because it tells you what to aim for, what to
ensure you do in the essay and what is most important.
This is the’ Very High’ descriptor for this essay:
Highly-developed understanding of viewpoints or theoretical
perspectives. Detailed and carefully-selected reference to key
concepts and terms in the review/essay. Comprehensive exploration
of the values and assumptions underlying one or more viewpoints on
a text. Sophisticated evaluation of one or more viewpoints.
Considered selection and highly-effective use of textual evidence to
support an independent interpretation. Highly-expressive and
coherent development of ideas.
So looking at each sentence as a dot point it is saying:
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You must demonstrate, by regularly referring to it, that you understand what the article is saying
and the opinions it is presenting. This might mean identifying key sentences and terms and
correctly identifying its contention.
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You have to discuss specific claims made in the commentary and, like analysing a text, pay
particular attention to the nuances of language used by the author of the commentary in
communicating their opinions.
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You must discuss how your ideas and interpretations relate to the ideas and interpretations in the
commentary. This means pointing out how your ideas extend on or differs from the points made.
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You must be able to support your own ideas with evidence. Just like any other lit essay this means
showing that you understand what the text is saying and how it is saying it, how the author is
communicating views and values, positioning a reader or how the text is being shaped by its genre,
context or major themes.
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You need to write well. This means structuring your essay in a logical and coherent way. It also
means being clear and concise.
You best bet for good prep is to have this sheet and feedback sheet next to you while completing the
practice essay.
This is a practice article should you want to do more preparation. I can provide you with two additional
practices besides this. There will be a practice SAC and I will hold back that article so that you all
attempt it unseen – as in the SAC.
To Pity the Killer
By Cuthbert Perriwinkle
Despite Truman Capote’s desire to create a new type of novel, telling the tale of true events in an unbiased but
literary way, the fact he developed a close relationship with one of the killers, Perry Smith, results in his novel
focusing on what Capote suggests are the reasons for Smith’s criminality more so than the victims of the crime.
Further, it is evident that Truman saw Perry Smith as deserving of pity and the readers understanding and ultimate
forgiveness.
From the outset the reader is positioned to Perry Smith more favorably than Dick Hickock. Initially this is achieved by
portraying Dick as the more calculating individual. He is depicted as having the premeditation behind the crime. The
foreshadowing of the murderers' intentions in the scenes leading up to the killings comes solely from Dick — who is
eager to leave "no witnesses" and to leave "plenty of hair on them-those walls." These remarks, coupled with Dick's
reluctance to disguise his face despite Perry's desire to do so, leads the reader to therefore believe that it is Dick,
primarily, who is responsible for the deaths of the Clutter family. The motive for the crime seems to be robbery,
because Dick is talking about a "big score," but his overall focus seems to be on weapons, restraints, and a general
eagerness to commit violence. This stands in contrast to Perry who seems more interested in treasure hunting and
the promise of a better life. This difference in ambition sows the seed that Perry has a past to escape where as Dick
is simply evil.
It is suggested in the first part of the novel that there is also somewhat of an unfulfilled romantic relationship
between Dick and Perry. The two murderers remain faithful to one another in spite of each having potential
alternatives; Dick refers to Perry as "honey" and dons the role of protector and teacher. Perry is clearly intrigued by
Dick and analyzes his interests and behaviors; comparing Dick to Willie-Jay as a woman might a compare two
potential suitors. Capote never refers to the two men as lovers, but romantic symbolism permeates the language he
uses to describe them. For example, at one point, Capote states that Dick and Perry's journey to the Clutter home
finds them "Scrubbed, combed, as tidy as two dudes setting off on a double date…" By sexualizing their relationship
the reader is set up early on to see that Dick has groomed Perry for his foray into violent crimes the pair perpetrate.
As we later discover Dick is a sexual predator and as the two are established here as having a relationship of a
romantic nature, at least symbolically, we are forced to feel that Perry has been manipulated by Dick.
It is not only the demonizing of Dick that makes us feel pity for Perry but Perry’s own history. During Perry's
previous incarceration, his sister sent him a lengthy letter urging him to take responsibility for his actions but Perry's
friend Willie-Jay "analyzes" the letter and convinces Perry that his sister is being unfair to him. Perry clings to every
word Willie-Jay says; Willie-Jay has become very much like the bird in Perry's dream, protecting him from those who
would do him harm. And so in the end, Perry loathes his sister; he tells Dick that he wishes she had been in the
Clutter home at the time of the murders. Rather than using this to suggest Perry’s violent tendency Capote suggests
that this indicates the deep-seated but justifiable anger that Perry has for his family; thus perhaps he murdered the
Clutters out of displaced anger for his own family rather than an innate criminal sensibility.
Truman Capote’s rumoured relationship with Perry Smith may be the reason the killer is portrayed as an innocent,
albeit damaged and misguided, individual. He is portrayed as a loner, drifting through the world with few real
connections to ground him. His father, whom Perry invested a great deal of himself in, betrayed him and his mother
was less than a positive influence. The one woman who has had a positive impact on Perry's life is Cookie, and
Capote mentions her to illustrate Perry's disinterest in women, as well as his issues with love and his own arrogance
regarding his own intellect. Perry speaks to Cookie about love and marriage, but has no intention of marrying her.
When he leaves her, Perry gives Cookie a poem "he pretended to have written." This suggests Perry's need to think
people view him as intelligent, cultured, and artistic, and his complete failure to achieve these things in any real way.
Just a few paragraphs later, Perry is genuinely surprised to discover that perhaps Dick had only been humoring him
about their trip to Mexico. Perry's innocence and naiveté are almost child-like. Capote wants us to see him as a lost
soul who has stumbled down the wrong road in life as a result of the poor guidance he is given in his early life. His
inability to be himself and desire to affect a more intelligent persona reminds us that he desperately wants to
distance himself from the man his past has made him. His inability to successfully achieve this is the crack in the
foundation of his psyche that leads to his criminal behaviors.
In addition, Perry at times feels that he is living "deep underwater," which harkens back to his initial desire to go skin
diving and find buried treasure. He also sleeps all day and is quoted as saying, "I pretend I'm a tiny little baby that
can't keep its eyes open." He says the phrase "tiny little baby" in a voice so child-like that it creates a moment of
compassion, seeing Perry as both a child and someone who once was a tiny little baby, and who wants only to start
over as something innocent. Capote continually reinforces the childlike naivety and susceptibility of Perry by
emasculating him. Perry's position as the occupant of the woman's cell after his capture and return to Garden city
contributes to this process in the first half of the novel. Considering the way Dick used to call Perry pet names like
"Honey" and Perry's noted small stature, his placement in a holding cell meant for women seems natural and further
develops his subservient position to the stronger, hence more responsible and demonized Dick.
During the trial Perry's earns the affection of Mrs. Meier, who cooks for him and gives him books to read. Perry
almost becomes a member of the Meier family, and he accepts the love and care of Mrs. Meier in a way he could
never achieve with his own mother or sister. Mrs. Meier knows what Perry did and she is disturbed by it, but she also
cannot help but love and care for him — and to grieve for Perry when he is gone. This is the unconditional love from
a family member that Perry has yearned for his whole life, but has now come too late. Through the experiences of
Mrs. Meier and the commentary that she relates we see Perry, after his graphic confession of his heinous actions,
not as a vicious and violent criminal but as a little boy who never received the love he deserved. Seeing a member of
the community impacted by his actions take pity on him and feel great sorrow at his treatment humanizes him and
encourages the reader to do the same. We are given a great deal of information on his time in his cell, the
descriptions of his movements and daily activity are far more detailed than those of Dick. This begins the increased
focus on Perry for the remainder of the text.
Perhaps the clearest moment of Capote’s desire to encourage the reader to view Perry in a sympathetic or even
positive light is through the discussion of Perry's desire to give comfort to Mrs. Hickock by changing his statement to
try to clear Dick of the murders. This creates some ambiguity over who actually shot the Clutter women. It may be
interpreted that Perry is already resigned to his fate and thus is happy to protect Mrs Hickock, knowing full well that
it will not impact his punishment. Coupled with the positive treatment by Mrs Meier this could also be seen as
Perry's method of forgiving womankind, now that he has met a woman who treats him with compassion.
In the later parts of the novel Perry explores his motivation for committing the murders several times by recounting
the reasons he sees for his violence, but he sometimes alters them. Sometimes, Perry is motivated by showing Dick
was he is capable of; other times he is motivated by his rage towards his family and caregivers. In truth, Perry's
motivation to kill the Clutters seems to remain a mystery to him. He wonders aloud to Don Culliver why he did it, and
he does eventually admit that Dick didn't do it. While reporters, investigators, doctors, and the court finally get the
answers they seek, Perry never does. It is his lack of self awareness and insight that makes Perry a tragic figure. Yes,
Perry harbors resentment about his childhood, but he has no real self-pity and he never alludes to his upbringing as
a cause for his actions, only for his own personal pain and deep desire to be liked, to be loved.
The final scenes where we see Perry hung clearly show how Capote hopes the reader will feel about Perry.
Describing the scene through Dewey’s eyes, rather than his own allows Truman to show no sympathy for Dick in his
bravado and defiance. Likewise, Dewey’s narration draws our attention to Perry’s ‘childish feet, tilted, dangling’.
This is a reminder that his has been a stunted life and character. This, along with his final words; ‘It would be
meaningless to apologise for what I did. Even inappropriate. But I do. I apologise.’ are a plea to the reader by
Capote to see the man who is being put to death and realise that he suffered in life and that it is this suffering which
led to him killing four people. In these last moments Capote asks us to forgive him and recognise that he is not to
blame. It is this clear request, the result of the relationship which developed between he and Smith, which
eliminates Capote’s objectivity and undermines the truth of his novel.
Article Response Planner
Contention
The Article’s Assertion
Your Response
Article Quote
Extensions /
Clarifications /
Alternatives
Text Evidence and
Justification
How To Attack Doing A Passage Analysis
Yes. This handout should seem familiar. It is essentially the handout I gave you last year when you started The Great
Gatsby and had your initial introduction to Passage Analysis. Well it is time to start reviewing this in preparation for
your end of year exam. I have attached three passages from In Cold Blood for you to begin practicing with. You have
six sets. I have selected the sets deliberately and they have clear connections between them. If you really want a
challenge you can reshuffle the passages and choose combinations randomly. This means you have close to 700
possible passage analysis tasks to undertake.
You may remember that Chapter 4 of your text book has a great set of notes for refreshing your memory on how to
closely read and write about passages. The benefit here is that the example used in this chapter is from The Great
Gatsby. While I will show you how to undertake the task in an overall way in afterschool and lunchtime tutorials and
during our unit on Hamlet, some of the specific reminders here about how to write about language or describe and
discuss literary techniques are very useful and will refresh your memory of those things we learnt at the beginning of
Year 11 and have been using since then.
Look specifically at:
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The types of things that you should look at on pages 102 and 103. These questions are the sorts of things
you should think about while undertaking a close reading of the passage.
The various words you might find useful in describing language or characters actions in your response on
pages 104 and 105.
The example of a response on pages 110 -112.
A Close Reading and Planning Process
The thing most people find difficult with passage analysis is that you don’t have a question to guide you and tell you
what to write about. In the end of year exam you simply get three passages from the text and the instruction ‘Using
at least one of the passages discuss the text.’ This can be intimidating at first but is incredibly freeing when you get
used to it and have a process to begin you essay.
There are a number of ways to do a passage analysis but the one below is the most comprehensive and you need to
understand it before you can do some of the others. In this process there are seven steps. At first they will take you
quite some time and possibly quite a bit of discussion but eventually you will be able to do this in about 15 to 20
minutes - SO LONG AS YOUR PRACTICE REGULARLY FROM HERE ON IN.
Step 1 – Reading
Read the passages. You are aiming to achieve just three things:
A) Understand the Content – that is know what is being discussed and any hidden meanings.
B) Recognise the Context – that is know where the passage falls in the text, what happens before it and after.
C) Begin to Interpret – that is identify the significance of the passage and the ideas that it explores.
Step 2 – Big Ideas
Now is the time to start to annotate your page. Below each passage you should indicate what you think the ideas
being explored in each passage are. Don’t try and work ahead and find commonalities yet – this will interfere with
the process. Just ask yourself:
- What is each passage about?
- What is it exploring?
Step 3 – Links
Once you have the Big Ideas noted you can start to look at what there is in common. Also consider if there are any
contrasts or whether there is a progression of ideas or developments. If for example the first passage has the idea of
honesty and the second and third have the idea of betrayal this can be a very interesting idea to explore as obviously
something happens in the text to bring about a change.
Step 4 – Contention
From these common links you should start to see a few ideas that are explored by the text as a whole and can be
discussed through the passages in front of you. You now need to come up with a statement of these ideas. This will
ideally put you back on common ground as you have all written an essay based around a contention. Usually we
develop this in response to a prompt but this time it has come out of the passages and what they tell us about the
text overall.
It is important that the contention is ORIGINAL and PLAUSIBLE. Your contention needs to be a brief statement of
the central idea you will explore in your essay. You don’t have to write it in formal language but if you do you might
be able to use it in your introduction. Two things to remember about your contention are that:
1. It forms the backbone of your essay – that is if it is written well it should hold your essay together and make
sure you don’t have a contradiction or logical problem.
2. It creates an anchor for your discussion – that is it should allow you to make sure that all the points you want
to discuss link back to a central idea in some way.
Step 5 – Break Down Your Contention
Just like your essay planning you need to identify the main elements of your contention and how these will be
explored in your essay. Identifying 4-5 ideas you will discuss will help you in structuring your essay but also in finding
evidence in the next step.
Step 6 – Find Justification
While your contention is a statement of your belief about the text it is necessary for you to be able to show that it is
VALID. This means you need to have evidence from the passages and the rest of the text to be able to support your
interpretation. This is the next major annotation of the passages.
- Grab a highlighter for each of your ideas and find the evidence you think you might be able to use to for each
one.
- Also jot down any quotes or images from outside the passages that you intend to use. You should keep this
to supporting evidence and only about 10 to 15 percent of your justification however.
Step 7 – Sequence Your Ideas
Having found the evidence you intend to use you should have a good idea of the things you are going to discuss. You
might be working your way from passage to passage but you might not. Make sure however that the order of your
ideas link in a logical way. It might help to think about it as if each idea is building on the foundation of the last.
After these seven steps you should be able to write your essay fairly easily and quickly and be confident that it is
going to make sense and meet the criteria.
The Writing Of A Passage Analysis Essay
There are multiple ways of writing a passage analysis essay but to get started you will probably find it easiest to think
about it as just another essay, similar to those you have been doing. It has an introduction, body paragraphs and a
conclusion.
The Intro
Introductions for passage analysis don’t have to be formal introductions where everything is outlined and
introduced. This may sound unusual but really all they need to do is get you started and let the reader know what
your contention is. That said they should certainly include three things:
- The Author
- The Title
- Your Interpretation
What you may find however is that on occasion you will see examples where the essay is just launched right into and
there appears to be no formal introduction. This is ok too but it can be hard to do and not end up writing a very
disjointed essay.
Basic Body Paragraphs
There is no one way to write about your analysis but by working to the following model for a body paragraph you
will make sure that you include the types of information, discussion and analysis that you need to in order to address
the criteria. This is a basic paragraph and can be built upon to become more complex in a number of ways but begin
by mastering the basic form and then you will be able to take it further.
There are 7 elements to a basic paragraph. These do not equate to a sentence each. Some of them are blended
together but by and large they can be included in the following order:
Element
Content
Purpose
Topic Sentence
This sentence flags the idea you will be exploring in this paragraph. It is like
a mini contention and should share some of the wording of the contention
without being repetitive.
This gives some of the detail of your idea and expands upon your topic
sentence. It isn’t specific to evidence yet but might start introduce the
context.
It is important that before you include evidence that you are going to
discuss that you indicate where this material comes from or at least set up
the evidence. This might be mixed in with the explanation.
This is a long quote (a full sentence of prose, 2 – 3 lines of Shakespeare). It
might also be a major image of significance or a major symbol or language
feature.
You need to discuss the reason for including this evidence, pointing out why
it is important and how it supports your explanation. This might mean
explaining the hidden meaning in the evidence.
You need to break down the evidence, paying particular focus to specific
components of the quote or image and explaining and discussing how it
constructs meaning. This should involve you using metalanguage and
terminology.
Finish with additional explanation and discussion that links your detailed
unpacking of the evidence back to your overall contention.
“This is what I
think”
Explanation
Context Of
Evidence
Main Evidence
Interpretation
Discussion,
Unpacking and
Deconstruction
Link Back To
Contention
“What I mean
by that is...”
“This is
evident
when...”
“I can prove
this because
this means...”
“This means
this
because...”
“This is
important
because...”
Complex Body Paragraphs
Obviously the above model only has one piece of evidence and this is not really going to be enough in most instances
to prove a point successfully. In most instances you will need a more complex paragraph which incorporates a
number of textual references. There are a number of ways of making the basic paragraph more complex.
A.
You can follow up unpacking your main evidence with minor supporting evidence which also constructs
meaning in similar ways. This of course has to be unpacked also.
B. You can link to another piece of major evidence which builds on your point rather than linking to your
contention. This is then interpreted and unpacked before linking back to the contention eventually.
Ideally your paragraphs should be between 10 and 15 sentences in length. This will often mean having these more
complex structures.
In addition it is of course acceptable to change the order of your information. You might, for example start with your
evidence and interpretation, provide the context and topic sentence in your discussion of it and then unpack and
link. Likewise you might begin with the impact of a particular language technique before giving the quote. The
possibilities are endless but you will find that even if the elements are combined and brief a successful paragraph
will always have each element.
Naturally you can also use the hand mnemonic to sequence your paragraphs or the rotation model as well. They all,
in essence contain the same elements and it does not matter how you include those elements.
Conclusion
In a passage analysis essay you don’t need a formal conclusion which recaps your main points and repeats your
contention. You do however need to wrap up your essay and this will mean making a concluding statement. If your
essay has been structured well it will have built to a natural end point and not need to recap your points. This
should mean you reach a conclusion – that is a culmination of your discussion. If you are having trouble doing this
you should try linking back to your contention in a more detailed and holistic way.