Week 4: Impact of New Genre of Writing

[michaeldaly]

Literary non-fiction is a genre of writing that uses literary techniques, which are often used to describe fiction stories, to narrate factually correct stories. Truman Capote styled In Cold Blood after this genre. This genre differs from straight crime reporting in several ways. Crime reporting is based off of facts and not biased. When reporting a crime it uses statistics and doesn't sympathize with any individual. A huge difference as well is that crime reporting is from a factual point of view where the book is told in third person omniscient. Again Capote chose this point of view for a reason. If he presented the murder by a police report then it would have painted Smith and Hickock as cold blooded murders. Capote sympathizes with Perry being brought up in a harsh environment and so has this unspoken bond with him. He feels sorry for the murders and the Clutter family. I also believe that Capote has this constant battle with himself over who he feels more sorry for, the family or the murders. So instead of blaming the murders he lets the reader decide for themselves who to feel sorry for by using literary non-fiction and narrating the story from both sides. This impacts the reader by creating a battle within the reader too. When the point of view shifts from Perry to the Cutter family your sympathy shifts too. Normally the reader would have sympathy for the murdered but you cant help but feel sorry for Perry and Dick when Capote describes the story from their point of view.

[ellievancuren]

I agree with Michael when he states that the use of literary non-fiction and the switching point of views causes a struggle within the reader. Capote paid special attention to the way he described the characters, particularly Perry. I think he specifically targeted sympathy for this killer in his audience so that his account of this event would be so different and unique. The reader feels confused as to weather pitying the murderers is insensitive towards the victims, which is what, I think, Capote was trying to accomplish. This is what makes his story so distinctive and a true piece of literary non-fiction.

[Lauren O.]

I did not even think of the switching P.O.V. helping establish the Literary Non-Fiction genre focusing on persuading the readers. Great idea Michael!

[annajowaisas]

Michael makes a point that this differs from a crime report and goes a completely different direction. Capote sympathizes with the murderers and that is evident in the way he writes their scenes. It gives it a complex spin and makes the audience realize that this is real. And that things like this happen all the time and yet still people seem unconvinced of the murderers side of the story. Though Dick and Perry are beyond guilty, the audience sees their hardships and goes along with the book, though they know something should be happening to the criminals.