Post by ajguth on Nov 17, 2014 0:16:32 GMT
Literary non-fiction, also known as creative non-fiction, by definition is a genre of writing that uses literary styles and techniques to create factually accurate narratives. This style of writing engages the audience and depicts the events in such a way that it is like a story, by adding details and allowing the audience access to the conciousness of the characters, as in In Cold Blood. Straight crime reporting, on the other hand, does not embellish the events to make it more appealing to the audience. By writing In Cold Blood this way, Capote was able to share this unexpected tragedy through a best-selling novel that appeals to many, since the crime and mystery genres are so popular among various audiences. In the book, Capote gives the reader an understanding of the story from a unique perspective that is often times eliminated from straight crime reporting, that of the murderers themselves. Because Capote focuses just as much, if not more, on Dick and Perry than on what is happening in Holcomb, the reader gains a sense of sympathy for them, unlike the usual patronizing attitude toward criminals that society has. By giving background and familial information on Dick and Perry and following their journey before and after the muder, the reader develops a rare connection to them. Instead of viewing them as "monsters", the audience actually subconciously begins to root for them as they avoid the authorities.