American Literature Film Study:

The Clutter Family Murders, Truman Capote, and the Birth of the

Nonfiction Novel

CAPOTE

The Clutter Family

NOVEMBER 16, 1959

WEALTHY FARMER, 3 OF FAMILY SLAIN Holcomb, Kan., Nov. 15 (UPI)--A wealthy wheat farmer, his wife and their two young children were found shot to death today in their home. They had been killed by shotgun blasts at close range after being bound and gagged. The father, 48-year-old Herbert W. Clutter, was found in the basement with his son, Kenyon, 15. His wife Bonnie, 45, and a daughter, Nancy, 16, were in their beds. There were no signs of a struggle, and nothing had been stolen. The telephone lines had been cut. "This is apparently the case of a psychopathic killer," Sheriff Earl Robinson said. Mr. Clutter was founder of the Kansas Wheat Growers Association. In 1954, President Eisenhower appointed him to the Federal Farm Credit Board, but he never lived in Washington. The board represents the twelve farm credit districts in the country. Mr. Clutter served from December, 1953, until April, 1957. He declined a reappointment. He was also a local member of the Agriculture Department's Price Stabilization Board and was active with the Great Plains Wheat Growers Association. The Clutter farm and ranch cover almost 1,000 acres in one of the richest wheat areas. Mr. Clutter, his wife and daughter were clad in pajamas. The boy was wearing blue jeans and a T-shirt. The bodies were discovered by two of Nancy's classmates, Susan Kidwell and Nancy Ewalt. Sheriff Robinson said the last reported communication with Mr. Clutter took place last night about 9:30 P.M., when the victim called Gerald Van Vleet, his business partner, who lives near by. Mr. Van Vleet said the conversation had concerned the farm and ranch. Two daughters were away. They are Beverly, a student at Kansas University, and Mrs. Donald G. Jarchow of Mount Carroll, Ill.

The Clutter Family Funeral

THE VICTIMS:The Clutter Family

THE MURDERERS:Dick Hickock & Perry Smith

Truman Capote and Perry Smith

Ms. Lloyd’s puppy dog, Sir Romeo Tito Capote

The Birth of a New Genre: The Nonfiction Novel

• Capote takes credit for creating what he calls the “non-fiction novel.” The nonfiction novel depicts real events narrated with techniques of fiction. The non-fiction novel is an otherwise loosely-defined and flexible genre.

• Hints of this type of novel existed before Capote, but the non-fiction narrative, as it is now referred to, is considered to have been born with the publication of In Cold Blood.

In Cold Blood 1966• Author Truman Capote (1924-1984) spent at least 6 years composing it• Born in New Orleans to a 17-yr. old mother, grew up in Monroeville,

Alabama with author and friend, Harper Lee• Celebrated publication: Frank Sinatra reportedly wanted to play a part

in the film version of In Cold Blood• Capote criticized for not doing enough to help the killers escape the

death penalty: Capote, the cold-blooded• Film version (1967) features Robert Blake, later accused of murder

himself• Book is said to have “killed” Capote; he wrestled with guilt and

alcoholism until his death at 59• 5’3 gay man in an age of permitted homophobia• Hoffman wins Best Actor playing Capote in Kansas (2005)

Truman Capote Biography• Born in New Orleans and spending most of his early childhood with his aunts and

distant cousins in Alabama, Truman Capote would always maintain a deep connection with the south, even after becoming the center of attention in Manhattan high society.

• Capote was born Truman Streckfus Persons on September 30, 1924 to Lillie Mae Faulk and Arch Persons. Lillie Mae (who would later abandon her southern roots and change her name to Nina) was always looking for a way to climb the social ladder. Her parents died when she was young and she was raised be her cousins in Alabama, a situation she always despised. When she caught a glimpse of an escape out of her life by marrying Arch Persons, she took it. Life with Arch was not much better as the smooth talking man from the south did little to raise the social standing of Lillie Mae.

• The fact that Truman Capote was born at all is a bit of a miracle, and he owes this to his stern and dedicated cousin, Jennie Faulk, Jennie had raised Lillie Mae and the two often battled over the life Lillie Maw was living. Lillie Mae's pregnancy was one of those battles and would become the most important for Truman. On finding out that she was pregnant, Lillie Mae returned to her southern home and sought an abortion. Adamantly opposed, Jennie finally won and Lillie Mae accepted her responsibility as a mother.

Truman Capote Biography• Lillie Mae's early rejection of Truman was to be a sign of how her relationship with her son would

remain throughout his life. Abandoned by his mother with his cousins, Lillie Mae was free to begin separating herself from her husband Arch. Arch was not any more of a father to Truman than Lillie Mae was a mother. After he and Lillie Mae separated and divorced in 1931, Arch agreed to spend the summer's with Truman, but instead traveled the country in search of his next big deal. Lillie Mae, now free to try again to reach social elevation, found what she was looking for in Joseph Capote. She and Capote married and she moved to New York City with Joe to begin her new life, a life that rarely included her son.

• Truman may not have found much love from his parents, but he did find it in his cousins who raised him, especially in his elderly cousin Sook he looked after him. Sook would become the subject of several of Truman's stories, including a Christmas Memory.

• Truman also had the good fortune of meeting a friend in his southern neighbor, Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird). Truman was the basis for Lee's character, Dill, in her famous book and Truman is rumored to have helped Lee write the novel. The two remained friends throughout and Lee would later accompany Truman in his research about the Kansas murders that would become In Cold Blood.

• In 1933, Truman's dream to join his mother in New York finally came true. After winning sole custody of Truman in court, Lillie Mae took her son to live with her and Joe in the social capitol of the world. Joe would soon adopt Truman and in 1935, Truman's name became Truman Garcia Capote. Truman's dream of a fabulous life in New York was quickly shattered as his mother still continued to push her son away and would continually berate him about his increasingly noticeable lack of masculinity.

Truman Capote and Harper Lee

Capote the film

• Capote (2005) is a biographical film about Truman Capote that follows the events during the writing of Capote’s nonfiction novel In Cold Blood.

• The movie is based on the biography Capote by Gerald Clark.

Film Study

• Films can be much more than entertainment; they can also help students better understand themselves, their culture, and other forms of media.

• Consider the scene analysis framework as you view the film:

• Why did the director chose the setting, lighting, camera angles, and music and what these choices do to create the scene's tone?