Nice work in class the last few days! I'm doing my best to decipher your notes about the various topics you covered in your open space discussions. This might not be 100% accurate, so please have patience...
SECTION AP11-1 (in Media Centre)
Why does Capote make Perry seem innocent?
-depressing childhood
-author's perspective
-trust-worthy Dick
-sympathy toward Perry?
-main focus on Perry
-find out the deeper meaning behind the murder
-our interpretation
-Perry had no hope; Dick had a family
Forgiveness/Sympathy/Understanding
-he wants us to be sympathetic toward Perry
-people who do wrong have a past - which may force them
-Dick: portrayed his lifestyle to be happier; Perry seems more sympathetic
-we understand but we don't sympathize
-blame goes hand-in-hand - Dick wouldn't plan if Perry didn't pull the trigger
Media's Influence on Crime
-exaggerate
-biased
-twist the plot
-personal preferences
-intervene
-uncertain information
-rely on sources
-take the law in their hands
-concentrate on incident rather than solutions
-don't realize the power in their hands
-target the influence
What does Capote say about the death penalty?
-says it's wrong
-says Dick is innocent and got the death penalty
-Perry killed four; Dick intended to rape
-mental health (INSANE)
-Dick used Perry
-Perry's background made him commit the crime
-Further examination needed to be done to see if Perry was sane or not
-Perry saved the girl from rape and then shot her
-Capote says Perry didn't know the difference between right and wrong
-Capote develops a relationship with them; visiting them in jail and sending them reading material
In-depth analysis of a criminal mind
-inconsistencies
-difficult background of murders (murderers?)
-why would Dick do this?
-such a good life
-was it because he was poor?
-pushed Perry
-just a witness?
-blamed for murder?
-EXPLOITER
-BYSTANDER
-RAPE IS AS BAD AS MURDER
-Perry = unstable (wanted to be an artist)
-not knowing v. knowing (psychopath v. sociopath)
-trigger
What justifies murder?
-revenge (?) - no. puts in same position :(
-mental/psycho-responsibility
-blame on parents / BG / society?
-choice to kill / not to kill
-alcohol / drugs (personal will and decision)
-legal death penalty
-war / protest - gov's right to kill, personal intentions
-Israel v. Gaza (??)
-excuse is that G attacked first -media's role in creating bias
-self-protection justify killing? threat
before any harm done. no.
-religion's role
SECTION AP11-2 (in Senior School)
Motives of the killers
-Dick wanted to rape Nancy. Perry stopped him. Dick's idea. Perry blames his past life for the murder. Dick didn't kill anyone, so he took Perry along.
-Anger from the past, anger from the fact that they did not get the money. Dick took advantage of Perry.
1)money
2) sex/rape Nancy
3) killing
-Only reason Dick associated with Perry was because he thought Perry could kill anyone without any feeling. Perry was disturbed.
-Perry was uneducated.
-Clutters were the least likely to be killed.
-They felt relieved when they killed them.
-Psychotic spree
-Dick was frustrated. Tension between Perry as well.
-Dick overestimated himself.
-Dick shows no remorse at the trial.
-They wanted satisfaction. Get rich. Get happy. Go to Mexico. They wanted to improve their lives.
-Perry had a broken family (2 siblings died, 1 sister alive).
-Capote strayed from journalism.
Did the killers deserve their punishment?
-rape (Dick)
-psychological disorder
-Perry doesn't deserve; Dick deserves
-Perry claims (he knew he was wrong)
-Dick denies (sends letters to attorneys)
-Dick was the mastermind
-Perry was weak from inside; he took orders from Dick
-Every action of Perry -- Dick was behind it (the murder)
-Perry was also regretting as we can see when they were travelling, Perry was bringing up the topic over and again to Dick
-Dick surely deserved it
-Perry could have avoided death because of harsh conditions
-Law goes with action (they punish the person who commits the crime)
Do past events affect the future?
-schools (war, nightmares)
-personality
-Perry's uneducated
-Perry was the killer and he had a bad childhood
-Dick did not have any past experiences that he could kill a person but Perry had so he killed the whole Clutter family
-Perry got his diseases from his childhood and that was a reason he could kill a person
-It depends on a person if he could take - Dick wanted what he had-His motive was to steal money
-Going to jail is one of the reasons they end up murdering the Clutter family.
-We totally agree that the past affects the future.
Humanity (?)
-terrifyingly human
-could be anyone, turned out to be Dick and Perry
-humane side; still human
-actions define who you are
-rape then death = worse than killing?
-3/4 book is about past
-killing is only a small part
-some actions are heavier than others
-"make you feel as bad as I do" (Mathai)
Perspectives
-From the killers, the Clutter fam was perfect.
-Perry / Dick feel wronged.
-Clutters didn't do anything wrong.
-Dick influences Perry
-Perry had a horrid life, wasn't taught about wrong and right
-Perry was messed up, in a strong way.
Capote perspective:
-gave a lot of the book to the killers.
-shows how the killers were raised
-psychological reports, supported the killers
-but also showed the killing first, and in gruesome detail.
-and described how nice and supportive the Clutters were at home and in community
-killers were the more interesting people
-Capote paints the manipulation of Perry
-Perry a child, believes in buried treasure
-Until the end, didn't think of the killers as killers - just troubled people.
-Made the killers into the victims.
-Clutters didn't seem to have flaws, but no family can be perfect
Clutters (IIII) v. Killers (III)
