Truman Capote’s novel, In Cold Blood, documents the calamity surrounding the heinous murder of the revered Holcomb, KS native Clutter family by fugitives Dick Hickock and Perry Smith. This book served as a wakeup call to countless Americans, while its publication initiates responses that test the foundations of domestic America. In short, the potent reaction of small towns spread nationwide, ultimately revolutionizing local crime prevention techniques that tested the steadfast determination of the entire country.
The description of the murder initially impacts the immediate area of the crime, by rousing gossip working to unravel local morale, trust, and unity. A friend of the slain Clutter family visits their home as she, “went around to the kitchen door, and of course it wasn't locked” (Capote 19). Firstly, this quote illustrates the deep perception of security encompassing this isolated, tightly knit town. Adhering to myriad rural standards such as the one described, Holcomb serves as a microcosm for rural towns abroad. The murder of this revered family incited serious reservations, sending shockwaves through the …show more content…
The murder of such a revered family sent shockwaves initially through the very town it occurred, but would eventually penetrate almost every town across the country. Strength of families closest to the crime were tested, as nervous onlookers wished for the crime’s resolution, but more notably for safety of their own. Processes created to adapt to occurrences such as the ones described in the book became heavily utilized and eventually diffused into mainstream culture, undetectable to many. Such profound, yet unrecognizable changes display the truly deceiving nature of In Cold Blood, simultaneously demonstrating its significance on domestic American