Allusions to Narcissus

In the first section on In Cold Blood we get detailed descriptions of all the characters. An interesting description is given when Perry is described. I find this a direct comparison with a character from Greek mythology Narcissus. Whereas Narcissus loves only himself, Capote’s Perry—who Capote presents as a darker version of Narcissus—is in lust with himself. “‘Every time you see a mirror you go into a trance, like. Like you was looking at some gorgeous piece of butt’” (15). The way Perry looks at himself suggests that he loves to look at himself and will continue to do at every mirror he looks into. The overall failure of Narcissus is that he looks into a pool of water and falls in love with the reflection and ends up diving in and drowning in order to reach his reflection. Perry shoves away from his family, similar to Narcissus because in the original myth he disdains those who love him and Perry, even though he has a sister he doesn’t want anything to do with her. This allusion might go as deep to say that in the future of the book his downfall is due to his own fascination in himself, only time can tell.