The Imperfect All-American Family

At first, Capote depicts the Clutter Family as the perfect all-American family, but he smoothly and subtly adds their faults and imperfections, thus helping to bring the reader closer to the story. For example, Nancy Clutter seems like the All-American girl, top of her class, leader of 4-H, excellent musician, etc (18). She is not, however, without vice, "'But I keep smelling cigarette smoke.'//'On your breath?' inquired Kenyon.//'No, funny one. Yours.'//That quieted him, for Kenyon, as he knew she knew, did once in a while sneak a puff-But, then, so did Nancy." (19) Capote here demonstrates that the perfect Nancy is not as perfect as shown before. This, nonetheless, does not hurt the plot, in fact it makes the character seem more real. Readers of this story likely have vices of their own, thus making it easier for the reader to connect to the characters. Nancy is not the only character flawed. Her mother Bonnie also has some weaknesses. Capote describes some medical issues, "The second year of the marriage, Eveanna was born, and three years later, Beverly; after each confinement the young mother had experienced an inexplicable despondency-seizures of grief that sent her wandering from room to room in a hand-wringing daze.... But with Nancy and then with Kenyon, the pattern of postnatal depression repeated itself, and following the birth of her son, the mood of misery that descended never altogether lifted,"(27). Again, Capote inserts these imperfections to add to the sense of realism, and further connects the reader to the story. Many more characters have imperfections, including the killers, Perry and Dick. Each one of these imperfections brings the reader closer to the story, making them feel more empathetic for the characters.