Perry's True Colors

In the second part of In Cold Blood many details are uncovered about Perry's past that show him to be a messed up individual. his two sided personality is unpredictable and dangerous. Even his seemingly fearless counterpart Dick is afraid of Perry and his twisted personality. "But Perry-there was, in Dick's opinion, "something wrong" with little Perry"(108). This quotation stated by Dick depicts how even he being a criminal was in shock to see how truly disturbing Perry's emotions were. In the prior text to the quotation Dick states that he is, "a normal". Dick in this passage is revealing that he is a normal person with a conscience and control over his actions. Whereas in Perry's case he is an unpredictable tool that can either be used for violence or for art. Perry himself cannot also believe that he could commit such a grusome crime against a family that had done him absolutely no wrong. "Deep down," Perry continued, "way, way rock-bottom,I never thought I could do it. A thing likke that"(109). Perry's quotation referrs to the murders and how he did hav feelings of doubt about commiting such a felony. Race is another key component in how Perry shows his true feelings and emotions. As Perry and Dick are conversing about the crime they commited Dick asks Perry about how he had killed a colored man. Perry responds, "But a nigger," said Perry. "Thats different"(109). Perry's response to Dicks question depicts how Perry saw the lives of other people of other races as worthless and expendable. This gives the reader the notion that Perry truly deep down was a crazed murder, yet through how calmly and normally Perry responds to these questions it seems as if killing is second nature to Perry.