Though Dick plays an important role throughout In Cold Blood, Capote merely uses Dick’s character to make Perry appear feminine causing the readers to be more sympathetic towards Perry’s character.

Although the relationship between Dick and Perry is displayed as close, Dick only uses manipulation on Perry ultimately bringing out Perry’s feminine mannerisms and giving readers a reason to feel sympathy for Perry’s character. Many times throughout In Cold Blood Dick uses charm, flirting with Perry, to receive what he wants. Dick, apparently knowing Perry is sexually confused, uses this to his advantage. Perry admits that he uses Dick as well, but for a different reason. Perry was drawn to Dick for his masculine ways, hoping that, with someone masculine and tough by his side, he too would appear as such. As this is explained, it is stated, “…the primary reason Perry had been attracted to him, for it made Dick seem, compared to himself, so authentically tough, invulnerable, totally masculine”(16). Perry’s femininity shows through this one sentence. Though Perry did not consider himself as tough he could have still considered himself masculine, but he does not and chooses to be around Dick for the purpose of his masculinity. Dick realizes Perry’s ways and flirts slyly with Perry to get what he needs from him. Dick is seen at one point, before the murders, using his charming technique to convince Perry into leaving Mexico and returning to America. Dick doing this, states, “Honey, I’ve had it. We got to make it out of here. Back to the States” (124). Honey indicates Dick’s sly way of flirting with Perry. Eventually Perry gives into Dick’s pleas, which always include the words baby or honey. At one point Dick even admits that Perry is like a woman in many ways. Dick, when pointing out Perry’s multiple feminine qualities, explains that he is sick of Perry and plans to leave him. As this is described, it is stated, “Dick was sick of him—his harmonica, his aches and ills, his superstitions, the weepy, womanly eyes, the nagging, whispering voice. Suspicious, self-righteous, spiteful, he was like a wife that must be got rid of” (215). Dick clearly compares Perry to a female, saying, “…he was like a wife”, causing the readers to recognize Perry’s feminine ways and strive for masculinity. While Perry and Dick progress in their relationship it becomes clear who is in charge. Perry takes orders from Dick, giving readers the sense that Perry is forced to do many things that he does not wish to do. When telling about the night of the murders Perry explains that he wished to leave, but Dick, being proud, made him stay to search for money that the Clutter’s never had. When saying this Perry, says, “There isn’t a safe, so let’s get the hell out of here. But Dick was too ashamed to face it. He said he wouldn’t believe it till we searched the whole house. He said the thing to do was tie them all up, then take our time looking around” (239). Perry gave into Dick and ultimately killing the Clutter’s partially unwillingly. As Perry describes the night of the events he even tells how at one point he wished to leave, but there was something holding him back. After describing the whole night to Dewey, Dewey says, “Nonetheless, he found it possible to look at the man beside him without anger—with, rather, a measure of sympathy—for Perry Smith’s life had been no bed of roses but pitiful, an ugly and lonely progress toward one mirage and then another” (256). Dewey reminds the readers of Perry’s past and also includes it with the misfortunate action that Perry did not, in many ways wish to commit. Thus the readers have much sympathy for the feminine man that is ordered around by another man who pretends to deeply care.