Donovan Martin
Mrs.Wynn
AP English III Dick Hickock and Perry Smith are indisputably the most dynamic characters in Capote’s
“ In Cold Blood”. A simple characterization is not enough to explain the intensity of these character’s personalities and traits. Dick led the life of the average man. He wasn’t abused as a child and financially he had most of his needs fulfilled, also he had nice supportive parents who loved him no matter what he did. However, on the other hand Perry Smith had a very different and probably mentally petrifying upbringing, which involved an abusive mother and father who eventually got divorced, not to mention that they were also exceptional alcoholics with an abusive relationship with each other and their children. Although both Dick and Perry both led lives as criminals they ironically each lived within a code of things that they could and couldn't do. For example Perry was a killer,but he could never harm an innocent women sexually and hated men who couldn’t control their sexual urges. By the same token Dick was an alleged child molester, but he couldn’t bring himself to kill the Clutter family. This act of violence against an innocent family allows these two men to discover their true nature in one morbid moment of clarity. In the book Dick is described as a rough and tough individual who would steal the shoes right off of your feet and then make fun of you for having smelly toes. Dick was always looking to make a quick buck and was a compulsive thief. Unlike Dick Perry was more sentimental and child like he would rather keep things of personal value rather than monetary value. Physically

both men are described to be quite intimidating to the eye. They each have muscular builds and an abundance of violent and vulgar tattoos. Through Capote’s words he gives off a vibe of unsettling shadyness to the reader in reference to Dick and Perry as people. For instance, Dick’s mother won’t let Perry stay at their home because she believes him to be an unsavory character who is a bad impression on her “good boy” Dick. What’s even more unsettling is the fact that
Dick only pretends to be Perry’s