Literary devices
![Picture](/uploads/5/1/9/4/51945145/203139_orig.jpg)
Allusions and Irony:
"...a white cluster of grain elevators rising as gracefully as Greek Temples are visible..."(Capote 3)
In the beginning Capote describes the landscape and compares it to the grace of Greek architecture. When thinking of the Greeks many think of the ancient civilizations that are often depicted to be one of two things. First a place of learning and calm composure, much like the marble of their statues, and second a place of strong hardy warriors and their ships with many troubles and never ending violence. There is a touch of irony then that Capote alludes to the Greeks then because of the parallels we see in the town of Holcomb. The town begins as first peaceful and picture perfect, neighbors loving each other, but this changes with the murders with many be coming hostile and suspicious.
"... She set out the clothes she intended to wear to church the next morning..."(Capote 56)
In this passage Nancy prepares the cloths for her own funeral unknowingly. The fact the clothes were meant for church only furthers the irony because, she, by the next day wouldn't be in church, but in Heaven. Combined with the fact that all of this is apart of her normal routine of cleansing marks it as even more ironic, the fact that she is purifying just before the taint of her own murder spread into the house makes such a normal thing much more focal.
"...he was a good sentry, alert, ever ready to raise Cain..." (Capote 13)
The allusion here is of the Bible, Cain being one of the sons of Adam and Eve. He is known as the father of murder for being the first to kill. Capote uses this quote to describe the family dog of the Clutters, and to "raise Cain" aka father of murder (obviously not a good thing) can mean to raise hell. So the dog here would have been a very good sentry indeed, alerting the family of the intruders, but the fact they had guns changed everything.
Imagery
"ideal apple-eating weather, the whitest sunlight descended from the purest sky and an easterly wind rustled..." (Capote 10)
As always, the beginning of Holcomb is described as a desirable place that is beautiful. A very typical day, with normal Kansas weather. the imagery with the lighting is almost ironic. its almost as if Capote was attempting to embody the saying "its calmest before the storm" because that is exactly what this image is giving, not to mention the focus on the purity described on the soon to be tainted town.
"...a white cluster of grain elevators rising as gracefully as Greek Temples are visible..."(Capote 3)
In the beginning Capote describes the landscape and compares it to the grace of Greek architecture. When thinking of the Greeks many think of the ancient civilizations that are often depicted to be one of two things. First a place of learning and calm composure, much like the marble of their statues, and second a place of strong hardy warriors and their ships with many troubles and never ending violence. There is a touch of irony then that Capote alludes to the Greeks then because of the parallels we see in the town of Holcomb. The town begins as first peaceful and picture perfect, neighbors loving each other, but this changes with the murders with many be coming hostile and suspicious.
"... She set out the clothes she intended to wear to church the next morning..."(Capote 56)
In this passage Nancy prepares the cloths for her own funeral unknowingly. The fact the clothes were meant for church only furthers the irony because, she, by the next day wouldn't be in church, but in Heaven. Combined with the fact that all of this is apart of her normal routine of cleansing marks it as even more ironic, the fact that she is purifying just before the taint of her own murder spread into the house makes such a normal thing much more focal.
"...he was a good sentry, alert, ever ready to raise Cain..." (Capote 13)
The allusion here is of the Bible, Cain being one of the sons of Adam and Eve. He is known as the father of murder for being the first to kill. Capote uses this quote to describe the family dog of the Clutters, and to "raise Cain" aka father of murder (obviously not a good thing) can mean to raise hell. So the dog here would have been a very good sentry indeed, alerting the family of the intruders, but the fact they had guns changed everything.
Imagery
"ideal apple-eating weather, the whitest sunlight descended from the purest sky and an easterly wind rustled..." (Capote 10)
As always, the beginning of Holcomb is described as a desirable place that is beautiful. A very typical day, with normal Kansas weather. the imagery with the lighting is almost ironic. its almost as if Capote was attempting to embody the saying "its calmest before the storm" because that is exactly what this image is giving, not to mention the focus on the purity described on the soon to be tainted town.