Outline: Role of Humorists

Think about the implications of de Botton’s view of the role of humorists (cartoonists, stand-up comics, satirical writers, hosts of television programs, etc.). Then write an essay that defends, challenges, or qualifies de Botton’s claim about the vital role of humorists. Use specific, appropriate evidence to develop your position.



Thesis: Humorists serve a vital role in society because their jokes help provide comedic relief, advances political debates, and unite people in an enlightened atmosphere. 

Define humor (in introduction) - "the quality of being amusing or comic, especially as expressed in literature or speech" 

Claim #1: Humorists provide comedic relief in awkward or tense situations. Humor helps ease any uncertain feelings that may be in the atmosphere, and release tensions. 

**Provide examples of how humor helps ease tension-> Social gatherings, when people first meet each other it may be awkward, however humor can help lighten the mood and make people feel more comfortable around each other, and not worry so much about formality

Counter-argument: Humor can backfire, and make people uncomfortable
Rebuttal: however, in general, humor has the tendency to lighten the mood and put people at ease

Claim #2: Humor helps advance political debates, by allowing people to publish cartoons about politicians. These cartoons can help sway peoples' opinions and contribute to elections.

Claim #3: Humor also helps unite people in different scenarios, as it helps people relieve tensions and connect over humorist comments. 
Example: Speakers will begin their speeches with telling jokes to enlighten the mood and connect to the audience.

Synonyms in the English Language

Prove the claim: There are no synonyms in the English language

In the English language we use the word "synonym" to coin words that have similar meanings. However in reality, although some words may seem to be associated with each other, synonyms really do not exist. Each individual word in our language has an entirely different meaning than another word. Words may be used to describe the same thing, however each word is unique and has a slightly different meaning than words that may seem closely related. For example, people often use the words "beautiful", "pretty", and "gorgeous" to describe someone with attractive qualities. However, although these words may all be used to describe the same person, they each have slightly different meanings. The word "beautiful" is defined as: "pleasing the senses or mind aesthetically". On the other hand, pretty is defined as: "attractive in a delicate way without being truly beautiful or handsome". While gorgeous is defined as: "very attractive". By studying the definitions of each of these words, one can conclude that each word is slightly different than the other. A person who is "pretty" is not quite as attractive as someone who may be described as "beautiful" or "gorgeous". Based off these examples, it is clear that we cannot simply group words into synonyms, as words are always slightly different from others. 

In Cold Blood Post #4

April 28th, 2015

Write a review of the book, rating the novel on a 1-5 scale (1 being poor to 5 being excellent).

 After reading In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote, I would rate this book a 4 out of 5. I thought that Truman Capote did an excellent job with laying out the events involving the Clutter case in this book. Capote divided the case into 4 sections: “The Last to See them Alive”, “Person’s Unknown”, “The Answer”, and “The Corner”. Each of these subsections allow the audience to gradually move more about the case throughout the book. The first section sets the scene, describing Holcomb as a quiet, lonely town- a place unlikely for a murder to occur. It also describes the different characters throughout the book, portraying the Clutters as a wholesome and caring family, liked by everyone. The next couple of sections then go on to explain the murder, the motives behind the murder, and the court process. I appreciated the fact that Capote divided the different events in the murder into sections because it created suspense throughout the book. While reading about the murder, I wondered “what motivated the criminals to murder the Clutter family?” Then once I learned about the criminals motives and how they planned the murder, I wondered how the court system would decide to punish the murderers- as the Christians in Holcomb likely were against the death penalty. 

In regards to the punishment that the murderers received, it seemed like Capote was sympathetic towards Perry Smith. Although Perry was guilty for murdering all of the Clutters, he is characterized as a more thoughtful and respectable character than Dick. Perry seems sensitive and is sorry for what he has done wrong. For example, when Perry is giving his testimony to one of the investigators he states:

“ But I didn't mean it. I meant to call his bluff, make him argue me out of it, make him admit he was a phony and a coward. See, it was something between me and Dick. I knelt down beside Mr. Clutter, and the pain of kneeling - I thought of that goddam dollar. Silver dollar. The shame. Disgust. And they'd told me never to come back to Kansas. But I didn't realize what I'd done till I heard the sound. Like somebody drowning. Screaming underwater” (Capote 157). 

When Perry says this, the audience feels sympathetic towards him. Although he might have killed the Clutter family, he truly felt sorry about committing the murder and was only doing so in order to kill Dick- a ruthless and cruel character. It is clear that Perry feels awful for what he did, as he says: “The shame. Disgust.” I thought that it was interesting how Perry  seemed to be a sensitive character, even though he had committed a horrendous crime. When Perry and Dick are executed for their crimes towards the end of the book, I found myself sympathizing for Perry, even though he was a murderer. I thought that it was interesting how Capote could cause readers to feel sympathetic towards a man who slaughtered an entire family. 

Although I liked this book and found it fascinating, I also felt that it was a little dull at times. It seemed like Capote included every single aspect of the Clutter case- and apparently not all of this information was not even accurate. I think that I would have enjoyed this book more if it didn’t give every single detail involving the case- and had provided the essential facts. However, overall I felt that this book was very informative and had interesting aspects in it as well. 

In Cold Blood: Socratic Seminar Question

In then end, Dewey reunites with Sue. Why does Capote choose to end the novel is this way?

At the end of In Cold Blood, Truman Capote shares what happens four years after the Clutter family was murdered. Capote uses Dewey, the lead investigator in the Clutter case, to explain what happened years after the Clutter case. It seems appropriate for Capote to end the book with an account from Dewey, because Dewey was very involved in the Clutter Court case and determined to see it through. Throughout the book, the audience sees how Dewey sacrificed family time and his daily routine in order to unearth the answers to his investigation. During the trial, Capote conveys how busy Dewey’s life is: “Now Mrs. Dewey said, ‘Alvin, answer me. Do you think we'll ever have a normal life again?’ He started to reply, but the telephone stopped him (Capote 65). Clearly, the Clutter case became one of Dewey’s main priorities, and he barely had time to tend to his family. However, as Capote ends the story with an account from Dewey, the audience is relieved that all the stress from the trials are gone. The case has come to an end, and Dewey seems much more relaxed. It is evident that his family life is more stable, as Capote states: “Instead, the Deweys had built a new house in town; they were proud of it, and proud, too, of both their sons, who were deep-voiced now and as tall as their father” (Capote 217). The audience can understand from this that Dewey has had time to focus on his family and move on in life. The house that is referred to in this sentence also serves as a symbol of Dewey’s stable family life; how they are all united and living together as one family, proud of the home that they built themselves. As Dewey’s account continues, the audience sees him walking through the local cemetery, recalling different deaths while also noting causes for celebration. He remarks that Judge Tate had died the falling autumn, however Bobby Rupp happened to have gotten married. This bit of information especially resonates with the audience because Bobby Rupp’s marriage proves that he was able to move on life, and set aside his sorrow for Nancy’s death.

Dewey’s last account in the book seems to serve as a reminder that people move on in life, and how people can set aside their sorrows to live more stable lives. Truman Capote even incorporates Susan Kidwell, Nancy’s best friend, in the last couple of passages in the story to prove how people can move on. Dewey encounters Susan in the graveyard, and doesn’t recognize her at first. Susan has matured and is finishing her junior year at the University of Kansas- just like she was planning to do with Nancy Clutter. It is evident that Susan has not forgotten Nancy as she remarks: ‘"Nancy and I planned to go to college together. We were going to be roommates. I think about it sometimes. Suddenly, when I'm very happy, I think of all the plans we made’”(Capote 219). Although Susan lost her closest friend in the murder, it is clear that she was able to overcome her sorrow and cherish the best memories. Capote wraps up the end of the book with a peaceful statement: “ ‘And nice to have seen you, Sue. Good luck,’he called after her as she disappeared down the path, a pretty girl in a hurry, her smooth hair swinging, shining - just such a young woman as Nancy might have been” (Capote 219). This statement sets a nice tone for the end of the book, as the audience can infer that people will never forget the Clutters, but they will move on in life and cherish the best memories. 

The Sections of "In Cold Blood" Response

In the novel In Cold Blood, Truman Capote breaks up the murder case of the Clutter into 4 distinct sections. In the first section, Capote introduces the Clutter family and the two murderers- Dick and Perry. The first section of the book serves as an introduction- it gives readers an understanding of who the characters are in the book, and an idea of what will happen in the future. Capote drops subtle hits in the first section that something severe will happen to the Clutter family. For instance, in a passage about Mr. Clutter, Capote states: "Then, touching the brim of his cap, he headed for home and the day's work, unaware that it would be his last" (Capote 6). This hint prepares readers for what is to come in the next section, as Mr. Clutter will die. 

In section 2 of In Cold Blood, the murder actually happens. Capote explains the events of the murder, from a bystander's point of view. The readers know that Dick and Perry committed the murder, but they do not know why or how. The audience only knows what happened when the townspeople of Holocomb found the bodies. Section 2 then sets the way for the next section, in which the audience fully understands what happened the night of the murder. 

In section 3, we actually learn from Floyd Wells (a criminal who used to share the same cell as Dick) what Dick's incentives were for the murder. From there, the police and investigators are able to find Perry and Dick, and gather evidence to accuse them of the murder. This section then paves the way for the fourth section, in which the audience learns about the court trials surrounding this case. 

In Cold Blood: Fictional or Nonfictional?

In Truman Capote's novel "In Cold Blood", he tells the story of the Clutter family murders that occurred in 1959. In this story, Capote reveals what happened in the murder and the events/ investigation surrounding the murder. However, recently more information surrounding the Clutter murders has been released from Harold Nye's notebooks. Harold Nye was a detective who was part of the Clutter cases, however his information contradicts some of the aspects of Capote's story. Apparently Capote included number inaccuracies and at least one fabricated story in his novel, as well as serious implications. Also, Capote favors Dewey in the story in order gain more information about the story- and does not include Dewey's failure to follow up on the investigation at one point.

Personally, I do not think that this book should be considered a non-fiction piece. I think that this is a good book to read because it gives a reader an idea of what actually happened during the Clutter murders. However, readers should not refer to this book as a reliable account of the story. This is due to the fact that Capote over-embellished certain details in the story in order to make it more appealing to readers. If one were interested in finding out the true events and investigations surrounding the murder, it would be best if they read the filed records associated with the case.

Although Capote's piece is not necessarily a non-fictional piece, I think that such a thing as a "non-fiction" novel can exist. I believe that one can find actual facts and pieces of evidence by reading first-hand accounts/ personal records that are meant to simply record events and not appeal to readers.

In Cold Blood Blog Post #3

Capote finally reveals the murder details in his third section. What is your reaction to the actual confession? 

April 20, 2015

In the third section of In Cold Blood, Capote finally reveals the murder details surrounding the Clutter case. Prior to this section, Perry hinted that they must have been crazy for killing the Clutter family. Perry did not think that anyone in their right minds would be able to murder an entire family and get away with it. The audience also learns that one of the reasons that Perry joined Dick was so that Perry could visit a friend (Willie Jay) in Kansas City. However even though Perry does not end up meeting his friend in Kansas City, he still participates in the murder. Perry's actions indicate that he had other reasons for joining Dick in the murder- Perry was not only joining Dick so that he could see one of his friends. Although it is clear that both Perry and Dick had reasons for murdering the Clutters, their incentives are not revealed until the third section. 

In the third section of In Cold Blood, the audience is introduced to a character named Floyd Wells. Floyd seems to be the only one who actually has knowledge of who murdered the Clutter family and why. It is clear that Floyd is a reliable source because Perry briefly mentions Floyd's name before the audience is even introduced to him. In section two of In Cold Blood, Perry questions whether or not he and Dick will be able to get away with their crimes. Although Dick is insistent that no one will find them or  suspect them as murderers, Perry raises a question that challenges Dick's confidence and self-assurance: "'Floyd- is that the name?' A little below the belt, but Dick deserved it, his confidence was like a kite that needed reeling in" (Capote 57). Based off of this reference to Floyd, the audience can assume that Floyd knew some information about the murder of the Clutters. Therefore, it is not surprising when Capote introduces Floyd in the third section of the book as an inhabitant of Kansas State Penitentiary. Floyd reveals Dick's incentives for murdering the Clutters and the audience gets a glimpse of how Dick was able to commit the murder. 

According to Floyd, Dick intended to rob Mr. Clutter and his family when he heard that the Clutters were wealthy. Floyd was the one who informed Dick about the Clutter family, however he did not expect Dick to murder the family. Floyd informs the investigators: “Next thing I knew, Dick was talking about killing Mr. Clutter. Said him and Perry was gonna go out there and rob the place, and they was gonna kill all witnesses - the Clutters, and anybody else that happened to be around. He described to me a dozen times how he was gonna do it, how him and Perry was gonna tie them people up and gun them down. I told him, 'Dick, you'll never get by with it.' But I can't honestly say I tried to persuade him different. Because I never for a minute believed he meant to carry it out” (Capote 99). Although Floyd was responsible for informing Dick about the wealth of the Clutter family and their estate, he did not suspect Dick to carry out his plans. Although Floyd claims that Dick planned to rob the Clutters, it is interesting how the only thing that Dick and Perry actually took was a radio. This was partially due to the fact that the Clutter family kept their fortune secured, and it was not easily accessible. However, even though Dick does not rob the Clutter family, he still murders them. 

As readers learn more about Dick and Perry in the third section, it is clear that Dick had psychological issues that contributed to the murder. It seems that Dick killed the murderers  because he was envious of their wealth, as he did not leave with anything. It is apparent that Dick is envious of people who have a lot of wealth and fortune. For instance, at one point in the story Dick is envious of a man he sees at a hotel, who is living the dream life: "A blonde who resembled Marilyn Monroe was kneading him with suntan oil, and his lazy, beringed hand reached for a tumbler of iced orange juice. All that belonged to him, Dick, but he would never have it. Why should that sonofabitch have everything, while he had nothing? Why should that "big-shot bastard" have all the luck? With a knife in his hand, he, Dick, had power" (Capote 126). Clearly Dick had more of an incentive to kill the Clutters than to rob them- he probably felt envious of them and felt that they deserved to die. 

It was interesting to read about the confessions of Dick and Perry. Even though the investigators had information about both Dick and Perry, Dick continued to lie profusely about what happened. However, I was impressed by the fact that the officers were able to use Dick's testimony against him. For instance when Dick said that he went to the Post Office at Ford Scott on a Saturday and was looking for Perry's sister, the investigators were able to refute his statements. Apparently the post office wasn't even opened on Saturdays, and Perry's sister never lived in Ford Scott. Overall I was impressed with the tactics of the officers, and could tell that they would be able to efficiently charge the criminals with murder.