Last Sunday I was reading the papers and I found an interesting piece about a well-known left-wing columnist commenting In Cold Blood – both the movie and the book. Until now, I have not seen the movie yet – so I won't discuss that part. But it seems the columnist and I read two different books - That's Art with a capital A, folks! You only need the rosy-red glasses to read a different work and you can sympathize with Perry Smith!
For me it was comprehension. You could see what a miserable life it was for the two murderers and their so-called adventures before and after their infamous massacre. But you could see that before there was a little ordinary life they could have continued.
You can go on and on about the Depression years, how difficult it was for the Smiths, but despite what the author says, they still had a chance – witness Bobo. The current TV-Law-and-Order version is that criminals have little chance of redemption. The Capote pals never found real remorse – according to the book. Maybe they found it, but then the author and the critic may have found it lessening the literary quality of the novel.
Anyway, sympathizing with the murderers feels like desecrating the Clutters' memory. That's the point. No piece victimizing the perpetrators will undo that.
Dr. sipmac has ranted.
