The the film, “Capote”, Truman Capote was a brave homosexual talented man and comfortable in his own skin. But with his vibrant way with words came a drive to thrive that saw few ethical boundaries. At one point of the film Capote stated “Sometimes when I think of how good my book is going to be, I can’t breathe.” With Capote saying this, it gives him a strong character trait of confidence , but also shows how he over-exaggerates when he stated thinking about he’s book makes him feel like he can’t breathe. He’s extra-ness makes him have this conceited/cocky personal, but that isn’t always a bad thing. As a child Capote was obsessed with writing-he would write for 3 hours everyday after school and with only he’s aunts raising he had to work to where he’s at and writing was he’s gate way out. Capote also loves being the center of attention no matter where he is. In the film, Capote hosted a post-live reading and was talking to everyone the room and was laughing at what he was saying.
Throughout the film, Capote was willing to help Perry Smith and Dick Hickock (particularly Smith) situation so they could receive the proper consequence they deserve and not face death. Capote through the one-on-one interviews with Perry made them become close and that’s why when Perry actually confessed to murdering of the Clutter family, Capote was devastated. And after the death of Perry, Capote was never the same. In the film, Capote stated “I stayed with Perry to the end. He was calm and very brave. It was a terrible experience and I will never get over it. Someday I will try to tell you about it. But for the moment I am still too shattered.” The key word in the quote that describe Capote is the feeling of being “shattered”, broken from the inside out. Capote would later on become an alcoholic and would never finish anyone of his book in his career.
Capote while writing his book grew a unusual close relationship with Perry Smith.
In the film Capote told Perry , “If I leave here without understanding you, the world will see you as a monster. Always. And I don’t want that.” The overlapping perception of caring about Perry and exploiting him begin to become strains on Capote’s psyche that don’t quite rinse out in the wash. Empathy hits hard at Capote’s heart while opportunity pulls Capote’s mind in an opposing direction. Whether genuine or not, there becomes an element of dependency that Capote establishes in his relationship with Perry during the interviews he conducts to compose the prose found in In Cold Blood. Even the book’s title is purposely kept a secret from Perry, as it clearly was of no benefit to his ongoing court cases.
In the film “Capote” and the novel, In Cold Blood, Truman Capote was never contradicting or inconsistent with anything he did. However, Capote hit a wall with his novel as they were nearing the execution of Perry (knowing the relationship they had). Capote waiting on Perry to spill the details of the night of the murder in order to construct the stories ending and Capote loses his patience, and also prepared to lose Perry’s respect in the process. In the film, Capote stated, “It’s as if Perry and I grew up in the same house. And one day he stood up and went out the back door, while I went out the front.”
Inside Life of the UNKNOWN 