In Cold Blood was relevant to the 1950’s and 1960’s of America. The Clutter family living in Holcomb, Kansas was the ideal form of family in the mid 20th century of America. Herbert Clutter was a businessman who brought home the money, Bonnie Clutter was the mother who stayed home, and Nancy Clutter was devoted to her school and her religion. Kenyon, too, was interested in what boys should be interested in, which was mechanics. “Growing up in the fifties and sixties, I can only remember knowing one child, ever, whose parents got a divorce, and hardly any whose mother 'worked' at anything besides raising her children.” (Joyce Maynard). The American family getting murdered in their home, interested Truman Capote, who then went to the small “wholesome” town of Holcomb. The sheriff of Holcomb stated, "The fact that someone from New York like Truman Capote felt compelled to come out all this way to tell the Clutters' story I suppose means it's forever going to be ingrained in people's minds," The city-life, contrary to the town-life, was very different. The men were businessman and celebrities always were in a rush. The lived exaggerated lives involving theater viewings, fashion spotlight, sports games and movie premieres. “In New York in the Forties or Fifties, everybody's in a suit, an overcoat and a hat.” (John Malkovich) The lifestyle of the fifties and sixties was what Capote was used to, and was very involved in. Being a celebrity and a writer put him in a place where the city was where he belonged.
Although the fifties was a time of prosperity for America, there was also much poverty and a depressed climate among some of the people. Truman Capote tells the story of the other part of America in the fifties. Even though there was a healthy middle class and stable, wholesome American homes, there was also the broken, poor and dark side of America. “They were everything he [Herb Clutter] was not. (Pilkington). The murderers were among the Americans who were desperate for a beginning and a constant income. When the murder happened, the murderers were tucked away into prison where Capote interviewed them and developed a friendship with Perry. However, in 1965, the murderers were hanged and the death penalty, which was common in America, did its deed in killing the two unfortunate murderers. "Four shotgun blasts that, all told, ended six human lives.” (Capote in In Cold Blood). The clash of the healthy family and ill-fated misfits ended in a tragedy in which proves that the two types of people could not co-exist in the culture of the 1950’s and 1960’s.
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/nov/16/truman-capote-in-cold-blood
Although the fifties was a time of prosperity for America, there was also much poverty and a depressed climate among some of the people. Truman Capote tells the story of the other part of America in the fifties. Even though there was a healthy middle class and stable, wholesome American homes, there was also the broken, poor and dark side of America. “They were everything he [Herb Clutter] was not. (Pilkington). The murderers were among the Americans who were desperate for a beginning and a constant income. When the murder happened, the murderers were tucked away into prison where Capote interviewed them and developed a friendship with Perry. However, in 1965, the murderers were hanged and the death penalty, which was common in America, did its deed in killing the two unfortunate murderers. "Four shotgun blasts that, all told, ended six human lives.” (Capote in In Cold Blood). The clash of the healthy family and ill-fated misfits ended in a tragedy in which proves that the two types of people could not co-exist in the culture of the 1950’s and 1960’s.
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/nov/16/truman-capote-in-cold-blood