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Discusses the motives and actions of the cold blooded murderer, Perry Smith.... More...
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Paper Abstract:
Discusses the motives and actions of the cold blooded murderer, Perry Smith. Material is from Truman Capote's nonfiction novel "IN COLD BLOOD," and an article by G.A. Satten. Examines Smith's life and actions with Satten's examples to grasp how he could murder without apparent reason. Early abuses suffered by Smith.
Paper Introduction:
In the annals of cold-blooded murders, the killing of the Clutter family stands out as a prime example. Truman Capote's 1965 non-fiction novel on the subject infers that the two murderers, Perry Smith and Dick Hickock, were not psychologically responsible, and although the two were found guilty, Capote's perspective seems reasonable. The murders committed by Perry Smith seem inexplicable even after reading Capote's In Cold Blood with its collection of accounts of Smith's life, the psychiatrist's report, and the excerpts from the Satten article on other murders committed "without apparent motive" (p. 298). Of course, as Capote points out, it was only the murder of Mr. Clutter that presents this kind of mystery since the other three members of the family were killed out of self-protection. But in Smith's account of killing Mr. Clutter there is so much simple
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Not just with no reason that is apparent tothe onlooker, but without any reason that Smith himself could see. Of course, as Capote points out, itwas only the murder of Mr. Clutter that presents this kind of mystery sincethe other three members of the family were killed out of self-protection.But in Smith's account of killing Mr. Clutter there is so much simplefatalism--as though the whole thing had happened without his contrivance--that the case made for his having been insane at the time of that murder isquite convincing. The phrase "in cold blood," it is clear, could not bebetter applied than to Smith who lacked even the smallest bit of heat inslitting another person's throat. were onlybeginning to investigate--in which they suffer "severe lapses in ego-control" that allow the unfettered expression of extreme violence inreaction to "previous, and now unconscious, traumatic experiences" (299).This likely occurs because when children are exposed to "overwhelmingstimuli" which they cannot process this results in faulty ego formationthat leads, in turn, to very poor impulse control (3 ). The murders committedby Perry Smith seem inexplicable even after reading Capote's In Cold Bloodwith its collection of accounts of Smith's life, the psychiatrist's report,and the excerpts from the Satten article on other murders committed"without apparent motive" (p. But the sense of mystification abouthis own motivation in killing Mr. Clutter and about the relationshipbetween that event and his early life--a relationship that seems to havebeen explained to him--seem genuine. Truman Capote's 1965 non-fictionnovel on the subject infers that the two murderers, Perry Smith and DickHickock, were not psychologically responsible, and although the two werefound guilty, Capote's perspective seems reasonable. In the annals of cold-blooded murders, the killing of the Clutterfamily stands out as a prime example. Hickock's ability to tolerate the repetitions ofthe 'guaranteed' treasure hunting stories (which was part of the appeal ofthe Clutters' non-existent safe, as Hickock knew) simply in case he mightlater have a use for him demonstrates the pathetic willingness of Smith tobe lured by the promise of a stable relationship (one that would not fallapart like that with his father) by the shallowest of façades. In brief, according to Satten, people who commit such seeminglypointless murders and yet are rational and controlled in other respects,probably suffer from a particular syndrome--which Satten et al. ButHickock's account of his manipulation of Smith probably provides the bestpicture of the murderer. (1965). Associating with Hickock was simply the worst possible choice. Althoughthe disintegration of the family took place after the parents were forcedto retire from Rodeo stardom the neglect (e.g., periods of living oncondensed milk and mush), while it was a little more benign, preceded theirunemployment. This wouldnot, of course, affect the other murders (whether he committed all of themor Hickock took a turn as well) since the dissociative state had certainlypassed by then and by either man's account their actions were 'rational' inthe sense of having a definite purpose. Satten, G.A., et al. His wordshave a somewhat coached sound, as though he was making them fit thediagnosis that might keep him from hanging. The seriesof abusers in his life thorough late adolescence included many more peoplethan his parents: nuns in an orphanage, a nurse in a children's shelter,and the soldiers who abused him sexually in the army. 298). Smith said that the Clutters had never hurt him the way other peoplehad, "like people have all my life," and, he calmly mused, "maybe it's justthat the Clutters were the ones who had to pay for it" (3 2). Despite the sheerbrutality of the murders committed by the men studied by Satten none ofthem demonstrated any kind of anger toward their victims and none of themwere capable of developing close relationships with other people. This does not mean that his earlytrauma mitigates what he did or that there was any reason to absolve him ofthe whole set of events. In every singleencounter with social institutions meant to stand for the order and supportthat people need--family, organized religion, professional charity, thearmed services--Smith met with abuse ranging from racial slurs to rape.These things were simply compounded by miserable misfortunes, such as theaccident that ruined his legs, and by stupid decisions such as the theftthat placed him in a Kansas jail. Reference Capote, T. And his analysis of theirdeaths is both repellent and absurd. In cold blood: A true account of a multiplemurder and its consequences. In his account the murder of theClutter family seems almost incidental to that letdown. AsSatten puts it, "people were scarcely real to them, in the sense of beingwarmly or positively (or even angrily) felt about" (3 ). As the written remarks of Smith,his sister Barbara, and their father make clear, his mother was incapableof providing any emotional support or even of taking much of an interest inher children beyond using them as a weapon against her husband. And, sadly, even when he was reunited with his father Smithfound the same emptiness--simply delivered in a different form. But it does provide an explanation of how a humanbeing can act in the most inhumane way possible and yet barely feelanything about it. If he was, indeed, in the same kind of "severedissociative trancelike state" as the men described by Satten and hiscolleagues in their article on the subject he might have merited a sentenceother than the death penalty for Mr. Clutter's death (3 ). But it is necessary to look at theresemblance between Smith's life and actions and those of Satten's examplesin order to grasp how he reached the point where he could kill withouthaving any reason to do so. New York: Vintage. Hisinteraction with Hickock at the moment of the murder shows thedisappointment he felt at discovering, once again, that he was being usedby someone who did not care for him. (1963)."Murder Without Apparent Motive." American Journal of Psychiatry (298-3 2). Perry Smith's life--as recounted by himself, his father, and, insmaller pieces, by others--fits the profile of the men studied by Satten.One of the principal forms of abuse or neglect that was believed to producethe syndrome was "severe emotional deprivation" in childhood and thiscertainly fits Smith's biography (3 ). These menapparently have an unconscious perception of their eventual victims asimportant figures in a past trauma and the actions, or even presence, ofthe victim, therefore, places stress on the weak ego of the individualallowing the sudden emergence of the violence directed, all unconsciously,toward that figure from the past.
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