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"Everything Herb had, he earned with the help of God...But that life, and what he'd made of it- how could it happen." (79)

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Capote characterizes Herb Clutter as a good man, who earned everything he had by himself and with the help of God since he was such a righteous man. Through this, readers question what is it that caused the killers to end with this family's life. And it was all taken away by an evil act, which allows the audience to further question and want to keep reading more into the book; in order to come into terms with what is it that really happened.

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"footprints, the dusty trackings of shoes...The prints, not noticeable to the naked eye...bold and bloody...keep secret the existence of this evidence."(83)

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As soon as Agent Dewey revises crime film, he notices that there was a bloody footprint on the mattress box Herb was laid on to his death. This imagery highlights that they are closer to the killers, after reading ahead; readers begin to take on guesses of who's foot was it, who took on the bloody work in this crime. This allows us as the audience to really question if the killers were that careful as they said, to leave no trace of themselves at the crime scene.

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"even entire families, who had sat the whole night wide awake, watchful, listening. Of what were they frightened? 'It might happen again." (88)

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After the crime, all of Holcomb remained frozen; in that state of isolation because they didn't know who the culprit to this big shocker was. Capote utilizes imagery to characterize the town, in order to demonstrate to readers that the Clutter murder lingered in everyone's mind, it made the audience realize just how small and united this town came to be even before this crime.

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"'For this killer or killers'" said Perry, reading aloud. "That's incorrect. The grammar is." (89)

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As of Perry Smith, this was a very superstitious man who focused on himself and Dick. His silly superstitions and comments like grammar on the newspaper being incorrect, but it regarding the crime they committed. They all point to his child-like persona that was majorly influenced by not only Dick but by his childhood trauma. Readers really get a further insight into Perry's mind from these comments made regarding the crime he was a part of. The audience gets to see Perry Smith as not only a killer but his life before that, as a child and in prison enduring through lots.

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"Nancy Clutter, Susan Kidwell...We were like sisters...Nancy loved the river...Nancy's red velvet. And Nancy in it. Dancing." (94/96)

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Chapter 5 is dedicated to Nancy Clutter, where her best friend: Susan Kidwell describes her and just overall reminisces on the life she lived. Through these specific and lively characteristics, the audience gets an insight on the young Nancy Clutter, and the long life she still had ahead of her. The part where her pets are mentioned, to be now abandoned demonstrate the responsibility and position the Clutter family had in not only their home but in Holcomb.

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"Dick seemed depressed. He shrugged off Perry's praises...Dick, usually so full of himself...wilted and sad." (99)

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Through this description of Dick, Capote allows readers to really see inside of Dick's brain after the Clutter murder. While Dick is painted as this tough, macho man; at the end of the day, he is a human that is bound to have feelings after going through with the murder of a whole family. As of the readers, we are able to characterize that these two killers are real people that aren't as strong as they seem, their fantasies got the best of them and now their act lingers on in their conscience.

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"Alvin, do you think we'll ever get back to normal living?"

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Mrs. Dewey's question shares a similarity or frustration, pain, and fear with other Holcomb community members as the murder of the Clutter family comes of surprise. The Clutter family represented the perfect family, as they were well respected, mannered, and good willed people. The community was uneasy as they did not know if they were in danger and lost trust in their own neighbors, something never felt before.

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"There were those Dick claimed to love: three sons, a mother, a father, a brother--persons he hadn't dared confide his plans to, or bid goodbye", (106)

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Dick and Perry were running off to Mexico in order to escape the horrendous acts they took part in. Dick leaving his family behind without explanation and knowing he will never see them again although claiming he loved them reveals that he is selfish, and only thought of himself. He was willing to sacrifice everything for money and in the end ran off without an inch of guilt.

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"Due to the unexpected tragedy and because of the many relatives being here from distant places, the young couple decided to have their wedding Saturday."(107) 

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Although the remaining daughters of the clutter family along with other relatives and close friends had just been struck with the tragedy of the loss of their loved ones, Beverly the second eldest daughter decided to get married after the funeral of her family. This reveals that the Herb and Bonnie Clutter raised their children to be thoughtful of others. While they were grieving, she took advantage of the reunion of family members and got married. Through this event, readers are able to see just how united the Clutter family was, and that Beverly did what her parents would have wanted her to do regardless.

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"Take for instance, that temper of his. He could go into a fury "quicker than ten drunk Indians."(108)

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Dick frustrated with Perry's questions recalls several circumstances in which he found Perry to be "spooky as hell" and peculiar. Perry often acting childlike, innocent, and vulnerable, yet when angered he could turn very violent. Capote includes this to further characterize and give insight on who Perry was instead of painting him a monster. This conveys to the readers that Perry might have been struggling with borderline personality disorder and never got the medical attention he needed.

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"When he'd told Dik that story, it was because he'd wanted Dick to respect him, think him hard as much the masculine type he had considered Dick to be. (111)

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Perry's guilt had gotten to him, and he often questioned if they are mentally right. Dick annoyed at his assumption that there is something wrong with him questions Perry and his first murder. This is significant as Perry had made up a story about the gruesome murder of a black man in order to feel manly and tough like Dick. This reveals to the audience that Perry was in need for masculine validation and a friend and that ultimately was one of the primary reasons both men followed through with the murders.

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"Seems like we're losing everybody. One way or another. (116)

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After the Clutter family murders the community was on edge as no one had been caught yet. The town began to make up rumors like the "Jones Theory" that led the people to question whether their neighbors were trustworthy or not. Although Mr. Dewy spent the majority of his day figuring out this mystery people also lost trust in the police, everyone was either leaving town or had become paranoid. The entire community had changed overnight. This leads the audience to believe that the Clutter family murder was impactful to the entire community as they represented what a perfect well-mannered family was like and it frightened people that it might be done to them to.

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"Perry's... look of unflawed fulfillment, of beatitude, as though at last, and as in one of his dreams, a tall yellow bird had hauled him to heaven."(120)

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Dick and Perry are running out of money and ways to get money while in Mexico and spend a lot of their time on a boat with 2 other friends cruising along the coast each keeping themselves occupied with various tasks aboard the boat. Dick is getting antsy and has no effort to do anything while at the end of the chapter Perry catches a big fish which lifts his spirits and he is clearly very proud of, he smiles as if this was one of the best things to happen to him and Capote compares this happiness to Perry's dream of being lifted off by a yellow bird into heaven. This reveals to the audience that Perry is getting caught up in his dream and no really caring about the fact that his and Dick murdered a whole family. It also reveals that these two men have little to no sympathy for the crimes they commit and believe that they have nothing to be concerned about besides where their next bundle of cash will come from.

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"I hope there'll always be a clutter here, and a Helm, too"(120)

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This Clutters land was very special to Herb and Paul Helm. After Herb died Paul would come back to the farmhouse often and this one time he recalled the quote above, spoken by Herb given the circumstance that the two oldest Clutter daughters want to now sell the house. Paul Helm had a strong connection with this house and the Clutters and did not want to let a place that was once so special to many people just be sold to strangers. This reveals to the audience that many people have such a strong connection with the family that once resided here but it now feels like and empty and cold place showing that so many people lost their faith of innocents in the town of Holcomb.

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"IT IS NO SHAME TO HAVE A DIRTY FACE--THE SHAME COMES WHEN YOU KEEP IT DIRTY."(140)

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In a letter that came from Perry's sister Barbra during his 5-10 year sentence, she writes to Perry initially to inform him of the recent event of her life but it then turns into Barbra shaming Perry for all the things he has done and states that he has free will and is able to change his life if he really wanted to. This reveals that Barbra speaks from a very privileged point of view as she is a middle-class woman with a house and a family but then talks to Perry as if some of these things are so easy.

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"For once an awful fate had befallen friends who lived in a lonely country house"(150)

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Dewey enjoys hiking across wheat fields and on his own land where he and Marie had dreams to build a house and entertain their great-grandchildren, However, this dream is something Marie no longer longed for as she wishes to live in a place not so secluded as the Clutter's did. Marie was so traumatized by the fate of the Clutters that she is scared to live in the country. This loss of innocence is a recurring them throughout the book as the town of Holcomb was a place where many of their residents felt safe and happy but now they no longer feel comfortable in the town many of them grew up in.

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"'To be murdered. To be murdered. No. No. There's nothing worse. Nothing worse than that. Nothing.'"(154)

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Alvin Dewey visits the Clutter house once again and notices new details of the home such as Herb's sweat-stained hat and Kenyon's glasses on a shelf. Dewey is reminded of a dream Marie Dewy had about Bonnie Clutter in their kitchen, dressed up and pretty but not uttering a word even when Marie would try and talk to her until she uttered the quote above. Capote reveals to the audience that Marie doesn't feel safe and is deeply affected by the death of Bonnie and her family. Marie's dream of Bonnie shows that the death of the Clutters linger in everyone's mind.

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"They were waiting for some solitary traveler in a decent car and with money in his blindfold-- a stranger to rob, strangle, discard on the desert."(154)

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Dick and Perry are stuck in the Mojave desert and spend the day waiting around for a potential victim with a kind heart and money so they can take advantage of and murder. Capote does this to show that Dick and Perry do not that the emotional capacity to be affected by committing more crimes and will continue to commit murder without batting an eye.