What are examples of allusion in the non-fiction novel In Cold Blood by Truman Capote?

Answer 1

In the book, In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote, an example of a flashback is when Perry Smith recalls the murders of the Clutter family during testimony. The book was published just months after Perry Smith and Dick Hickok were executed for the murders of Herbert and Bonnie Clutter, and their two teen-age children, Nancy and Kenyon.

Answer 2

In the beginning of the book, as Capote describes the Kansas farmland, he writes: "The land is flat, and the views are awesomely extensive; horses, herds of cattle, a white cluster of grain elevators rising as gracefully as Greek temples are visible long before a traveler reaches them" (3). This allusion brings to mind the great accomplishments-and eventual downfall-of Greek civilization, perhaps most significantly its dramatic tragedies, in which the crimes of the individual pollute the entire state (think Antigone and Oedipus Rex).

Answer 3

In the non-fiction novel "In Cold Blood," Truman Capote makes various allusions, such as referencing the Greek myth of Prometheus when describing Perry as a "chosen companion of loneliness." Another example is the biblical allusion to the story of Cain and Abel, reflecting the relationship between the two main characters, Perry and Dick. Additionally, Capote alludes to Shakespeare's play "Macbeth" in the chapter titles, such as "Answer" and "The Corner."