In Cold Blood Part 2

Dear All,
Here is a set of 47 questions that deal with Part II. I will ask you to choose 7 questions each and develop them fully in the blog. Also bring them to class next week. The idea is that after you have posted an answer, your classmates contribute with a comment. it could be of any nature (agreeing, disagreeing, adding something, posting a video, etc). Make sure you tell in the blog which ones you are answering, so you do not overlap. This will compensate for my sick leave.

In Cold Blood

Section II:

Persons Unknown (pages 73-96)

1. Describe Alfred’s feelings. Do you think he was involved in any way? Explain. How can he convince people of his innocence?

2. Describe Alvin Dewey.

3. Why do you think Nancy was not gagged?

4. Discuss the evidence the KBI has accumulated so far.

5. Explain Dewey’s major reason for believing that the murder was the work of only one individual. Do you agree?

6. What evidence exists that the murder may have been the result of a feud?

7. Discuss the evidence against John Sr. and Jr. How is this evidence resolved?

8. Explain the irony surrounding Mrs. Myrtle Clare.

9. Explain the quotation on page 88: “Imagination, of course, can open any door - turn the key and let terror walk right in.”

10. Discuss the tension between Dick and Perry after the murders.

11. Explain Perry’s belief that he has ESP (extra sensorial perception). What evidence does he offer to support his assertion?

12. Explain the episode about Floyd on page 87. (This will be resolved later.)

13. What promise do Perry and Dick make to each other?

14. Describe Perry’s dream. Analyze this dream.

15. Describe the episodes when Dick cons people. How is he able to do this?

16. Explain why Cookie was so important to Perry. What does this tell us about Perry?

17. Why does Dick worry about his family? Why is this ironic?

Persons Unknown (pages 96-123)

18. What new evidence does Mrs. Elaine Selsor provide?

19. What concerns the detectives about the mattress box, bed covers, etc?

20. What can we learn from Dick and Perry’s possessions?

21. Explain Mr. Howard Fox’s letter. What does this tell us about the family?

22. Describe the argument between Dick and Perry. What does this tell us about them?

23. Why is the story of Perry killing King so important?

24. Describe the memories Perry has about the murder.

25. One of the main arguments which In Cold Blood interjects is the question over which is more important: nature or nurture. What information do we learn about Perry’s past? How do you think these events have changed him?

26. Describe and explain Dick’s episode with the dog in the road. What do we learn about Dick from this episode?

27. What evidence exists that the killers may have been after Taylor Jones?

28. Look at the story about Mrs. Archibald William Warren-Brown on pages 110. What is the purpose of this story?

29. Name the people who plan to leave Holcomb and explain why each will leave.

30. What does Hideo remember about the last time she saw Herb Clutter. Explain the irony.

31. Describe Dick and Perry’s visit to Mexico.

32. What information does Paul Helm remember about the day before the murders?

33. Describe the incident with Jonathan Daniel Adrian.

Persons Unknown (pages 119-151)

34. Why will Dick and Perry return to the states?

35. Explain why Perry is afraid to leave Dick.

36. List the items Perry and Dick ship to America and the things Perry leaves with Jesus. What can we learn about the two men from their possessions?

37. Why had Perry’s father written “A History of My Boy’s Life”? Explain the major points hemakes in the letter.

38. Look back at question #28.What new information about the argument does the reader learn from the essay?

39. Why does Perry so value this essay? What does this tell us about him?

40. Explain why Perry and his father fought and finally separated.

41. Explain the major points that Barbara makes in her letter to Perry.

42. Critique Willie-Jay’s synopsis of Barbara’s letter.

43. Describe the Finney County murders prior to the Clutter murder.

44. Why does Dewey return to the Clutter home each day?

45. Describe Marie’s dream.

46. What example of fate is found at the end of “Persons Unknown”?

47. What example of irony is found at the end of “Persons Unknown”?