In Cold Blood - Part 3 - Question 1-5

Part III - ANSWER

1. Why is Floyd Wells concerned when he hears the news of the Clutter murders?

Floyd was shocked because he knew the Clutters. He had worked with Herb many years ago. He was part responsible for their murder. He was the one who told Dick about the Clutter family when they were in prison.

2. How does fate come up again in Floyd’s encounter?

Floyd is a clear example of the butterfly effect theory, where a butterfly moving its wings can produce  a storm in other part of the planet. In this case, the simple action of talking about the Clutters, with the purpose of making friends, results in the massacre of the family. Floyd triggered the events that made Dick decide to assault the Clutters, and this, to call Perry who was the one that killed all the Clutters when Dick shrank back.

3. Why doesn’t Floyd want to tell his story to the KBI?

He was afraid to say that Dick and Perry were the murderers because he might be killed if someone in the prison find out he talk to the police (“moles” are killed in prison). Or maybe, he could be consider as an accessory to the crime and punished for being part of the crime.

4. How does Marie, Dewey’s wife, react when she sees pictures of Dick and Perry?

She saw that Perry has eyes that showed sensitivity and wickedness. But she had another impression when she saw Dick`s eyes. Marie felt afraid because his eyes showed pain and hatred and they reminded her a traumatic event of her childhood. Finally, she regretted for seeing the pictures.

5. How do the Hickocks feel about their son? In what way do they “cover” for their son? In what ways do they recognize and admit his mistakes?

Dick`s parents didn`t want to believe that their son could have committed such crime. They saw him as an athlete, a husband, someone intelligent. For them, Dick wasn`t the problem, Perry was a bad influence for him. The parents blame Perry for all their problems.

They knew Dick was resentful for not going to college or living well because they couldn`t afford that. When Dick went back from prison for stealing, he was another person, he was always angry.