Upon its release in 1966, Truman Capote's In Cold Blood galvanized the country. The story of a Kansas family's gruesome murder captivated readers at a time when such crimes were still largely out of the public consciousness. Capote's book not only spurred the birth of creative nonfiction, it also helped whet the country's appetite for gritty crime stories. Nearly fifty years later, crime dominates our television, film, and literature, with no sign of letting up. But is our culture's fascination with crime an unhealthy one? What happens to our understanding of these horrific events when they're dramatized using fictional techniques? Ultimately, has our culture been positively or negatively affected by In Cold Blood? In a concise editorial, examine the legacy of In Cold Blood, including its profound effect on the public's view of crime. To support your
thesis, cite evidence
from In Cold Blood and the following articles:
- “Creative nonfiction: Where Journalism and Storytelling Meet” (The Writer)
- “’In Cold Blood,' Half a Century On” (Guardian)
- “’In Cold Blood’: A Legacy, in Photos” (Lawrence-Journal-World)
- “’In Cold Blood,’ a Cold Case Police Decide is Worth Digging Up” (Los Angeles Times)
- "One Night on a Kansas Farm" (New York Times)
Requirements:
- MLA Style, including parenthetical citation
- 3-page minimum
- Include a works cited page
The best papers:
- Have a title that articulates its point of view
- Stay within the parameters of the subject matter
- Have a concise thesis which clearly outlines a position
- Are written in a voice that is casual, yet informed
- Clearly support their thesis with solid evidence and a logical structure, citing from In Cold Blood and the articles above
- Conclude with a summation of the argument
- Properly cite evidence using MLA's parenthetical citation method
- Are in compliance with MLA Style
Sample editorials from the New York Times:
Due: Wed 03.06 (Draft 1; Bring 2 copies)
