In Cold Blood Quotes Flashcards
Crime & Justice - NL Dunnan on capital punishment
“I told them under normal conditions I would probably be adverse to it. But with the magnitude of this crime I could probably vote in favour.”
Nature vs Nurture - Dick’s lack of remorse
“A cinch…I promise you, honey, we’ll blast hair all over them walls.”
“had polished off several chicken-salad sandwiches and was now eying his companion’s meal: an untouched hamburger and a glass of root beer…”
Nature vs Nurture - Perry’s life is a mirage
“Perry Smith’s life had been no bed of roses but pitiful, an ugly and lonely progress towards one mirage and then another.”
American Dream - Dick’s regular life dream
“Dick, who wanted ‘a regular life’, with a business of his own, a house, a horse to ride, a new car, and plenty of blonde chicken”.
American Dream - Perry’s dreams of going skin diving for sunken treasure
“Sixty million dollars – that’s what they say it’s worth. Even if we didn’t find all of it, even if we only found some of it”
“diving deep in fire-blue seas toward sunken treasure”
“beachcomber yearnings”
American Dream - Clutters things being burned
“How was it possible that such effort, such plain virtue, could overnight be reduced to this - smoke, thinning as it rose”
Normal vs Abnormal - Dick’s initial thoughts on Perry
“Dick became convinced that Perry was that rarity, ‘a natural killer’ - absolutely sane, but conscienceless, and capable of dealing, with or without motive, the coldest-blooded deathblows.”
American Dream - Herb
“Always certain of what he wanted from the world, Mr Clutter had in large measure obtained it.”
American Dream - Nancy
“And that’s one definition of a lady.”
Fate, Chance, Choice - Barbara’s life
“was a conventional suburban ranch house, pleasant and common place.”
“by profession an insurance salesman…”
all four - dog, two little boys, and a girl…”
Normal vs Abnormal - Dick’s abnormal character personality and is trying to become normal
“Deal me out baby, I’m a normal.”
“severe character disorder”
Belief - Holcomb’s views on the death of the Clutter family
“it’s like being told there is no God. It makes life seem pointless. I don’t think
people are so much frightened as they are deeply depressed.”
