Sunday, October 25, 2009
Guitars, and Tiger Tattoos and Cherry Pie . . . Oh My!
In the first section are there any objects that are or might be symbols? The guitar that Perry has in the back seat? The tattoos of Dick and Perry? The socks that Mrs. Clutter wears to bed? The cherry pie that Nancy helped Jolene to bake? The fruit trees on Mr. Clutter's property?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
One of the most significant and easily recognizable symbols thus far in the reading are Mrs. Clutter’s minatures, more specifically, the fan that she gives Jolene, Nancy’s pie-making prodigy. While the fan cost only a penny, it was still pretty. Mrs. Clutter stresses that fact several times in the conversation on page 26-28. They stress the importance of having something that is your own. They were the things that Mrs. Clutter cherished whilst she was away at various mental institutions trying to get better. It symbolizes Mrs. Clutter’s personality. While there are only penny thoughts on occasion, they’re worth much more than that to her. Additionally it shows that she sees the little things and recognizes what’s good in the world. While they’re only penny things, they’re pretty.
ReplyDeleteThe cherry pie that Nancy had helped Jolene in the story symbolizes in a way the women’s household role. From what we have read in the story it was said that Mr. Clutter knew the necessities of cooking, but one was never able to see it in action. Mrs. Clutter and Nancy were the ones who had seemed to be holding the house together. Nancy was the all around girl that everyone wanted to be, being able to make a pie was only one of her many talents. It was a duty for her to help little Jolene how to make a pie, for it was soon to be her turn in fulfilling her household duties too just like the other women.
ReplyDeleteExpanding on Aubrey's post, I think that the miniatures show Mrs. Clutter's insecurity. She feels the need to "have something of your own" which I think she emphasizes to a great deal. It might signify her feelings of insecurity and nervousness. The little things help her cope with her feelings of hopelessness, and points to her compulsive nature. I think that her socks also show something about her character. Her constant feeling of being cold might also relate with her nervous nature. She is not vigorous with life, so she gets chills.
ReplyDeleteThe most interesting object that I found objects in In Cold Blood was Perry's guitar. It shows the softer side of a hardened criminal. The scene with the guitar and the shotgun sitting next to each other was also interesting symbolism. I think that it either symbolizes the two sides of Perry or it symbolizes the duo together. Perry is the more romantic and artistic type while Dick is the cold and hard criminal who bludgeons his way through situations. The tattoos on Dick and Perry provide additional symbolism of the same nature. Dick's tattoos are more crude, while Perry's are more artistic and expressive.
Holcom, Kansas is an agricultural rich area and Mr Clutter contributes to this. Mr Clutter is owns River Valley Farm which is a large area of property that keeps him pretty wealthy. Due to these facts it was no surprise to me that Mr Clutter grew trees on his farm. Mr Clutter a strict methodist claims that, "an inch more of rain and this country would be paradise -- Eden on earth.", the trees help to emphasize and act as a symbol for his love of nature and the community. His trees were his way of growing a paradise, his wife even admits this by saying, "My husband cares more for those trees than he does for his children," Mr Clutter was devastated when a plane crashed into them.
ReplyDelete