Monday, November 2, 2009
New Character, New Perpective?
At the beginning of the second section we are introduced to Alvin Adams Dewey, the Garden City reperesentative of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. What is his role in the story? What kind of character is Al Dewey? How does his introduction change the dynamic of the story?
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Alvin Adams Dewey is one of three investigators who takes on the Clutter’s case. Al Dewey use to work for the FBI and is very driven in solving this case. He has very little clues and several theories of what could of happened to the Clutters. He has a family and is extremly found of the Clutter’s. Dewey can’t seem to grasp why anybody would want to hurt the Clutters. He allows the investigation to take over his life as seen when he refuses to ignore the phone calls in the middle of the night. His introduction changes the story because before it was based on the murders and the victims. The reader was put in the place of the victim who doesn’t know anything. Now the reader is trying to find out everything such as the inspector does. It has become a mystery that Dewey is trying to solve as opposed to a suspense. Also, before the murderers were chasing down their victims. Now the roles have switched and the hunters are becoming the hunted so to speak.
ReplyDeleteAlvin Adams Dewey is the former FBI agent, now on the Clutters case, determined to figure out why and how the tragic murders of the Clutter family occurred. Although he has very few leads, and very little understanding as to why the Clutters were murdered, he is taking every bit of information he can and forming theories. Like everyone else he sees no motive as to why they were killed, he knew them personally and liked the family just as much as everyone else. Alvin Adams brings up question through his investigation, sparking the mind of the reader. The things he talks about make the reader look at certain aspects of the story in a new way, creating new questions to as yourself as you read.
ReplyDeleteAlvin Adams Dewey is a former F.B.I. specialist who had recently changed jobs, and moved on to running most of western Kansas’s investigations as the Garden City representative of the K.B.I. (Kansas Bureau of Investigation). In the story he is the head investigator of about eighteen in the Clutter case. Dewey is an awkward character, while he never had a special relationship with the Clutter family, he knew them vaguely from Sunday church and as a result he feels a little compassion for the murders. As someone who has been in this business for many years he explains these murders as rare, “… Because I’ve seen some bad things, I sure as hell have. But nothing so viscous as this.” (80). As a new character it seems that he knows the “business” well and wants to do something about the murders. His introduction gives a new view of the Clutter case to the reader, a view that makes it seem that Perry and Dick are going to get caught. He even states, “I’m going to know what happened in that house: the why and the who.” (80). Dewey makes the case a lot more interesting by being determined to solve it. At first the reader would think Perry and Dick are free, never to get caught. Alvin Adams Dewey changes that view.
ReplyDeleteAlvin Adams Dewey is a former FBI agent and one of the three investigators on the Clutters Case. Alvin Adams Dewey was put on this case because he is very driven to solve the murder. The reason he is so driven to solve this case is that him and his family were very close and liked the Clutters. As he begins the investigations he soon finds out there are not a lot of clues to aid him in the discovery of who it was but he has many interesting theories on the case. Also when he begins he cannot come to the conclusion why someone would want to hurt them. When Alvin is introduced into the story, I think it gives you another point of view in the story. The point of view of someone who just has no idea and gets you thinking about what could have been, making you contemplate your thoughts knowing that you know about Dick and Perry. This brings in a new dynamic of urgency towards the story line for something to be done and for the murder to be figured out. I also agree with Rebecca when she says that the hunters are now being coming the hunted, it is very fitting as now its only a matter of time before the case will eventually be solved.
ReplyDeleteAlvin Adams Dewey who was a specialist for the F.B.I. he is now one of three separate investigators who is working diligently on the clutters case. He is a very passionate individual. He is bent on finding out the truth of what happened to the clutters. He enters the story giving another vantage point onthe clutters murder. though he cannot prove it with the lack of evidence. being new to the story line helps put him in our shoes. he doesn't know anything that the reader doesn't. I also agree with Rebecca, the idea that this goes from a suspense to a mystery is a change. also the idea that he doesn't know anything gives him a new starting point so we can follow him along in his investigation.
ReplyDeleteAlvin Adams Dewey is one of the investigators investigating the murder of the Clutters. He was a former FBI agent but he was also fairly close with the Clutters. He said they, "'were real fond of Herb and Bonnie,' and 'saw them every Sunday at church, visited a lot back and forth'" (80). He is a very tough man as on page 80 he discusses how no matter what is happening at the time, there was a horrible murder, he must get to the bottom of it, and he will. One new perspective that he brings to the story is his importance in society. Here we have a very small, lonely, and unimportant town. In this town are very small, lonely, and unimportant people, except our new character Al Dewey. He makes the reader wonder how a big time FBI agent can be centered around this small and insignificant town. The dynamic of the story changes mainly because of the fact that these characters no longer seem like insignificant people in society, but Al Dewey makes the town and the people look less lonely and unrecognized. After all, it is getting the attention of a big time FBI agent who is determined to solve the mystery of the Clutter's murder.
ReplyDeleteAlvin Adams Dewey, a new character intermixed into the story is one of the three detectives. He reflects a dedicated officer, true to his clients and job. The story began happy and gave a feeling of hope but when the murder occurred the setting became more dark and gruesome. Revealing a perfect world being torn to shreds. But with Al Dewey introduced into the story, he gave that sense of hope and assurance that everything was going to be solved. He lives for his job, and will clear anything that gets in his way to get his job done. He gives of this strong dedication that gives the reader that hope that was reflected earlier in the book. When he says, “However long it takes, it may be the rest of my life, I’m going to know what happened in that house: the why and the who.” (p. 80.) This can simply sum of Dewey and his passion, and drive just for the Clutters; a family that they visited with back and forth and ran into each other at church. They reflected being a great family, and for that great family he was going to do just that in solving this mystery.
ReplyDeleteAlvin Adams Dewey is one of the investigators assigned to the case of the Clutter Family murder. Dewey formerly worked for the FBI, but at the time of the murder he is a member of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. When he is assigned to the case is extremely determined to solve the case for multiple reasons. The first of these is that he knew the Clutters prior to the murder. When talking about his and his wife’s relationship with the Clutters, he states, “were real fond of Herb and Bonnie, and saw them every Sunday at church, visited a lot back and forth” (80). In this quotation, it is apparent that Dewey had a previous relationship with the Clutters, providing him with a reason to find the reason and the people behind the murder. He is so determined to find out the facts behind the murder that he declares, “However long it takes, it may be the rest of my life, I’m going to know what happened in that house: the why and the who” (80).
ReplyDeleteHis introduction into the story changes the dynamic of the story drastically. Before he was introduced, the book was preparing for the murder, and was about the direct impact of the murder. However, once Dewey is introduced the dynamic is changed to a mystery, where the bulk of the story surrounds the investigation of the murder.
As a former FBI agent, Alvin Adams Dewey adds a new sense of urgency to the story. Because of his interested and theories in the case, he creates the feeling that the murders are more of a mystery, even though readers already know Dick and Perry committed the murders, and his one man killing theory is very wrong. However, like Alvin, readers do not know how exactly the murders were committed, and have very little clues to build an image in their minds to try and construct the brutal murders. Because of this lack of knowledge, Alvin as a character gives theories and investigates almost along side the reader’s imagination. This adds another dimension of suspense to the book, along with the continued intercutting. Yet another tool used to make an already known story into a murder mystery type drama.
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ReplyDeleteAl Dewey is one of three investigators assigned to the Clutter murder case. Al is a man who is devoted to his job and willing to do anything to solve this murder case. Unfortunately for his wife, Al is out of bed as soon as the phone rings hoping for a new lead. He has had four other murders, all solved fairly quickly, and this case is proving to be far more difficult.
ReplyDeleteAl has his ideas about the murder but he and his fellow agents, although they are working hard, are not getting very far. However, Al is persistent, which shows in his dramatic loss of weight and eagerness to grab at any possibility of a lead as well as his constant visits to the Clutter home.
I agree with Kirsty in that Al's character's introduction into the story gives the reader a more inside look at the story and the murders. Before the reader was simply just seeing the pre-murder story and then the post-murder story pan out, with little explanation other than the detailed description of the victims and the murderers. However, now the reader gets to witness the details that Al Dewey comes across. The reader is informed that a footprint was found next to Herb Clutter on the mattress box, which was picked up by the camera. The reader also gets to experience first hand the toll the murder of this family is having on the rest of the people in Holcomb. The stress that this case is causing Al and his family, as well as the other investigators and the people who call him constantly about potential leads, is very evident to the reader now that they have an inside look at the case.
I also agree with Lauren when she says that Al's persistence and dedication show a promising close to the Clutter case.
I believe that Al Dewey's introduction into the story has added not only another point of view but also an outlet for the reader to further understand the story and case.
The murder of the Clutters leave many people devastated. As the book claimed, they were the least likely to be murdered. The fact that someone would have a reason to kill them frightens the citizens of Kansas. People change their locks and start turning against one another. However, there are still people who have not let this tragic event completely paralyze them with fear and despair. Alvin Adams Dewey is one of those people. He is one of the many people who were fond of the Clutters when they were alive. Instead of acting like the majority of Kansas' citizens, Alvin has devoted his life to finding who committed this crime. Alvin is a former sheriff, former FBI agent, and the Bureau's Garden City representative. It is considered "inevitable, and appropriate" that Alvin would be chosen to investigate the crime. He is known for being to solve crimes that are seemingly without morals. Alvin's presence in the story provides readers and characters in the story with a sense of hope that died along with the Clutters. People now think that there's a possibility that the murderers may be caught after all. Alvin Dewey has taken the Clutters' place as the protagonist in the story.
ReplyDeleteAlvin Adams Dewey is a, “lean and handsome fourth-generation Kansan of forty-seven.” (80) Dewey was formerly a sherif of Finney County and also a special agent of the FBI. He had a personal stake in the case, because he and is wife Marie, were personal friends with Herb and Bonnie Clutter. Alvin was clearly an experienced agent, but it seems that his case was really important to solve. Al Dewey states, “However long it takes, it may be the rest of my life, I’m going to know what happened in that house: the why and the who.” (80)
ReplyDeleteDewey is clearly a very religious man and someone who has very high standard, for himself and for others. As the story progresses, it seems that Alvin Dewey makes this case his life. At one point, his wife asks him, “Alvin, do you think we’ll ever get back to normal living?” (105) So, it seems like the case is affecting Dewey and everyone around him. Mrs. Hartman, at the Hartman Cafe, notices Al has lost weight. So, the case is wearing him down. Just before Christmas, Dewey was so focused on the case that he did not buy any gifts for his family, in fact, “His mind automatically rejected problems not concerned with the Clutter case. Marie and many of their friends had begun to wonder at the completeness of his fixation.” (148)
Dewey’s introduction makes the story more interesting, because the reader gains knowledge of how he investigates the crime. It also makes the story more personal, because the reader feels a personal connection with Dewey and how he feels about the murders.
Alvin Adams Dewey, an invistigator and former FBI agent, dedicates his life to soliving the mystery of who killed the Clutter family. Although not a close friend of the Clutters, Dewey explains, "were real fond of Herb and Bonnie, we saw them every sunday at church."(pg. 80), and so when he hears news of his death he works hard to solve the mystery even though he has little clues and little evidence, he even begins to take phone calls in the middle of the night. Although, being a professional he claims, "even if I hadn't known the family, and liked them so well, I wouldn't feel any different."(pg. 80) He appears to be a determined officer that will work well with the reader to solve the case. Changing the dynamic of the story dramatically. Now the reader is more involved, instead of being an outsider and uninvolved the reader is starting to get answeres through Alvin Adams Dewey, "however long it takes, it may be the rest of my life, I'm going to know what happened in that house: the why and the who."(Pg. 80)
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