Friday, November 13, 2009
Living Witness
Earlir in the book, Dick and Perry debate whether or not there could be a witness that could report them. A man named Floy Wells pops up, but he is considered to be to afraid of the consequences to even consider telling his knowledge to the police. This character doesn't reoccur until page 160, when he's telling an officer who the commited the murder. What do you thing were the major reasons Floyd told the officer all that he knew, even though he was also aware of what could happen to him? Was he just doing it for the reward, or was it because of his feelings for the family? If Floyd was placed in Perry's shoes, do you think he would have commited the murder? Why or why not?
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Floyd Wells, although mentioned only a few times in In Cold Blood, plays a very prominent role in the story. He was Dick’s cell-mate and knew that Dick and Perry had killed the Clutters. He told the warden about it for several reasons. At first, he was not going to say a word, for fear of the other prisoners. He thought they would make his life not even worth “a dead coyote” (162). However, he becomes even more interested in saying something because of the reward. “An interesting item; it almost inspired Wells to speak,” claims Wells when hearing of the reward (162). However, the reward is not all that he cares about. Previously, Floyd described the Clutters as good people. On page 163, Floyd even states that, “I remembered Mr. Clutter, and how he’d never done me no harm, how at Christmas he’d give me a little purse with fifty dollars in it” (163). This illustrates that Floyd spilled the beans because he really did like the Clutters. Nonetheless, Floyd would have kept his mouth shut had it not been for his catholic friend who told the authorities for him (163). If Floyd were in Perry’s shoes, he would not have committed the murders. He does not have a bad character. In fact, the only reason he is in jail is because of theft; not some outrageous act. All he wanted to do was “start a lawnmower rental service” (161). Although steeling is against the law, Floyd comes off as one who has his head in the right place. He would never have been able to commit a murder.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Floyd wouldn’t have committed there murder if he were in Perry’s shoes because he comes off as a good person even though he was in jail, He seems to know what’s right and what’s wrong in this situation. I agree with Rebecca that Floyd Wells is a very important character in in cold blood. Floyd was one of the only people that Dick and Perry were concerned with to be a witness to the murder because Floyd had been Dick’s cellmate and he had known that they were going to kill the clutters. Floyd was very tentative about speaking out against his old jail mate. His reason for this was the fact that he did not want to endanger the other prisoners of Dick and Perry’s old jail. As time goes on Floyd starts to lean towards confessing the truth to the investigators because of the large reward that he would gain from it. Another reason that he begins to think about telling is that he thought that the clutters were good people; “I remembered Mr. Clutter, and how he’d never done me no harm, how at Christmas he’d give me a little purse with fifty dollars in it” (163). After this I began to believe that he was going to tell them because he felt bad for what Dick and Perry did to those good people. Even though he didn’t end up telling the police himself the information still ended up getting out and ruining Dick and Perry’s plan and cover that they have created over the last couple of years
ReplyDeleteFloyd Wells plays a major role in the book, even though he is mentioned so briefly. He is the one flaw in the “perfect score”, leaving one loose end that Dick and Perry failed to get ride of. Sadly for Dick and Perry, Floyd knows all too much. Having knowledge of why and how they were going to murder the family that directly links Dick and Perry to the murders, Floyd’s choice to step forward is their ultimate downfall. I believe the reason he told his chilling story was not for the reward but for closer on the Clutter family murders. He seems to care greatly for Mr. Clutter, his wife and two youngest children. I think in some way Floyd feels the pain and grief of the town, and understands their need to know what such a lovely family was so brutally killed. As for committing the murders, Floyd most likely wouldn’t have. He worked so closely along side the Clutter family, so to murder them doesn’t seem like something he would be able to do; he is not a cold blooded killer. He seems as though he would have taken the ride down to the farm, but would have taken a job there again, not to murder the family that was once to generous.
ReplyDeleteWhen Floyd Wells tells the police of his story, it is a major development in the police investigation of the murder of the Clutter Family. Even though he is almost never mentioned outside of the beginning of part three, he is arguably the most important character in the plot of the story, as he is the main reason the police are able to identify the murderers. Even though he knew telling the police could ruin his reputation and possibly get him injured, even killed, he still chose to do the right thing by telling the police. I believe his motives are twofold. The first is purely pecuniary, as there is a reward for information leading to the arrest of the two murderers. However, I believe that this reason is very minimal in comparison to the second reason. The second reason is that Floyd used to work for Mr. Clutter, and had developed a relationship not only with Mr. Clutter, but also with Mrs. Clutter, Nancy, and Kenyon and Floyd felt a duty to help the family in any way possible. On top of this, Floyd believes that Mr. Clutter had always been generous to him. For example, “I remembered Mr. Clutter, and how he’d never done me no harm, how at Christmas he’d give me a little purse with fifty dollars in it” (163). Also, because of the feelings he felt towards the family, he really felt a lot of guilt for telling Dick information about the house and the family that would eventually lead up to Dick’s plan to murder the Clutter’s. If Floyd was in Perry’s shoes, I believe there is no chance that Floyd would have committed the murder because of the feelings he felt towards the Clutter Family.
ReplyDeleteFloyd talking to the police is the turning point in the investigation of the Clutter murders, and there is finally something to go on. I believe that the reward was a major, but not the only, incentive for Floyd to the tell the police what he knows. It is said that Floyd had worked for the Clutters, and while he does not hold great passion for who they were, he felt nothing against them. He viewed them as good people that one could not find much wrong with. In Floyd's eyes, there would be not be right to kill them, and he uses this wrong as justification in his own mind for telling the police what he knows. It also would not seem that Floyd was particularly fond of Dick, and he did not find it hard to turn against him. If Floyd had taken Perry's place i do not think he would have helped Dick, because of his view on what people say in prison is that of boasting and hollow threats never to be carried out.
ReplyDeleteFloyd, who got sent to the Kansas State Penitentiary for robbing an appliance store, knew Mr. Clutter and his family. When Floyd was just 19, Mr. Clutter had hired him to help work on the fields and the house. Wells just describes him as a good man, always paying well, treating well, and never meant any harm. However while Dick and Perry argue about witnesses and try to recall people so does Floyd Wells when he hears the broadcast of the murder on the radio. Floyd thinks back to when Dick was his cellmate and how he was oh so interested in the subject of Mr. Clutter. Dick “wanted to know if Mr. Clutter was a wealthy man.” (161) And, “Exactly how did you get to the house? How was it laid out? Did Mr. Clutter keep a safe?” (161). It was obvious that he was the murder after he tells Floyd he would go through with it, after prison him and Perry would kill the Clutters. Floyd as just a worker had a close bond with Mr. Clutter and his family, and after hearing about their deaths he wanted to do something about that. He was doing it for the feelings for his family. He even states,” I remembered Mr. Clutter, and how he’d never done me no harm, how at Christmas he’d give me a little purse with fifty dollars in it” (163). So he felt a bit of sorrow for the family. If Floyd was in Perry’s shoes he would of not committed the murder. Perry was unaware of who the Clutters were, he just did what Dick wanted him to do and he went through with it. While on the other hand Floyd had a relationship with the Clutters, a bond. Also Perry is a killer, Floyd is not. Floyd was in jail for theft not for murder like Perry. For a matter of fact Floyd had never even thought about murder, he just was in jail because he wanted to rent out lawnmowers for a living.
ReplyDeleteFloyd Wells at nineteen years old was lost, floating around the country taking any job he could get. When Mr. Clutter took Wells in it was one of the best things that had happened to him; he had a secure home and job. For about a year he stayed with the Clutters, after this he left wanting to move on in his life.
ReplyDeleteWhen Wells decided to go forth and confess his knowledge of the murderers, he did it more for himself. He didn’t want to live with the questioning of “what if” left in his mind. He knew the Clutter’s were great people, and they didn’t harm Wells in anyway. As Wells entered the deputy’s office he was scared, his heart pounding a mile a minute contemplating what he was going to say until he realized the kindness that this family deserved. He began to remember when, “Mr. Clutter, and how he’s never done me no hard, how at Christmas he’d give me a littler purse with fifty dollars in it.” (p.163) Wells was never in it for the reward, but just merely doing what he thought was right no matter the consequences that he would have to deal with.
If Wells though were placed in Perry’s shoes, with his past experiences with the Clutter’s he would not commit the murder. He is a much better person then Perry, and is able to make the right decisions when necessary. Perry was persuaded by Dick in committing such an act, and had no personal connection with the family like Floyd had.
The kindness and generosity that Mr Clutter treated Floyd Wells with was probably one of the best things that happened to Wells in his life; this is why I think Wells chose to honour Mr Clutter by turning Dick and Perry in.
ReplyDeleteMr Clutter gave Floyd Wells, a lost nineteen year old, a job that not only provided him with money but also kindness and stability. When Floyd Wells was nineteen he was "sort of drifting around the country, taking jobs as they came." (160). However, that changed when Mr Clutter found him looking for work in western Kansas. Wells worked and stayed at River Valley Farm for a year; he received good wages. Wells recalls that, "the fact is, I liked Mr. Clutter much as any man I had ever met." (160). After traveling for the majority of his life it was good for Wells to find a place that he could stay; I don't think that after receiving this kind of generosity Wells, in Perry's position, would have been able to kill the Clutters.
Although, the reward offered appeals to Floyd Wells he told the police it was Dick and Perry because it was the right thing to do; he is a better person than Perry and would be incapable of killing the Clutters. Money always interested Wells; it was the reason he was in prison, "I was going to start a lawn mower rental service. That way, see, I'd have my own permanent little business." (160). A business that would earn him a lot of money. However, Well's was not obsessed with money like the killer, Dick, because he did not perform obscene tasks to get money. Wells was fully aware of how much money Mr Clutter owned; he was after all the one that told Dick, "Mr Clutter was a wealthy man," (161). Even with this information of how wealthy Mr Clutter was, Floyd Wells never looked for an opportunity to take Mr Clutters money when he was working for him and he certainly never chose to join Dick and Perry; even though he could have.
I think another reason Floyd Wells chose to tell the police about Dick and Perry is because he was ultimately responsible for the murders; he told Dick about the Clutters, and so by turning Dick and Perry in, even though he knew full well what could happen to him if he was caught being a "snitch", he was able to free himself of any guilt he may have been feeling.
Floyd Wells is the catalyst that allows the police to apprehend the murderers. He seems to be a bit of a pushover to me. It is surprising that anyone would run their mouth off to a criminal about a wealthy man. What is even more amazing is that he did not do anything about the situation when Dick repeatedly told him that he was going to rob and murder the Clutters. He did have a good reason to not tell any authorities. Life inside prison is rough. Being packed tightly together with other people who have committed crimes increases the chance of being attacked or even killed. Floyd was afraid to tell the warden in order to save himself. He still told the warden because he thought it was the right thing to do. Wells may have been incarcerated for petty crimes, but he is not lacking in morality. I would think that he would not have killed the Clutters if he were in Perry’s shoes. Capote repeatedly says that Floyd liked the Clutters. On the other hand, he seems like a pushover. It is equally probable that that he would have murdered the Clutters and would not have stood up to Dick, even if he had been a farmhand and a friend to them.
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