Questionable Motives Explored in in Cold Blood and Frankenstein Essay Example

play a significant role in both novels, particularly in In Cold Blood where the murders are seemingly without cause. The selected excerpts from these novels contain numerous quotes that exemplify questionable motives.

In the book In Cold Blood, a passage was selected where Perry recounts his murder of a family and his perception of the event. This particular excerpt resonated with questionable motives, predominantly due to Perry's intense negative emotions about the murder, which were emphasized in the passage.
Similarly, in Frankenstein, another chosen extract depicts the encounter between the Creature and an elderly French grandfather, whose family the monster had been observing for several weeks.

This excerpt was chosen to showcase the monster's friendly side. However, in the next paragraph, his declining regard and respect for humans are shown as he is expelled from the family's home. The reasons for seeking help from the family and their quick expulsion can be analyzed. Both novels belong to horror genre. However, "In Cold Blood" is a non-fiction crime novel while "Frankenstein" has more elements of science fiction.

The genre conventions for both types of text - horror - are quite similar. The reader becomes more engaged and is more likely to understand the character's questionable motives due to the abundance of detail and imagery that implies horror. Frankenstein often portrays typical elements of the gothic genre, such as gloomy settings and wild landscapes.

Both texts have a similar structure regarding the horror theme. Both novels have short and concise chapters (In Cold Blood has short and concise paragraphs instead) that alternate between different characters' perspectives. This creates a tense and suspenseful atmosphere

commonly found in thrillers. However, the language styles differ because the novels were published at different times when there were significant changes in linguistic style.

Mary Shelley's use of language in Frankenstein reflects the archaic nature of her time. When reading the novel today, the outdated vocabulary encourages readers to further research and utilize their imagination to fully grasp the horror depicted. Additionally, the novel was composed during the early stages of the Industrial Revolution, a period characterized by significant scientific and technological advancements that made the events in the book appear closer to reality. As a result, the audiences of the two texts are now vastly distinct.

With "In Cold Blood", the killers' identities are revealed since the beginning, which may not capture the attention of mystery novel enthusiasts or horror fans, as they are already aware of what occurs at the start. Consequently, the book would primarily appeal to individuals who are more intrigued by the writing style rather than the actual content. This notion is feasible considering that Capote intended to inaugurate a new form of writing in the realm of "nonfiction". Thus, those who avidly follow trends in writing could have constituted the primary audience.

The main target audience of Frankenstein would likely have been women since "Gothic Novels" were considered emotionally centered and of low literary quality at the time, making them more appealing to females. Both novels are primarily written in third person, with Frankenstein occasionally switching to first person through letters exchanged between characters. The chosen extract from In Cold Blood examines Perry Smith's motives and his evident remorse for his actions. In this part

of the novel, Mr. Smith recounts the events at the Clutter household to detective Dewey during an interview. At the beginning of the selected text, he expresses regret for agreeing to help Dick with the crime, urging him to "leave them alive" due to the severe consequences they would face if caught. This reveals his concern about the actual killing and his distress over ending someone's life. Perry later admits that he didn't mean it and "meant to call Dick's bluff," further confirming his remorse.

In contrast, it is possible that Perry was deceiving the detective from the beginning and attempting to shift the blame onto Dick, his despised accomplice. In my opinion, his reasons for murdering the family were trivial as it appeared he simply wanted to demonstrate his superiority over Dick. However, when given the opportunity to flee while Dick panicked prior to killing Mr. Clutter, Perry declined, implying that he had an alternative motive for the murder. "Dick wanted to get the hell out of there."

Despite my resistance, I prevented him from leaving. At the moment, Smith is showing concern for Mr. Clutter's suffering and wanting to relieve it by saying "I couldn't leave him like he was". This reveals Perry's empathetic and understanding nature since he himself experienced an unjust handicap. This probably heightened his determination to "finish off" Clutter. The author's use of brief and direct sentences in this part heightens the suspense and vividly depicts the scene: "Then I aimed the gun. The Room just exploded. Went blue. Just blazed up."

The text in this paragraph seems to be a transcript of a long

speech given by Perry. Normally, people speak using shorter sentences rather than longer ones. However, I think that using the transcript format for the whole chapter adds to the horror. After Perry describes the first death, the story switches to Detective Dewey reflecting on how the other victims were killed. In this section, the language becomes more detailed and descriptive, like how a detective would imagine the events with greater clarity.

The passage is characterized by basic vocabulary and a simple sentence structure. The conversation between the detective and the murderer has an informal tone, creating a casual atmosphere. This choice of language helps the reader connect with the emotions and comprehend the questionable motives. In the excerpt from In Cold Blood, Perry considers shooting his accomplice, Dick, while they are returning from committing the crime. "That's when I decided I should shoot Dick...

The act of not leaving any witnesses is the motive Perry claims, but I believe there is a darker and more sinister motive at play. Throughout the book, Smith has expressed his jealousy and apparent hatred for Dick Hickock. The quote about "no witnesses" that Dick instilled in Perry's mind may just be a guise for how he truly feels towards his accomplice and may have influenced his thoughts about committing the specific act. Frankenstein is a novel filled with dubious motives.

The questionability of the whole book lies in the motive behind Victor Frankenstein creating the monster. Was it driven by his personal gain or his genuine desire to advance science and help humanity conquer death and diseases? The chosen extract only represents a few of these

questionable motives.

The plot of the extract revolves around the monster observing a French family for several weeks before mustering the courage to seek help from the elderly blind Frenchman when he was alone. Hoping that the blind man would look beyond his hideous appearance and hear his plea, the monster approached their home. Surprisingly, he was welcomed by the elderly gentleman. However, when the rest of the family returned and discovered the monster standing next to their father, they forcefully kicked him out of their house and even struck him with a stick.

The motivation behind the monster's decision not to destroy the family or the cottage right away is being questioned. The narrator felt disheartened as they refrained from doing so. It is unclear why the monster allowed the family to banish him, but in the following paragraph, it starts cursing their creator. This suggests that the monster spared the family because they were like a family to him and he had developed an attachment after observing them for a few months.

Although the monster had fear and a desire for revenge, he did not follow through on his threat to burn down the cottage. Instead, he found satisfaction in their screams and suffering. However, it is possible to argue that the monster intended to murder them at a later time (as he eventually does in the novel), implying that he had a sinister motive for letting them live all along.

The monster's decision to spare the family can be likened to Perry's in In Cold Blood. Both characters had quickly acquired extensive knowledge about their potential victims, which

potentially created an emotional bond between them and the family. Due to this connection, they were unwilling to cause any harm as it is a natural human response that strengthens relationships.

Both Perry and Frankenstein's monster, in their respective novels, may initially seem to possess harmful intentions. However, a closer look reveals that their motives are not as malicious or self-centered as they first appear. The author aims for readers to perceive these characters as negative individuals while also sympathizing with them and comprehending their actions.