In Cold Blood

Use these activities to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity. 

ACTIVITY 1: “Breaking News”

The majority of in Cold Blood takes place between November 1959 (when the Clutters were killed) and March 1960 (when Perry and Dick stood trial). This was an eventful era, and Americans would have read about the murders and the trial in between reading about events like the Greensboro sit-ins and increasing US involvement in Vietnam. For this activity, imagine that social media existed in the mid-20th century and construct an abridged news feed covering this timeframe.

Part A: Research major events that took place between November 15, 1959 and March 29, 1960. Choose 7-10 (not counting news of the murders and trial) to include in your news feed.

• The events you choose do not necessarily need to take place in the US or even involve it directly; do, however, consider whether they would have been likely to make news in America.
• As you research, jot down both when the event occurred and a short (1-2 sentence) statement describing it or summarizing its significance.

Part B: Compile the events you’ve chosen, as well as news of the Clutter murders and the trial’s outcome, into a mock news feed—i.e., what you would see scrolling through the news on your phone.

• At a minimum, each entry in your feed should contain a “title” for the event, the date, and a one sentence description of what the corresponding “article” for the event would be about.
• You can expand on this basic template by adding photos or other graphics to make the feed look more realistic.

Teaching Suggestion: In Cold Blood contains few direct references to what else was happening in the world at the time of the Clutter killings. Nevertheless, it does convey a deep sense of sociocultural time and place, and themes of the American Dream’s fragility and masculine gender norms strongly (though implicitly) reflect its historical moment. By situating events in the novel alongside events outside it, this activity makes those connections more explicit: A news feed that mentions the Greensboro sit-ins, for example, provides an opportunity to reflect on the American Dream both in the book and more broadly.

ACTIVITY 2: “It’s Debatable”

Capote’s depiction of Dick and Perry's executions aside, capital punishment is a controversial issue in the text; the prosecution argues strongly in favor of it (and the jury ultimately agrees), but even the Clutters’ own minister opposes it. In this activity, you’ll present an argument either for or against the justice of the sentence.

Part A: On your own or in a small group, draft notes for a brief (3-5 minute) defense of your position as well as a closing statement (1-3 minutes). Lastly, consider what the other side’s argument is likely to be and draft notes for a (1-3 minute) rebuttal.

• While you can base your argument primarily on details from the text (e.g., the possible role of mental illness in the crimes, the likelihood that Perry and/or Dick would reoffend, etc.), you may also find it useful to research the broader practical and moral arguments for and against capital punishment.
• If you are working in a group, consider designating different roles to each person (e.g., researcher, notetaker/writer, rebuttal speaker, concluding speaker, etc.)

Part B: Reconvene with the classmate(s) arguing the other side and decide who will go first (perhaps by flipping a coin). The basic debate format is as follows:

• Side A presents their main argument, and Side B presents their rebuttal.
• Side B presents their main argument, and Side A presents their rebuttal.
• Side A presents their closing argument, and Side B then presents theirs.

Teaching Suggestion: While In Cold Blood itself comes down fairly clearly in opposition to capital punishment (at least in this case), debating the question should prompt students to dig deeper into themes like the nature of evil and mortality. To ensure each side is represented, consider assigning positions for each student or group to defend (constructing an argument for a claim they may not personally endorse is also good argumentative practice).