"'No witnesses,' he reminded Perry, for what seemed to Perry the millionth time"
This quote is significant because it foreshadows the primary theme of unreachable goals such as the American dream. The Clutter family represents the “perfect” American family: a happily married couple with two wonderful children. It is clear that they are highly respected and loved in their community and they have a steady income. Dick and Perry, on the other hand, have had failed in their pursuits for this dream. By murdering the Clutter family, Dick and Perry are also depriving them of the American dream. Thus the quote “no witnesses”, not only refers to the actual crime, but also the appreciation of the American dream.
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"However, one woman, a schoolteacher, observed, ‘Feeling wouldn’t run half so high if this had happened to anyone except the Clutters. Anyone less admired. Prosperous. Secure. But that family represented everything people hereabouts really value and respect, and that such a thing could happen to them – well, it’s like being told there is no God. It makes life seem pointless.’”
This quote states Ms. Clare’s observations on how the town of Holcomb has been affected by the crime. She describes the Clutters as the American Dream, by saying “that family represented everything people hereabouts really value and respect…” This quote also expresses the possible importance Capote recognized to be worthy of writing about. It is the first time in the book that we see the murder on a larger scale than the small clues and storyline of Dick and Perry. The fact that such important people can be wiped off face of the earth so easily also enhances the horror of the murder itself, giving the story a fear factor.
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“’Here’s the riddle. The riddle is: What’s the similarity between a trip to the bathroom and a trip to the cemetery?’ He grinned. ‘Give up?’ Give up.’ ‘When you gotta go, you gotta go.’ Mr. Bell barked.”
In this scene, Dick and Perry are hitchhiking with a man, Mr. Bell, in Part 3: Answer. This is the very moment in which Dick is about to signal Perry to kill Mr. Bell, but later other hitchhikers are picked up, saving Mr. Bell. Dick gives the riddle as he talks to Mr. Bell in the front seat. It is morbidly ironic that Dick shares this riddle of them all, because in his mind, Perry was about to kill Mr. Bell. From this quote, we see how sick Dick’s mind is in a very subtle way, and possibly how he enjoys the spectacle of death, for he would be the one watching Perry do the physical murdering.
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"’Please Bobo. Please listen. You think I like myself? Oh, the man I could have been! But the bastard never gave me a chance. He wouldn’t let me go to school. O.K. O.K. I was a bad kid. But the time came I begged to go to school. I happen to have a brilliant mind. In case you don’t know. A brilliant mind and talent plus…’”
In this quote Perry is drunkenly threatening Barbara (his sister) as he recounts his awful childhood. However, he seems to do more than recount, but almost go crazy. This is one of the first times we hear and seem to physically encounter Perry’s psychotic troubles. And, even though he is the antagonist, we feel some pity due to the drama and seriousness of the scene. This then results in mixed emotions for Perry’s problems and confusion as to how crazy he really is. This is also one of the turning points where we begin to see the insanity rise in both (but mainly) Perry and Dick.
