New Insight on Dick

Until this section Capote’s most predominant focus has been on identifying and explaining Perry’s character. In “Answers” he chooses to further sketch in the readers view of Dick. Prior to this chapter, the reader viewed him will slight dislike, and great indifference. His past was barely touched upon, and his character never fully explored. Within this section we hear more about both. The reader is told of his childhood mainly by his father, Walter Hickock. The reader is informed that Dick was, “A pretty good student, too, with A marks in several subjects. History. Mechanical drawing. After he graduated from high school – June 1949 – he wanted to go on to college….But we couldn’t do it. Plain didn’t have the money” (166). In this way Capote identifies Dick as intelligent, where before the reader only found Perry to be in possession of intellect. As quickly as the reader learns this they are informed of how these brains were put to use when dreams of college were put aside. Dick used his cunning in crime. Dick, “did the work. A very smooth talker, very convincing” (167). He used his sweet-talking to avoid arrest, and pass checks that would bounce. The reader’s view of Dick becomes even more sinister, when he is eventually revealed to be a sexual predator, interested in teenage girls. Capote sharpens our indifference to a pointed dislike.