Perry Smith

Perry Smith is the most likeable character in the book. He is a sensitive, short man with mental instability. Dr. Jones does say, “Perry Smith shows definite signs of severe mental illness” (296). The reader always knew that there was something wrong with Perry but was never brought to the surface. Dr. Jones thinks the mental illness came from his childhood. He says, “ …Have grown up without direction, without love, and without ever having absorbed any fixed sense of moral values” (297). Perry grew up without the proper support of atleast one loving parent. He been to ophanages where he was beaten. This could be the reason why he attacks authority figures because his authority in the past never really show him true love. Perry is often suspicious and doesn’t really trust people, but he needs a great friend. That explains why Perry quickly attached himself to Capote and Dick. Dr. Jones says, “…his thinking reflects a ‘magical’ quality, a disregard of reality” (297). Being unable to separate surreal from reality is a huge sign of schizophrenia and there are major signs that Perry could be a “paranoid schizophrenic” (298). Schizophrenia could explain the dreams he has been having that he can’t explain.