AP.Lang.SA.2015 1

Hello Raven Juniors! In the fall, you will embark on a challenging and highly rewarding course in AP Language and Composition, at the end of which you may earn college credit with the successful completion of the AP exam. That begins with the summer assignment, which is outlined in this packet. Your AP teachers look forward to challenging you and facilitating your growth as academic learners, astute readers, and productive writers. However, much like a car can't sit in the garage or driveway for an extended period of time and be expected to run just as smoothly as if it had been driven frequently, you can't expect to "sit" all summer and then to jump into the school year in the fall with as much energy for learning as you have when you are attending school. Cars that are driven moderately and that are regularly tuned up perform better than cars driven intermittently without maintenance. So you need a break from the active learning in school, yet you need and to get "tuned up" as well. That's what the summer reading is about. This outside reading with which we challenge AP students is meant to help keep the "gears" working while you are "idling" over the summer. It is an exercise to keep you thinking and academically oriented while you are relaxing, so that when you return to school you won't be like that car sitting in the garage, gathering dust. You will be reading something we hope you can understand without much instruction that may enhance your appreciation of narrative nonfiction and understanding of the human condition. This kind of reading differs from the pleasure reading you are apt to do while you are passing time. Even though you won't be in school, you are reading for an instructional purpose, and it will serve you best if you regard your reading endeavor as a "schoolish" activity. Your level of engagement, then, will necessarily be different from that of the reading you do for pleasure. The only similarity between the two types of reading just mentioned is that you will be on your own, away from the classroom. You will need to read closely, ask yourself questions about what you read, take notes of details an d plot elements, check for understanding—in short, be actively engaged in your reading.

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TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL SUMMER ASSIGNMENT: 1. This summer, you will be reading and studying In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. 2. VISIT STUDENT SERVICES SOMETIME BETWEEN 9 am - 3 pm MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THIS

SUMMER TO OBTAIN SIX (6) SELECTED AP MULTIPLE CHOICE PASSAGES. 3. Capote’s book is organized in four parts, and this packet outlines the tasks required for successful

completion of each section. 4. Follow a schedule!! This packet outlines a possible work plan to ensure that these studies are

completed without ever feeling overwhelming. A disciplined student should be able to manage these tasks by reading and studying (on average) just an hour each day.

5. For each task you have been assigned, directions and examples can be found in this packet. Please read all instructions carefully and thoroughly. These will help you locate the material needed for your success.

Still have questions? Contact LuAnn Fox at lfoxonw@olatheschools.org

or Jeff Fouquet at jfouquetonw@olatheschools.org.

You can also come to our “Help Night,” August 5, from 5-7 PM in the ONW library.

AP.Lang.SA.2015 2

Have questions about…?

TERMS AND TONE JOURNAL Directions: AP Language and Composition is a course heavy in specialized terminology. Not only do these terms deepen your powers of description and analysis (both required on the AP exam), but they also lend precision to the arguments you make. Your “terms and tone” entries should all be typed and neatly formatted in one document, and each entry should have ALL three of the following components. For each word listed under the “Terms and Tone Journal” heading, you will:

1) write a definition of the term or tone word in your own words 2) provide an example 3) illustrate how that term or tone is used or what effect it creates

Sample entry: Inverted syntax is a physical arrangement of words in a sentence such that the verb comes before the subject, as in "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit" from Tolkien's The Hobbit. Sometimes the object comes before the subject, as in ‘I admire.' Inversions are used to achieve stylistic effects like putting an emphasis on a particular point or changing the form of a particular point.

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DIALECTICAL JOURNALS

Directions:

In some of the following sections, you will be asked to cite and comment on passages from the book. Please use quotation marks and page numbers for the passages you cite, and please analyze, think deeply, and build meaning when reacting or responding to your chosen text. These exercises are meant to help you use some of the terms you will be learning, in addition to helping you practice making and defending claims in an academic tone.

Here’s an example (not taken from In Cold Blood)

Quotation and page # Reaction/Response

“…as I glanced back at him standing alone in the middle of the crossing, he looked as if the world itself was slung around his neck.” (page 49)

Now I feel certain that Jeremy is portrayed as a Christ-figure symbol. He is kind-hearted, sensitive and the author has him in the middle of the “crossing” with the world’s weight upon him.

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TONE PARAGRAPH RESPONSES Directions: In some of the following sections, you will be asked to write a response that justifies or explains the

selection you made on one of the assigned multiple-choice questions. These responses should be one

paragraph long and are meant to help you establish the habit of making a claim, providing textual evidence for

the claim, and then analyzing the connection between the evidence and the claim you made. In your classes,

this will be called, claim-evidence-analysis or perhaps terms-text-analysis.

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Sample question from AP Multiple Choice

The following passage is from page 55 of Truman Capote’s novel, In Cold Blood:

Dick waited, ate some jelly beans, impatiently gunned the motor, sounded the horn. Was it possible that he had

misjudged Perry’s character? That Perry, of all people, was suffering a sudden case of “blood bubbles”? A year ago, when

they first encountered each other, he’d thought Perry “a good guy,” if a bit “stuck on himself,” “sentimental,” too much “the

dreamer.” He had liked him but not considered him especially worth cultivating until, one day, Perry described a murder,

telling how, simply for “the hell of it,” he had killed a colored man in Las Vegas—beaten him to death with a bicycle chain.

The anecdote elevated Dick’s opinion of Little Perry; he began to see more of him, and, like Willie-Jay, though for dissimilar

reasons, gradually decided that Perry possessed unusual and valuable qualities. Several murderers, or men who boasted of

murder or their willingness to commit it, circulated inside Lansing; but Dick became convinced that Perry was the rarity, “a

natural killer”—absolutely sane, but conscienceless, and capable of dealing, with or without motive, the coldest-blooded

deathblows. It was Dick’s theory that such a gift could, under his supervision, be profitable exploited. Having reached this

conclusion, he had proceeded to woo Perry, flatter him—pretend, for example, that he believed all the buried-treasure stuff

and shared his beachcomber yearnings and seaport longings, none of which appealed to Dick, who wanted “a regular life,”

with a business of his own, a home, a horse to ride, a new car, and “plenty of blond chicken.” It was important, however,

that Perry not suspect this—not until Perry, with his gift, had helped further Dick’s ambitions. But perhaps it was Dick who

had miscalculated, been duped; if so—if it developed that Perry was, after all, only an “ordinary punk”—then “the party”

was over, the months of planning were wasted, there was nothing to do but turn and go. It mustn’t happen; Dick returned

to the station.

23. In the description of Dick’s assessment of Perry, Dick is presented as primarily A. cold-blooded B. opportunistic C. idealistic D. suggestible E. irrational

__________________________________________________________________________________________ Model of Desired Student Response:

In the description of Dick’s assessment of Perry, Dick is

presented as primarily opportunistic. Capote asserts that

Dick had “not considered [Perry] worth cultivating” until

Perry’s anecdote of a murder he committed “for the hell of

it” causes Dick to see an advantage. It “elevated” Perry’s

worth to Dick, as Perry, a “natural killer,” could deal the

“coldest-blooded deathblows” with no qualms. The diction

of “valuable” and “gift” to describe Perry’s ability reveal how

much Dick prizes what he hopes he can “profitably exploit.”

Dick will use Perry to commit murder to further his own

materialistic dreams. His pretending to go along with

Perry’s vision of seaports and beachcombing further

illustrates that he is waiting to take advantage of him.

This student’s paragraph opens with a

clear claim that answers the question.

Next, the student includes textual

evidence that supports his claim that

Dick believes he can benefit from Perry’s

violent nature.

The paragraph closes with more analysis

of the text and restates the writer’s

main idea in new language.

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1. Read pages 1-74 of In Cold Blood.

2. Terms and Tone Journal (see instructions on page 2)

Inverted syntax

Sentence fragment

Idiomatic expression

Point of view (shift)

Parallel structure

Concrete details

Irony

Foreshadowing

Non sequitur

Sentimental

Poignant

Maudlin

Ominous

Pathos

Ethos

Logos

Syntax

Tone

Imagery

Local color

Poetic license

Verisimilitude

Opportunistic

Irrational

3. AP Multiple Choice Passages

Complete passage 2. Each asks questions about the reading passages found in Part I of the novel.

Be sure to reference your terms and tone journal to help you through the more challenging

questions.

4. Tone Paragraph Response (see instructions on page 3)

No tone paragraph is required.

5. Dialectical Journal (see instructions on page 2)

Complete the chart below.

Specific Textual Evidence:

Quote the passage and page number

Provide at least one specific adjective to describe Capote's attitude toward the given subject. Explain how the text demonstrates

that is the author’s attitude.

1. Find at least one passage that describes Capote's attitude toward the town of Holcomb.

2. Find at least one passage that describes Capote's attitude toward the Clutter Family (collectively or Individual members).

Part I: The Last to See Them Alive Complete by June 15th

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1. Read pages 77-155 of In Cold Blood.

2. Terms and Tone Journal (see instructions on page 2)

Dispassionate

Pedantic

Incredulous (credulous)

Anecdote

Apostrophe

Rhetorical question

Affable

Mercurial

Sanguine

3. AP Multiple Choice Passages

Complete passage 4. Each asks questions about the reading passages found in Part II of the

novel. Be sure to reference your terms and tone journal to help you through the more

challenging questions.

4. Tone Paragraph Response (see instructions on page 3)

AP Multiple Choice question #24. Please prepare in a word document, MLA formatted, ready

to be submitted to turnitin.com upon your return to school. You will add your other paragraph

responses to this document.

5. Dialectical Journal (see instructions on page 2)

Complete the chart below.

Specific Textual Evidence:

Quote the passage and page number

Provide at least one specific adjective to describe Capote's attitude toward the given subject. Explain how the text demonstrates

that is the author’s attitude.

1. Choose either Dick or Perry (not both). Now, find at least two passages that describes Capote's attitude about the character you chose.

2. Find at least one passage that describes Capote's attitude toward the relationship between Dick and Perry.

Part II: Persons Unknown Complete by June 30th

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1. Read pages 159-248 of In Cold Blood.

2. Terms and Tone Journal (see instructions on page 2)

Parallel syntax

Passive voice

Callous(ness)

Joviality

Disingenuous

Impartial

Disdainful

Solicitous

Sordid

Pessimistic

Jaded

Swaggering

Credulous

Allusion

Euphemism

Metaphor

Juxtaposition

Synecdoche

Litotes

Personification

Ambivalent

3. AP Multiple Choice Passages

Complete passages 6 and 8. Each asks questions about the reading passages found in Part III

of the novel. Be sure to reference your terms and tone journal to help you through the more

challenging questions.

4. Tone Paragraph Response (see instructions on page 3)

AP Multiple Choice question #55. Please add to the same word document you prepared for

the previous responses. All tone paragraph responses should be in one document.

5. Dialectical Journal (see instructions on page 2)

Complete the chart below.

Quotation (page #) Reactions/Responses Find a quote from the text that: a. demonstrates the effective use of a literary device, b. reveals something significant about a character, c. reveals an important characteristic of style, OR d. may hit the reader with some emotional force.

Write an academic response to your chosen text that: a. analyzes the effect of words or details chosen by the author, b. compares the text to another passage from another section, c. interprets the significance of a challenging passage, OR d. considers what the quote say about all people and humanity

Part III: Answer

Complete by July 15th

Part III: Answer Complete by July 15th

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1. Read pages 251-343 of In Cold Blood.

2. Terms and Tone Journal (see instructions on page 2)

Mendacious

Scathing

Disinterested

Appalled

Wry

Foreshadowing

Hyperbole

Anaphora

Barbaric

Egregious

Pragmatic

Bombastic

Caustic

Flippant

Jubilant

Gleeful

Symbolic

Antipathy

Bandwagon appeal

Pathetic fallacy

Ad hominem

Laudatory

Contemptuous

Nonchalant

Incongruity

Trite(ness)

Patronizing

3. AP Multiple Choice Passages Complete passages 10 and 11. Each asks questions about the reading passages found in Part

IV of the novel. Be sure to reference your terms and tone journal to help you through the

more challenging questions.

4. Tone Paragraph Response (see instructions on page 3)

AP Multiple Choice question #84. Please add to the same word document you prepared for

the previous responses. All tone paragraph responses should be in one document.

5. Preparation for Synthesis Essay

Immediately following this page, there is a prompt for a synthesis essay as well as five print texts and two visuals (non-print texts) that you will be using to think, discuss, and write about Capote’s novel. Read the prompt and each piece carefully, considering its relation to In Cold Blood. Annotate, highlight, underline, and question as needed. We will use these sources to construct a synthesis essay together upon the return to school. You will receive a grade for your annotations, so please be thorough and thoughtful.

Source A (Lee) Source B (Jensen) Source C (Shaw) Source D (Gioia) Source E (Shah and Pilkington) Source F (Venn Diagram) Source G (Photo)

Part IV: The Corner

Complete by July 30th

Part IV: The Corner Complete by July 30th

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In Cold Blood Verisimilitude Synthesis Essay Preview and Annotations

Introduction: Author Truman Capote has been a controversial figure for decades. His most well-known work, In Cold Blood, has drawn controversy as well. While this work has been praised for its artful descriptions, dialogue, and character sketches, it has been criticized for distorting and ignoring some facts. Capote proclaimed he employed journalistic techniques to tell the story of a true case, the murder of a Kansas farm family, and in so doing, created a new genre: the nonfiction novel. The work can be classified as great in many respects, and it earned Capote and the case itself enduring fame. Yet some believe the distortions and manipulations of the facts of the case do not warrant its place as a prize or model of American literature. Indeed, some question Capote’s motives for employing his process. This has given rise to controversy over the same types of breaches in more recent truth-telling works, such as James Frey’s A Million Little Pieces and Greg Mortensen’s Three Cups of Tea. Assignment: Carefully read the accompanying six documents examining the dilemma mentioned above, considering your own reading of In Cold Blood, as well. Evaluate the pros and the cons of relating a true story in a less than truthful, factual way. Annotate, highlight, underline, and question each document as needed. We will use these sources to construct a synthesis essay together upon the return to school. When we return, you will be asked to synthesize information from at least three of the sources and incorporate it into a coherent, well-developed essay that takes and explains a position regarding to what extent it matters, especially today, for authors to relate true incidents without alteration. You will receive a grade for your annotations, so please be thorough and thoughtful. When you write the essay (upon returning to school), make sure that your argument is central; use the sources to illustrate and support your reasoning. Avoid merely summarizing the sources. Indicate clearly which sources you are drawing from, whether through direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary. You may cite the sources as Source A, Source B, etc., or by using the descriptions in parentheses. Source A (Lee) Source B (Jensen) Source C (Shaw) Source D (Gioia) Source E (Shah and Pilkington) Source F (Venn Diagram) Source G (Photo)

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Article A Melissa Lee. “High school sweetheart recalls the day his life changed forever: Bob Rupp maintains resilient spirit through years of living with memories.” The Lawrence Journal-World. Sunday, April 3, 2005

In 45 years, Rupp, now 61, hasn't publicly discussed the book or the murders, despite hundreds of interview requests from around the world. He wasn't fond of Capote and gets irritated by reporters nosing into his private life. The past is the past, he says with quiet firmness. But he's never forgotten, he adds in a voice that's a hint thicker--the girl he so loved, the family he so adored. And now, Bob Rupp--husband, father of four, grandfather, Holcomb farmer all his life -- is, for the first time, ready to share his story. . . . Larry [Bob’s brother] recalls hearing a knock at the bedroom door. His father, flanked by Clarence Ewalt, a family friend and the father of one of Nancy's best friends, appeared in the doorframe. Larry could see tears on both men's cheeks. "There's been a tragedy," both Rupp brothers remember Ewalt saying. "They're dead. The Clutters are dead. We found them..." "No. No. This can't happen," Bob Rupp remembers thinking frantically. "You read about this stuff. It doesn't happen here. Not in Holcomb." As Larry Rupp remembers that day, his older brother--never one for outbursts--threw the Browning [the gun he was cleaning] on the floor. Bob has never touched a gun since. The boys were in shock. The elder vowed to drive to the Clutter farm right then and there. Ewalt advised against it, saying, "They're not alive anymore, Bobby." He offered nothing else. Didn't say anything about the gruesome scene he, his daughter and another girl had discovered that morning. Didn't say how each of the Clutters had been shot at point-blank range--Herb first, then Kenyon, Nancy and Bonnie. Didn't say what nobody yet knew--that before Nancy was shot, she'd said, "Please don't," then turned to the wall when she realized what was about to happen. Bobby drove anyway, Larry accompanying--even though "In Cold Blood" says the boys ran the three miles to the Clutter farm. It's a discrepancy that still stands out to those close to Rupp: family friends, Coleen, even Larry, who hasn't read the book but knows where Capote erred.

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Article B Van Jensen. “Writing history: Capote’s novel has lasting effect on journalism.” The Lawrence Journal-World.

Sunday, April 3, 2005

This is half of the legacy of Capote's great book. Published in 1965, it helped show journalists the possibility of using creative writing techniques while holding to the guidelines of journalism, something now commonly seen not only in books but also in magazines and newspapers--where many view the style as crucial to keeping readers. But in writing the book, Capote blurred the line between truth and untruth, despite his claims of impeccable accuracy. His embellishments -- which vary from allegedly misquoting people to making composite characters to ending the book with a scene that never happened--have bred ill will from some in the book who felt falsely portrayed and distrust from readers who, upon learning of Capote's changes, are left to wonder where reality ends and fiction begins. . . . But, with "In Cold Blood" about to turn 40 years old, those leading the movement once known as "new journalism" agree that the book deserves to be remembered for its contributions to the genre as well as for its faults. "Certainly it's an important book," Hart said, "to demonstrate that the literary techniques of a novel could be applied to narrative journalism." Nonfiction novel Capote believed he had written more than an important book. It was a completely new form of writing, he said. "It seemed to me that journalism, reportage, could be forced to yield a serious new art form: the 'nonfiction novel,' as I thought of it ... Journalism is the most underestimated, the least explored of literary mediums," Capote said in a 1966 interview with The New York Times. The book took the form of a novel, featuring set scenes, characters, a distinctive voice and a story formed with an introduction, rising action, climax and resolution--the real events surrounding the murder of the Herb Clutter family shaped into a storyline. . . . Earning an estimated $2 million in its first year, "In Cold Blood" garnered financial as well as critical success for its author. Capote's creation, after all, had proved worth the effort and, he said, brought forth a new genre of writing. But not everyone agreed Capote could claim to have created the style. His contemporaries, such as Tom Wolfe and Norman Mailer, included Capote's work as part of "new journalism"--Wolfe's term, coined in the mid-1960s, to describe a movement of creative writing in journalism. Others put the origin much earlier. In his introduction to "Literary Journalism," a compilation of articles of narrative journalism he co-edited, narrative expert Mark Kramer traced it back as far as Daniel Defoe's writing in the 1700s, followed by that of Mark Twain in the 19th century and other writers such as James Agee, Ernest Hemingway, Joseph Mitchell, Lillian Ross and John Steinbeck in the period around World War II.

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"You can find a lot of earlier examples," said Kramer, who serves as director of the Nieman Foundation Program on Narrative Journalism at Harvard. "It's silly, that kind of claim." Still, Kramer said, Capote's accomplishments should overshadow his boastful nature. Although Capote might not have created a new type of literature, historians of the form agree he played a crucial role in reviving it. A "true account" In his Jan. 16, 1966, review of "In Cold Blood" in The New York Times, Conrad Knickerbocker called the book, "a remarkable, tensely exciting, moving, superbly written 'true account.' " Beyond Knickerbocker's praise, notice the quotation marks around "true account." . . . Critics found discrepancies between "In Cold Blood" and official documents, such as the transcript of the murder trial. And people who appear in the book--such as Duane West, the former Finney County prosecutor who tried the case--contended that they had been portrayed unjustly or misquoted. As time passed, more instances of Capote's fictionalization came to light. The Rev. James Post, who served as chaplain of the Kansas State Penitentiary when killers Richard Hickock and Perry Smith were there, said in an interview with George Plimpton that he had met with Hickock's son a few years after the killers were executed. "I didn't minimize the horrible things that he'd done or anything like that," Post said. "But I said his dad wasn't the sex fiend that Capote tried to make him out ... like trying to rape the Clutter girl before he killed her ... it didn't happen. And other things ... lies, just to make it a better story." Dewey, who other people close to the case said Capote made into a composite law enforcement character, later said the final scene of the book, in which he visits the graves of the Clutter family and talks with Nancy Clutter's friend Susan Kidwell, did not happen. . . . West, along with others in Holcomb and Garden City, are still angry at Capote about the book. Garden City native Jon Craig wrote a senior history thesis at Washburn University in Topeka, Kan., about how the mistakes of "In Cold Blood" negatively affected members of those communities, noting that a number of changes added to the book artistically but stripped away the truth. The surviving daughters of Herb and Bonnie Clutter--Beverly English and Eveanna Mosier--might be most affected by the book's inaccuracies. They expressed anger about Capote's description of their mother as an invalid, something they and others close to the Clutters contend was not true. Such changes affect readers as well. They lessen readers' trust of all journalists and erode the impact of individual works, Kramer said. Critics also have challenged Capote's reporting technique. He never took notes during interviews for the book. He claimed he could memorize what people said and recall it with 95 percent accuracy, something he said he had trained himself to do by memorizing names in phone books and passages of books. In Cold Blood's legacy If written today, "In Cold Blood" would not be published without significant changes, Blais, from the University of Massachusetts, said.

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"One of the ways in which literary journalism has evolved is that ... his book would not get published without end notes or some kind of elaborate acknowledgment of his sources and his information techniques," she said. "Transparency," as many in media now call it, has become one of the most crucial elements of mixing creative writing with journalism. At The Oregonian, Hart said: "We attribute anything we didn't observe directly; how we know what we know. A lot of editors have pushed for strict guidelines. "My opinion is, everything's fair as long as the writer lets the readers know (what changes he or she makes)." Although newspapers and magazines are typically strict about accuracy, Hart said, narrative journalism in book form is often less so. . . . But, leaders in the genre said, readers still expect the same honest approach from authors of books that they do from newspaper or magazine articles. Even though Capote said "In Cold Blood's" purpose was to test the artistic merit of journalism, many have found worthwhile social issues within it. Some have used it to debate the value of the death penalty; others praise it for its insight into the criminal mind; and many see in it commentary on social divisions. "It provides such a stunning picture of the disconnect still much in evidence in our society between decent families like the Clutters and the underclass," Blais said. "Perry Smith in particular came from the kind of endangered background that just about axiomatically produces children who become dangerous."

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Article C Tucker Shaw. “If Truman Capote fibbed, does “In Cold Blood” belong in the trash?” The Denver Post. February 27, 2013

There has been much to-do-ing this month about new allegations that even more of Truman Capote’s seminal

“In Cold Blood,” which he famously called a “nonfiction novel” and “immaculately factual” was invented by

Capote.

The book is an indelible title in the American library, a riveting re-creation of a multiple murder committed by

Perry Smith and Dick Hickock in rural Kansas. What made it so fascinating wasn’t just Capote’s reporting, but

the incredible relationship he forged with Smith, the killer.

But all that’s been thrown into question. According to the Wall St. Journal, new evidence shows that police

reports following the crime may not jibe exactly with Capote’s text.

The problem is, once one fabrication’s been uncovered, everything else is thrown into question too. And the

quandary becomes: Do inaccuracies entirely negate the literary merit of the book? If we cease to consider it

true, does it then become kindling?

It happened to James Frey, whose “Million Little Pieces” was exposed as an elaborate lie. (Which is too bad for

Frey, because he’s a very good writer and maybe didn’t need to make so much stuff up.)

Veracity poses tricky questions for readers. The journalist in me says that if Capote got the facts wrong, or

worse, made stuff up, then the story’s no good. But the reader in me is loath to completely give up a book as

brilliantly constructed as “In Cold Blood.” Capote is just too important a writer to ignore, and the story, even if

it is a tall tale, is too compelling to drop.

Perhaps a note from the publisher in forthcoming editions is in order. But as a lifelong student of literature –

fiction and nonfiction – I’d hate to just cast “In Cold Blood” to the wind.

Well, in any event, we’ll always have Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

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Article D

Ted Gioia. “Postmodern Mystery. New Angles on an Old Genre.” Blog post

The crime novel was mostly forgotten by cutting edge American novelists during the 1950s and

1960s, its formulas seen as too confining, perhaps even too vulgar for the free spirits of modern fiction. Even

more to the point, the idealization of "law and order," inherent to the genre, was unlikely to appeal to a Jack

Kerouac, a Ken Kesey, a Thomas Pyncheon and the other literary bohemians who increasingly set the tone for

the not-so-belles lettres of this period, often by means of works that revealed rather a tendency to lawlessness

and disorder.

But when Truman Capote finally delivered the great literary treatment of murder and justice of the era,

In Cold Blood, his approach deviated markedly from the experimental tendencies of the day. Instead of

embracing the outrageous and fanciful, the extravagant and transgressive—areas where he would have

enjoyed an inherent advantage as a chronicler—Capote moved toward a scrupulous realism, and a deliberate

encroachment on the traditional territory of nonfiction authors. He still relied on the storytelling techniques

honed over two decades of writing fiction, yet now brought them to bear on a subject and situation that would

normally be addressed by journalists or perhaps sociologists.

On November 16, 1959, The New York Times reported on the murder of four members of a well-to-do family in

a small town in Kansas. The Times, then as now, downplayed sensational crime stories, and this brief article,

headlined "Wealthy Farmer, 3 of Family Slain," would have been easy enough to miss. "A wealthy wheat

farmer, his wife and their two young children were found shot to death today in their home," the newswire

account began. "They had been killed by shotgun blasts at close range after being bound and gagged.…"

Fascinated by the few facts provided in this brief story, Capote was soon on his way to Kansas to begin what

would turn out to be a six-year odyssey—a period encompassing the investigation of the crime, the arrest of

Richard Hickock and Perry Smith, their trial and conviction, and ultimately their hanging on April 14, 1965.

For some time, Capote had been looking for a different way of conceptualizing the modern novel. He felt that

little true innovation had taken place since the 1920s, that most stories tended toward either pulp fiction

clichés or neo-fabulist excesses. With In Cold Blood he hoped to do something different, construct an

essentially non-fiction novel, one which would allow him to replace, in his words, the "self-created world" of

the traditional novel, with "the everyday objective world we all inhabit."

Capote had long cut an impressive figure in the literary world, able to command the interest of socialites and

celebrities, and even the mass media, to a degree that no later American novelist has been able to match. Yet

in researching and writing In Cold Blood, Capote revealed different talents and social skills, sometimes relying

on his reserves of charm while in other instances falling back on an almost ruthless pursuit of self-interest. No

wonder that, in addition to the story in the novel, an almost equally compelling story behind the novel would

eventually come to light, even serving as the basis for its own Hollywood movie, the 2005 film Capote.has

done is really moved the true crime as a genre forward. Ever since

“In Cold Blood,” came

AP.Lang.SA.2015 15

Article E

Saeed Shah and Ed Pilkington. “Greg Mortenson's dizzying fall from grace.” The Guardian. April 22, 2011

The troubled world of book publishing has become almost wearily accustomed to receiving yet more bad news of a critically acclaimed memoir that turns out to have been partly or entirely fabricated.

The works of James Frey, J T LeRoy (aka Laura Albert), Margaret Jones (aka Margaret Seltzer), Nasdijj (aka Timothy Barrus), and many more fit the theme.

But rarely has there been anything quite as [the] fall from grace of Greg Mortenson, author of the wildly successful and until now [recently] revered memoir “Three Cups of Tea.”

The scale of Mortenson's tumble is partly amplified by the dizzy heights that he [has] occupied in the realms of both publishing and philanthropy. “Three Cups of Tea”, his account of how he came to dedicate his life to building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan, has sold 4 million copies and remained in the New York Times bestseller list for more than four years.

The Central Asia Institute, which he founded on the back of the book to promote the educational causes he espouses, has attracted funding of almost $60m (£36m), in no small part from the donations of his deeply moved readers, including Barack Obama, who gave $100,000 from his Nobel prize winnings.

Another of those smitten readers was fellow adventurer and author Jon Krakauer, who was so moved he donated $75,000 to CAI. But Krakauer then grew suspicious of the story and began his own investigation . . . In both ebook and TV programme, Krakauer tears apart the narrative core of Mortenson's book, beginning with his claim that after a failed attempt to scale the mountain K2 in 1993 he stumbled into the Pakistani village of Korphe, where locals saved his life, gave him sustenance and inspired him to give something back by devoting himself to building schools in the area.

The problem, Krakauer says, is that none of that happened. "The first eight chapters of Three Cups of Tea are an intricately wrought work of fiction presented as fact," he says, accusing the writer of "fantasy, audacity and an apparently insatiable hunger for esteem.”

into print, others have repeatedly used the same formula with their own twist and turns, but the true crime book,

came to be something of its own genre. Not quite mystery fiction or crime drama, but rather the horror of crime

in real

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