On In Cold Blood:Crime And Punishment In The Postmodern Context

In Cold Blood has gained a significant amount of attention as the precursor of nonfiction novel. However, researches from such perspectives as crime fiction theory, postmodernist novel theory are inadequate.The present author argues that In Cold Blood is a postmodernist nonfiction crime novel which embodies the issue of crime and punishment in the postmodern age. To facilitate the research, the author applies theories on crime fiction, nonfiction novel and postmodernist novel.She upholds her proposition by proving firstly it is a crime novel and then analyzing its application of writing techniques of nonfiction novel and postmodernist novel in the process of highlighting the theme of crime and punishment.Writing in a nonfictional form and applying postmodernist writing techniques, Capote expressed the theme of crime and punishment in an entertaining and enlightening way. In this way, Capote managed to lead readers to focus on the problem of legal penalties which is of great consequence in all ages, but extremely subtle in the postmodern age.