In Cold Blood and Rabbit, Run

Both of these novels were very detailed in how they described the characters. I felt as though Capote felt some sort of friendship and love towards his characters in the way he described them and tried to make you feel for them, especially Perry. Updike is distant from his characters. He doesn't truely know them. One seems to hate and then feel sympathy for Rabbit. I couldn't stand Janice, but then I felt so sorry for her at the same time. It was confusing for me as to how Updike wanted me to think; of course then again, maybe that was his point.

I liked the way Capote jumped back and forth telling what was going on with each group of characters. Updike tends to leave a set of characters for a long period of time, and you are left wondering what they were doing. Like what did Janice do for those Rabbit was with Ruth? We know a little but not enough.

Updike seems to give too much detail about what is going on and what one character is thinking about. Capote does this too but not nearly as much.

I feel like after reading this that I would be saying that I liked Capote's novel better than Updike's, but it is quite the opposite due to the story line. I just didn't connect with Capote. I didn't like that he felt so sorry for Perry. I mean I did feel sorry for Perry, but I just connected with Updike's novel of a man sruggling with family life more.