Non-fiction novels are a genre of book that uses all the devices of a fiction piece, but all the information is completely factual . Although legitimate, the integrity of the writer can nevertheless be called into question, depending on the description of the facts. Truman Capote, being the first author to use this style of writing, was the first to turn a true story into his own. He was able to do this in In Cold Blood through his use of prejudice. Truman Capote demonstrates bias in In Cold Blood through his selective characterization and attention to detail, but this bias results in an overall fairer narrative. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay One of the ways Capote shows his bias in the novel is his clear preference for Perry over Dick. Capote characterizes Perry in a very positive way compared to Dick, which makes readers feel sympathy for him. From the beginning, readers are led to believe that Perry is submissive to Dick. Perry follows what Dick tells him and rarely bothers to say what he thinks. This, combined with the contrasting tones Capote uses between them, allows readers to see Perry in a more positive light. For example, using a sympathetic tone when talking about Perry's childhood (98) while using a calm but humorous tone just hours before Dick's execution to make him seem like a sociopath (339). Additionally, Capote highlights a scene from the murder in which Perry responds to Dick, “Uh-huh. But you’ll have to kill me first” after Dick proposes the idea of ​​raping Nancy (243). This causes readers to view Perry as a hero for stopping Dick. Capote's preference for Perry over Dick is one of the main ways he demonstrates bias in In Cold Blood and also causes readers to question the integrity of his writing. Specific details displayed throughout the novel influence readers' opinions of who the criminals really are. Capote uses these details to instill his prejudices in others. One detail of the murder that makes readers question the criminals' motives is the way the pillows are placed under the victims' heads (64). This detail makes readers wonder why a murderer would bother to comfort himself if he didn't care about the victim. This makes Dick and Perry seem compassionate. Another thing that makes readers feel sympathy for the killers is the explanation of their difficult childhood. Perry in particular had a tough time. He was in and out of orphanages, his mother was a drunkard and his father was flaky (132). This, coupled with hints of their mental instability, for example, Dick's "emotional abnormality" (294) and Perry's "signs of serious mental illness" (296), elicit an emotional response from readers. This makes readers feel sorry for the murderers, which is usually not the natural response in a situation like this. This twisting of classic roles makes the novel fairer to both sides. The bias towards criminals makes In Cold Blood a more accurate representation of both sides of the story. In most murder mystery stories, readers feel more sympathy towards the victims of the crime. The difference in In Cold Blood is that readers not only feel sympathy for the Clutter family, but they also identify and suffer with Dick and Perry. He does this in order to make readers think more deeply.