The Effects of New Journalism

In reference to what New Journalism actually means, Wikipedia quotes this style of writing as using "literary techniques deemed unconventional at the time" and maintaining "elements of reporting including strict adherence to factual accuracy and the writer being the primary source." New Journalism also is formed to present a characteristic perspective that is mental and internal so the reader will understand their actions preceding the character's thought process and provides a sociological perspective, as well. Truman Capote and Joan Didion were the pioneers of New Journalism who belonged to a short list of those who explored this style of writing during the 1960's and 1970's. I did feel; however, that because of a larger exposure to Capote, as an author to such famous works, he embodies that of a pioneer of New Journalism because of his familiarity and fame. Joan Didion is listed one of the starting points to this style of journalism, as well, but many readers of my generation are unfamiliar with her works. Because of this, Capote's works are easier to relate to New Journalism than Didion.

With relation to In Cold Blood, Capote captures the psychological standpoints of two serial killers - Richard Hickock and Perry Smith. Capote exposes his readers to the vulnerable thoughts and feelings of these killers responsible for the Clutter family murders and gives them a chance to be relatable and human. He goes deep within their minds, almost playing with his readers, to force a feeling of coexistence and empathy that readers would normally never allow themselves to feel if they were not exposed to the minds of Richard and Perry. With every fact that is presented, it is intertwined with the thought process behind them and its readers are exposed to a new style of writing that is peculiar but captivating.Capote makes it easy for his readers to question and want more. He made me want to personally interview Dick and Perry and find out why they chose the Clutter family, and ask them if they felt any type of remorse upon Perry killing each of the family members and Dick being the mastermind. I wanted to know, "Was there something that happened in your past that could've been prevented then, so that the townspeople of Holcombe wouldn't have suffered a loss of the Clutters now?" even more than five decades later. Capote's style of New Journalism is chilling and often provides strange reactions throughout reading In Cold Blood. In researching examples of how Capote used New Journalism techniques within his text, I learned that he actually visited the town of Holcombe, KS to provide his readers an observation that would be painted in a picture through personal perspective and not just researching about the town through articles and the news. In regards to his further research, Capote is quoted saying, "my files would almost fill a whole small room, right up to the ceiling. All my research. Hundreds of letters. Newspaper clippings. Court records - the court records almost fill two trunks... I have some of the personal belongings - all of Perry's because he left me everything he owned; it was miserably little, his books, written in and annotated; the letters he received while in prison. . .not very many. . .his paintings and drawings...I think I may burn it all ... The book is what is important. It exists in its own right. The rest of the material is extraneous, and it's personal. What's more, I don't really want people poking around in the material of six years of work and research. The book is the end result of all that, and it's exactly what I wanted to do from it".

In examining the works of Joan Didion, she exposes her readers to something that embodies the definition of New Journalism. She presents the facts while presenting an internal point of view that only supports the facts. Didion focused a bit more on storytelling, as opposed to the cold hard facts that Capote presented in his texts. She wanted every element that made up her character to be exposed, from the brief snap judgment to the elaborate details of her job and how she lacked monetary advancements (Slouching Towards Bethlehem, p. 3). She provides the kind of characters to her reader that creates an emotional relationship connecting with empathetic feelings. Didion brings forth the kind of thought process that makes her readers think of their own personal hardships and find examples within the text that they can most relate to, almost holding on to the slightest bit of connection.

The quote from Slouching Towards Bethlehem,"...she wishes that she had a safety pin for the hem of the silk plaid dress, and she always wishes that she could forget about the hem and the lunch and stay in the cool bar that smells of disinfectant and malt and make friends with the woman in the crepe-de-Chine wrapper," (136) is a perfect example of what New Journalism embodies. It is a form of writing that is so deep in description and thought that it creates a portal of connection to the mind of the character and the reader. Here we see a description of what the bar smelled like, what the woman was wearing, and the thoughts of the character. When the character is bothered by something, the reader is meant to also feel bothered by the same attribute and both the character and the reader want there to be a solution to the problem. New Journalism stands on the disconnected style of reading that usually occurs when there is no inner look at what is being observed and thought. Didion uses this method in Slouching Towards Bethlehem with seemless transitions.

New Journalism is the captivating style of writing that authors constantly use, now, as a technique to captivate their audiences and the term "new" refers much more to the time frame that it was born in, as opposed to now, when it is hard to find a news article, novel, or story that didn't embody what New Journalism was set out by Capote and Didion during it's time.