Understanding Truman Capote

Index

9/11, 148 1920s, 1, 9, 47 1930s, 2, 9, 18, 61, 152, 164n18 1940s, 5, 9, 11–13, 15, 17–18, 20–21, 23–30, 39, 41, 44–45, 47, 54, 66, 75, 82, 93, 96–97, 99, 102–3, 105–6, 109, 115, 117, 121, 124, 126–28, 135–37, 149–50, 153, 157n4, 158n5, 159n15, 164n18; and the climate of uncertainty, 17–18, 42; and fragmented individuals, 12, 17, 41; and labor unrest, 26, 157n4, 158n4; and the literature of the anti-dream, 11; and loss of innocence, 25, 30; social anxieties during, 11–12, 29–30, 39, 41; and unemployment, 19 1950s, 5, 7, 11–15, 19–20, 25, 62–69, 70–76, 78–84, 93, 96–103, 108, 112–18, 120–22, 124, 127–34, 136– 37, 142, 148–50, 152, 154, 161n18, 162n7, 163n5, 163n12, 164n18; and car production, 19, 128–31, 164n13; and home ownership, 19, 74, 117, 161n18; and the literature of the antidream , 11; national recession during, 129–30; and social anxieties, 11–12, 25, 67–69, 114, 120 1960s, 2, 6–8, 10, 63, 96–98, 101–2, 109, 113–14, 116–18, 124–25, 127– 28, 130, 132–33, 138, 147, 149, 156 abandonment, 2, 7, 32, 38, 59, 63, 97, 106–7, 111, 133, 136, 144–45, 147, 151, 160n4 “Abbeville Affair,” 53–54 Abbeville, Alabama, 53 abortion, 1, 3, 7, 100 abuse, 121, 127; emotional, 63; physical, 2–3, 41, 50, 53, 85; racial, 58; sexual, 3, 52, 55, 58, 60, 142, 157n1; spousal, 44, 57; verbal, 2–3, 41, 50, 85 addiction, 3, 6, 8, 118, 136 adultery, 2, 7, 43, 72, 100–101 advertising, 33, 52, 100, 125, 129–30, 148, 158n4, 163n12, 164n13 African American women, 2, 4, 13, 31, 44, 52–54, 59, 76, 84; violence against, 13, 44–45, 52–60, 84 African Americans, 3, 6, 13, 41, 44–47, 51–57, 59, 61, 64, 75, 78, 81, 83–85, 90–92, 94, 126–28, 139, 148, 152, 159n8, 159n14, 159n15, 160n15, 162n9; as man-animals, 47, 52; as freakish, 44–47, 51, 159n9; soldiers, 54, 122, 160n15; as “undesirable residents,” 127 Alabama, 1, 4, 6, 13, 16–17, 29, 40, 53–54, 61, 84, 123, 162n9. See also, Abeville; Monroeville; Montgomery alcohol, 17, 28, 50, 77, 80, 89, 96, 103, 105, 134–35, 142, 145, 150, 153, 156, 165n2 alcoholism, 3, 6, 8, 66, 118, 136, 156 Alexander, Jason, 95 alienation, 4, 8, 37, 90 Alvarez, Pepe (Other Voices, Other Rooms), 44, 50 American Dream, 51, 116–17, 119–20, 124–26, 140 American Tragedy, An, 113 American West, 24, 71, 88, 134, 138 index 176 index America: culture, 7, 11–12, 14–15, 18–19, 21, 25, 27, 31, 35–36, 38, 42, 44, 51, 53, 55, 58–60, 68, 74–75, 77, 82, 88, 91, 94, 96–104, 106, 108–11, 122–23, 132, 144–45, 148–49, 159n6; delinquent subculture, 12, 14, 25, 120–22; economy, 18–20, 35–37, 53–54, 64, 85, 92, 102, 106, 116–18, 120–21, 125–27, 129, 131, 146–48, 157n4, 158n4; government, 8, 19, 25, 54, 58, 65–70, 74, 76–78, 80–87, 117, 124, 128, 140, 156, 160; idealization of, 12, 15, 30–31, 33, 36, 65, 124, 148, 152; lifestyle, 5–6, 12, 18, 21, 29, 62, 114, 125, 130, 148; and outward appearances, 14, 35, 98, 106–8; and popular culture, 30–31, 36–37, 39–40, 95, 107, 137, 159n9 Amos ‘n’ Andy, 83 Andrews, Lowell Lee, 122–23 Angela Lee (Other Voices, Other Rooms), 49, 55 Answered Prayers, 8–9, 15, 154–56; controversy, 156; reaction from wealthy friends, 8, 156 Appleseed (“Jug of Silver”), 34–36 art, 3–4, 14–15, 17, 25, 31, 37–39, 49–50, 55, 64, 79–82, 90–94, 100, 112, 125–26, 132–35, 137–39, 142, 145, 164n20 Ashida, Hideo (In Cold Blood), 131 Ashida, Mrs. (In Cold Blood), 130 atomic age, 12–13, 17–18, 20, 26, 31, 38, 93, 114–16; and bomb shelters, 115; fear during, 20, 27, 115; and loss of innocence, 31 Atomic Energy Commission, 115 atomic weapons, 20, 25, 27, 31, 64–65, 82, 115–16, 120, 129 Aunt Eunice (“My Side of the Matter”), 40–41 “Aunt” Liza, 2 Aunt Olivia-Ann (“My Side of the Matter”), 40–41 automobile industry, 128–31 Autry, Gene, 138, 164n18 bachelor life, 98, 100–101 Ball, Lucille, 81 Barnes, Fred (Breakfast at...