Family is what you make it. The word family has many meanings. Everyone defines what it means to be part of a family, and what a family is, differently. Families differ economically, socially, culturally, and so on. The nonfiction novel, In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote, tells the story of the brutal murder of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas, committed by Dick Hickock and Perry Smith. In the novel the reader is able to see the role of family and how it shapes individuals. Nancy Clutter, Dick Hickock, and Perry Smith all grew up in different family backgrounds. These family settings helped shape them into unique individuals. All three of these characters can relate to this quote: "Two people who share a common bloodline may call each other relatives, but only when our lives are turned upside down can we truly see if we are part of a family." Throughout the novel, Nancy, Dick, and Perry faced life issues that affected their families differently. Perry Smith, a sensitive and very intelligent boy, has lived a difficult life. Perry never had a solid family. His parents fought constantly, both verbally and physically. The fighting led them to split when Perry was young. After the separation, Perry was forced to live with his mother, who had become a shameful drunkard (126). Perry's mother quickly abandoned him, so he had to move to an orphanage. While living in the orphanage Perry was beaten for wetting the bed. Then around third grade Perry's father, Tex, started taking care of him. Tex tried his best to teach Perry good and evil, but prevented him from continuing his education. Tex said: “Perry [was] no angel, he did wrong things many times, like a lot of other guys. Ritual is ritual and wrong is wrong...... middle of the paper......nt. Nancy was like this because this was expected of a member of the Clutter family and Perry was like this because he was determined to be a good person and not end up like the rest of his family. Here with three unique individuals, it's clear how a family can influence who they are. Family is really what you make of it. A family can influence someone positively or negatively. How a person decides to live their life depends on their individual goals and life outlook. Just because you were born into a rich or poor family, kind or bad, etc., doesn't mean you have to be the same way. Perry, Dick, and Nancy all had different family experiences and based on those experiences they created a lifestyle that they wanted to live. Only because they shared the same blood as their families, they were able to decide to stay with the family or create their own path.