Capote uses recurring themes in In Cold Blood to emphasize the role of family and selfishness among criminals. “On his way, and never returning—with no regrets, as far as he was concerned, for he left nothing behind him, and no one who could wonder deeply into what void he had flown into. The same couldn't be said for Dick. There were those Dick claimed to love: three sons, a mother, a father, a brother” (Capote 66). This quote is important because it shows Perry and Dick's journey. Perry came from a “broken home” where no one ever truly loved him, not even his father. Dick, on the other hand, came from a loving family, and the fact that he loved them back was a sign that he did not have a mental illness and was instead committing these crimes for other reasons. The role of families is highlighted in a way that shows that while families can be a source of protection and love (like the Clutters), the absence of a family (Perry Smith) can make you a social misfit. Perry Smith had nothing to lose. On the other hand, Dick had a family who loved him. Both of these aspects give a deeper insight into the characters and their minds. Selfishness is also a motif in the novel. “Why would this son of a bitch have everything, when he had nothing ?