He is ready to perceive offense or insult in the things that others say” (p. 297). In the way Mr. Clutter's murder occurred, perhaps Perry saw his father or the people in his life who had hurt him physically and mentally and why his murder was the most extreme. In a sense, the rivalry between Dick and Perry is a mutual struggle for self-recognition, with each wanting the other to validate their self-image. This shows that Perry wants to impress Dick and that he is capable of doing things on his own. By the end of the book, however, we become aware of some of Dick's insecurities: his failure to achieve financial security and support his first wife, Carol, and their three children, his sexual interest in girls, which both offsets . for with bravado and reckless criminal actions. Although Dick didn't kill any of the Clutter family, Dick was the one who came up with the idea to go to the Clutter house, rob them, and take advantage of Nancy. Dick also manages to leverage the fact that he too is a murderer. That is, background can influence how a person acts, but it can be defined by how they face difficulties, learn from them, or continue on their path..