Analysis of queer themes in Truman Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Abstract

The thesis focuses on how the characters in Truman Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s challenge heteronormative ideas about sexuality. The thesis is divided into two main sections: literature review and the analysis. The first part discusses the previous work on Capote’s writing style and the queer aspects of Breakfast at Tiffany’s and explains how queer people were treated in the 1950s United States. The second section is divided into three parts: direct and indirect references to queerness, and references to sports which is used to emphasize how Capote’s characters do not conform to the societal expectations. Afterwards, the analysis is tied to Capote’s writing style to explain how he depicts his queer characters. The conclusion presents the major findings of the thesis. Key words: Truman Capote, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, queer, American literature