Breakfast at Tiffany's

Factual Information

A novel/novella by American writer Truman Capote published in 1958.

Study Guide

Below are the thirteen major sections of the novella. Since Capote did not use chapters, these are indicated by the double line break on the page. There might be more sections, or a more logical means of distinguishing them, but these arbitrary divisions will work for our purposes.

1. Section one (3-14)
2. Section two (14-47)
3. Section three (47-53)
4. Section four (53-55)
5. Section five (55-63)
6. Section six (63-72)
7. Section seven (72-74)
8. Section eight (74-85)
9. Section nine (85-93)
10. Section ten (93-97)
11. Section eleven (97-104)
12. Section twelve (104-109)
13. Section thirteen (109-111)

Characters

Major Themes

Delight in the Unorthodox

Plimpton writes that the theme in Breakfast at Tiffany’s is that there are special, strange gifted people in the world and they have to be treated with understanding (175).

Major Symbols

Additional Resources

• Capote, Truman. The Complete Stories of Truman Capote. New York: The Random House Publishing Group, 2004.

Works Cited

• Plimpton, George. Truman Capote: In Which Various Friends, Enemies, Acquaintances,and Detractors Recall His Turbulent Career. New York: Doubleday Dell Publishing Group. 1997.