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Bonnie and Clyde
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Bonnie and Clyde
Introduction
Bonnie and Clyde are one of the most notorious duos in American criminal history. They have made their mark by committing crimes as a couple. It is safe to say that they have the status of being criminal celebrities. The notion of them being in love has given the duo their significance in criminal history. There have been many movies romanticizing the life of the "Glamour Criminals." The notorious couple's actual names were Clyde Chestnut Barrow and Bonnie Elizabeth Parker, but they were just Bonnie and Clyde for the world. The couple wreaked havoc for about two years; they went around robbing banks and pulling pranks till they were taken down by the FBI police force. The criminal lovers and their rebellious love still live on in the American psyche, and to this day, people think of pushing the limits for Splendor. This paper will discuss the lives and history of the glamour criminals Bonnie and Clyde in detail.
Discussion
Both Bonnie and Clyde were Texans and were born in 1909 and 1910. Bonnie was the second child of Emma and Henry Parker. She had two more siblings and they all lived a comfortable life through Henry's job as a bricklayer. That all changed when Henry died in 1914 and Emma moved to Cement City, Texas with her children. Bonnie grew up to be quite beautiful and the one thing that people romanticize about the most is that she stayed gentle even through her criminal life. Bonnie wrote poetry even when she was creating chaos with Clyde.
Clyde, on the other hand, aspired to be an actor or a musician. He was born to very poor parents and they all struggled a lot. Clyde's family ultimately moved to West Dallas and opened a gas station. The robust environment of West Dallas made Clyde quite the rebel. He was fond of fighting and he enjoyed violent activities quite a lot. Prior to the two-year world-renowned crime spree, the couple already made a name as rebellions by committing crimes together. When Bonnie and Clyde first met, it was love at first sight. A few weeks after the duo met, Clyde was sent to jail for two years. Devastated by the arrest, Bonnie ended up smuggling a gun to Clyde in jail which led to his escape. Later, Clyde went back to jail but got early bail via having a fellow convict cut some of his tows. That is when Clyde vowed that he will never go back to jail ever again.
It is a fact that deep in the American Psyche, there exists a stem of guilt for the uncalled genocide of the Native Americans. This fact makes them fascinate and mesmerize every time they see someone willing to break the law to live freely. There is no doubt that the early settlers of America still dream of embracing and living life freely. However, certain shackles are created by the law, which keeps everyone under check. So, Bonnie and Clyde were the exact representation of freedom and living freely that everyone dreamed of; couple in love doing as they pleased regardless of the law enforcement. It is safe to say that Bonnie and Clyde are one of the most romanticized criminals of American history; there have been many movies made in trying to capture the essence of their life. Bonnie and Clyde were Texans, and their crime spree started in the 1930s and took the world by storm. Whenever their name is taken, it is associated with the depression-era chic. A world where men robbed banks and ran away in automobiles and women stylishly smoked on cigars and waved rifles. However, this is the idealistic interpretation that everyone wants to believe, but the actual reality is quite different.
When an idea that represents everyone's wildest dreams rises, there are chances that more fantasy is added to the notion. The same is the case for Bonnie and Clyde; the world looked at them as people who were so in love that no bullet could touch them. People also thought that they were living a luxurious life jumping in money. That is the overly romanticized version of Bonnie and Clyde's story, but the reality is the opposite. The couple lived a very difficult life with the Barrow gang. Their actions were quite clumsy and the crimes they committed were planned incompetently. The couple lived a life hiding, escaping, injured and involved in murders. A few photos of the duo fooling around and waving their guns were released which led to them coming in the limelight. It was then when people started fantasizing and romanticizing about their life. In reality, the life of Bonnie and Clyde that the media represents is a myth. It is interesting how this myth is still kept alive by the constant representation of them living the ideal life by the film industry.
In accordance with history, the couple could be easily romanticized because of the way they committed crimes. Certain researchers believe that the duo being raised in a middle-class family set up is why they chose the criminal life. There is a notion that Bonnie and Clyde would kidnap police officers and drive them around for hours and eventually leave them miles away unharmed. However, this view is a myth. In reality, the couple might be responsible for more than 13 murders inclusive of innocent bystanders. People believe that they lived a life of luxury, and had a lot of money, that is also not true since the couple had to live in a car. It is evident that living in a car is far from luxurious. In fact, the couple would get short of money till their next robbery, so the life they led was difficult and the crimes they committed were rushed and badly planned.
Bonnie and Clyde, in fact, were cartoonish sociopaths. This fact can be best explained by example. Bonnie had a pet rabbit named Sonny Boy who also got fame because of the notorious couple. The rabbit lived in the back seat with all their weapons. The rabbit started to smell because of being dirty since Clyde detested the smell the couple decided to wash it in the river. As rabbits are not used to being in the water, Sonny boy fainted. This stressed the couple out so they built a fire to warm their beloved rabbit. When the rabbit finally regained consciousness Bonnie cuddled it up, but the embrace was interrupted by a police car. This interruption resulted in two police officers losing their life. This event showcases the mental state of the couple quite well. Seven weeks after the incident, the couple was caught along with their beloved Sonny boy and killed by the Texas ranger Frank Hamer.
Conclusion
The glamorized criminals were finally taken down on the 23rd of March 1934 by the FBI. There special manhunt was led by Frank Hamer to take down the notorious couple. Many people believe that maybe this is how they wanted things to end. Being constantly on the run from the police and having a life that is full of stress is not easy. So, this is how the couple decided that they will be going down. As they say, go big or go home. The image and charisma that Bonnie and Clyde left behind still make people fantasize about the life that the duo had. To this day, there have been many copycats who have tried replicating Bonnie and Clyde's glamour and lifestyle.
End Notes
Blumenthal, Karen. Bonnie and Clyde: The Making of a Legend. Penguin, 2018.
Jones, Jeff P. Love Give Us One Death: Bonnie and Clyde in the Last Days. Texas A&M University Press, 2017.
Levy, Wayne. "A brief history of'Metro'." Metro Magazine: Media & Education Magazine 200 (2019): 14.
Ruth, David E. "Bonnie and Clyde." (2017): 287-289.
Selcer, Richard. "Texas Ranger: The Epic Life of Frank Hamer, the Man Who Killed Bonnie and Clyde by John Boessenecker." Southwestern Historical Quarterly 120, no. 2 (2016): 268-269.
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