But Tiffany’s is a jewelry store!

The novella Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote was largely inspired by the author’s personal life. According to Sam Wasson’s Fifth Avenue, A.M…, the story commenced with the author’s own mother abandoning her family and fleeing to New York. Parts of the story based on true events were the name change in the new city and the idea that in New York you live large.

The message of the book is that everyone has a constant need for security and safety. For Holly Golightly, it just so happened to be Tiffany’s that would calm her “mean reds.” Capote wrote himself into each character, although that is subliminal. He gave each character a part of him that best fit them.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s left all the early readers in awe at how risqué and different it was. At that time, women had not been portrayed as independent so many people viewed the story as scandalous. The novella still has an impact by providing an iconic image that can be used as a comparison reference to modern times. Women are now encouraged to be independent, but there are still things they do that are frowned upon by society.

The novella contains several short sections, creating a sense of passing time and suspense. Between some sections months go by and the new section begins by describing the new season. Knowing a character’s past is crucial to a story because their background contributes to character development. For instance, when Doc Golightly made an appearance and revealed the truth about Holly (who is really Lulumae,) her motives for running away 14 begin to make sense.

The novel became so iconic with much credit to the 1961 film. Although the plot of the novel itself is relatable, honest, and raw, the feminine NYC chic fashion worn by actress Audrey Hepburn in the film is what attracted the media. As an example, in the opening scene of the film, Holly Golightly steps out of a cab with a neck full of white pearls and a custom tailored black Givenchy dress. This look became so iconic that it has been referenced many times in Hollywood films.

One lesson that can be learned from the novella and applied to real life situations is to not become attached to something that you know will eventually not be in your life. Holly Golightly mentioned that she never named the cat she found because they, she and the cat, were both independent. If she ever had to depart from the cat, she knew she had done all she could for it but they never belonged to each other.