Bonnie and Clyde; consider the source Book Sneak Peak

August 05, 2025

Bonnie and Clyde; consider the source Book Sneak Peak

Look at the Lens: Why We Must Question the Source

When we read books, scripture, news stories, or consume media of any kind—we must consider the source.
Who’s telling the story?
What do they gain from the version they’re sharing?
And what voices might be missing?

Take the story of Bonnie and Clyde, the infamous outlaw couple of the 1930s. Today, they’re etched into American folklore as rebellious lovers on the run—glorified in songs, films, and headlines. But the truth beneath the legend is murkier, and much of what we believe was shaped by media distortion, political bias, and profit.

One widely repeated claim came from an eyewitness who said they saw Bonnie Parker shoot an innocent victim point-blank, describing it with grotesque flair: “His head bounced like a rubber ball.” But when the case was later re-examined, it was revealed the eyewitness was over 100 yards away—too far to have seen such detail.

Why did the story spread? Because it sold papers.

During the Great Depression, newspapers were struggling—but stories of glamorous, gun-toting criminals sparked public fascination. Bonnie was portrayed as a cigar-smoking femme fatale, Clyde as her hardened yet loyal partner. In truth, they were desperate kids robbing gas stations and mom-and-pop shops, not high-stakes bank robbers. They were in their early 20s, driven by poverty and recklessness more than ideology. As for Bonnie’s lethality- it’s never been confirmed that she murdered anyone.

Frank Hamer, the man who led the ambush that killed the duo, was hailed as a hero—but his own kill count far exceeded that of Bonnie and Clyde, with over 50 men shot during his law enforcement career, many of them under legally dubious circumstances: targeting Black and Mexican individuals. He wasn’t a clean-cut hero, but a product of the same violent systems that shaped the myth.

Hamer was hired as a private mercenary, not an active law enforcement officer. He was paid a significant bounty by Texas banks and private interests. After Bonnie and Clyde were ambushed and died in a hail of over 130 bullets, the scene quickly devolved into a grotesque circus.

Souvenir hunters rushed to the death car, cutting off locks of Bonnie’s hair and pieces of her bloody dress. One man reportedly tried to cut off Clyde’s trigger finger. The bullet-riddled Ford V8 they died in became a traveling roadside attraction, displayed in carnivals and fairs for profit. Bloodstained clothing and personal effects were auctioned or sold to collectors. It wasn’t justice—it was spectacle. A lucrative one.

So, what’s the point?

Every story has a source—and every source has a motive.

Whether it’s a biblical verse passed down through centuries of translation, a news article chasing clicks, or a viral video edited for outrage—the stories we consume must be held up to the light.

Ask yourself:
• Who benefits from this version?
• Who is being vilified or glorified—and why?
• What voices are missing?