Libra's depiction of Lee Harvey Oswald
Don DeLillo's Libra is a masterful retelling of events that lead up to the assassination of President John. F Kennedy. The book does a great job of altering the narrative behind Lee Harvey Oswald's life. Rather than depicting him as a crazy, psychotic, one-dimensional villain, he is depicted as a delusional, pathetic, and misunderstood figure who challenges the readers to o confront the blurred lines between historical fact and humanity. Oswald's delusions in Libra are flawed attempts to find meaning in a life characterized by marginality and uncertainty, rather than grand conspiracy theories. He repeatedly clings to the notion of a "world inside the world," a hidden meaning structure that promises to clarify his mission and his role in history. His compulsive need to be a part of something greater than himself, even though he never fully comprehends what that might be, is reinforced by the repeated use of this term throughout the book. Delillo also highlights Le...