Libra - Marguerite Oswald

 Libra - Marguerite Oswald 

In Libra, Lee’s future behaviours were heavily influenced by his at home life as a child. Whether that be his being bullied throughout school, his life with his brothers, or his troubling time living with his mother, Marguerite Oswald. In Libra, Don DeLillo presents Marguerite not just as his mother, but as one of the most powerful influences on the development of his personality and future behaviour. Through her obsession with victimhood and instability, she contributed to Lee's desire for historical importance. 

One of Marguerite's most defining traits in Libra is her belief that she and her son are constantly being subjected to ill treatment. She repeatedly claims that Lee is misunderstood and mistreated by schools, the military, and the government. With that, growing up, Lee absorbed the idea that hidden forces were working against him, which heavily contributed to his attraction to Marxism. Marguerite's insistence that Lee is special but oppressed encouraged him to see himself as a figure destined for significance rather than an ordinary person responsible for his own failures. 

Ultimately, Libra portrays Marguerite Oswald as a foundational influence on Lee’s trajectory. She doesn't cause his actions directly, but she helped construct the psychological conditions that made them possible. Through her control, Marguerite contributed to Lee’s fractured identity and his belief that violence could transform him from someone invisible to a historical figure. DeLillo shows how family dynamics, specifically with someone so close, can shape public catastrophe.