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.
Hi Brianna, I really enjoyed reading your blog post! I agree that Marguerite had quite the influence on Oswald. I think it is interesting that you talk about her paranoid mentality. I think that definitely had contributed something to Lee believing he was "the one", whether that be in JFK's assassination or General Walker's.
ReplyDeleteHi Brianna, your analysis of Marguerite's influence on Oswald is very interesting! I think her obsession with defending Oswald definitely contributed to his narcissistic character. I agree with you that her convincing Oswald of the presence of hidden forces working against him played a big role in his political views. I think another reason Oswald becomes communist is because of her resentful attitudes towards life in America (how she complains about her late husbands and their poverty).
ReplyDeleteHey Bri!!! I really enjoyed your blog post!!! I completely agree with the argument that you made in your blog post about how Marguerite's actions caused Lee to be the person he is today. Usually, kids, especially at a young age, replicate what they see their parents doing, and I think that's what Lee did with his mom. One of the things that I found sad was that Marguerite never did anything to help Lee. Good job!!!
ReplyDeleteI think I alluded to this in class, but we actually have a vast amount of information on Marguerite and her views on her son and the assassination, because of the excessive amount of attention that Chief Justice Warren gave to her in the investigation--he was criticized for letting her talk on and on about her boy and how he taught himself chess and used to visit the zoo, in addition to all her grievances and paranoias which you mention. Even the odd narrative voice that DeLillo creates for her sections--"Your Honor, I am the mother in the case, and I demand to know what has been done to my boy" etc.--is heavily based on and at times even quoting from her Warren Commission testimony. It's almost unbelievable that this woman actually traveled to Washington on the date of JFK's inauguration and demanded to speak to him, to find out what is really going on with her son in Russia. She is the first Oswald conspiracy theorist, and while it might seem delusional for her to expect a warm reception when she shows up at the White House demanding answers, in fact a few years later she IS speaking at great length to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
ReplyDeleteHi bri! I really liked how you focused on Marguerite as a key influencer on lee rather than just treating her as a background character. Your explanation on how her paranoia shaped his desire for historical importance made a lot of sense to me and added way more depth to lee's motivations. Great blog!!
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