Filler

  This is my last piece of high school homework, so instead of trying to make a point on Libra, I will contemplate my time in the History as Fiction class. I’ve certainly learned a lot, starting with what post-modernism is. I picked this class because it had the most interesting book-list; I gained a new-found appreciation for books I’ve already read or heard about like Slaughterhouse-Five and Ragtime, and I also discovered new books that I would otherwise never read. Overall, I gained a lot things from this class; not only have my writing skills improved, but my general cultural knowledge has as well. I sincerely would like to thank Mr. Mitchell for providing a great class and really genuinely caring about it.

Zapruder

When we watched the Zapruder film in class, I wasn't as emotionally charged as I thought I would be. The dichotomy of the film being the quality of a home movie and, at the same time, one of the most shocking and important films in American history gave it an odd, creepy quality. I was most surprised by how little emotion the film carried, especially compared to Libra. The fact that is has been studied frame-by-frame to look for evidence further detracts from it’s emotional power.

Libra offers a narration to the Zapruder film that is grounded in history, but filled with human emotion. For example, the narration of the little girl and the secret service man who thinks to himself that the man taking evasive action is a vet. The small human moments give the story a strong emotional force. This is also seen in Marguerite's narration at the end. History books don’t consider the grief of a mother. Delillo also makes the reader sympathetic for Lee, one of the most hated figures of the 20th century. This goes to show the power fiction has over history to convey deeper emotions than just good and bad.

Similarities Between Jack Ruby and Lee

Jack Ruby and Lee Harvey Oswald have a lot of things in common. They were both truants and they both spent time in the armed forces. They were also both marginalized; Jack as a Jew and Lee as a Marxist, but the way in which they deal with their marginalization greatly differs. Jack rejects his Marginalization and despite not being incredibly successful, sees himself as an example of the American dream. This is the opposite of Lee who rejects the American dream and embraces his Marxists beliefs.

Their assassinations and motives also differ. Lee wants to be a famous figure in the future. He has been living his whole life in anticipation of the moment where he will make a name for himself. Lee doesn't particularly hate JFK, but he thinks it’s the right decision in the bigger picture for himself. Ruby shoots Lee for many reasons. There’s the loan from the mafia, and his own personal feelings. He wants the instant gratification; he wants to be a figure in the present. The comparison of these two characters shows the ambiguities and mixed emotions of both characters.