Ferrie's influence on Lee

    Throughout Libra, we've noticed Lee's desire to be a part of something, to be more than "a zero in the system". He is also very impressionable and easily influenced by those who make him feel important. David Ferrie notices this, and exploits it. He uses astrology to connect to Lee, convincing him he is the "positive Libra" rather than the negative Libra, although clearly Lee is the latter. He convinces Lee that there are important people who are very interested in Lee and "they've been watching extra close" (338). And when the Miami motorcade is cancelled and moved to Dallas, where the motorcade will pass right under the window of Lee's workplace, Ferrie convinces him that it is no coincidence, rather "that building's been sitting there waiting for Kennedy and Oswald to converge on it (384). Ferrie influences him easily because he knows exactly what Lee wants to hear, and he gives him that. 

         The closer we get to the fated chapter "22 November", the more unhinged Lee (or Leon) grows. In the chapter "In Mexico City", he acts like a schizophrenic afraid of gangstalking. He seems to think that the CIA and the KGB are all around him, spying on him. It constantly "occurs to him" that there are hidden Soviet cameras, CIA cameras, and satellites watching him, that the CIA has wiretapped the telephones he uses (356).  When Lee next returns to Dallas, he watches a double feature with Marina, first Suddenly, a film about Frank Sinatra attempting to assassinate the president, then We Were Strangers, where John Garfield plots to assassinate a Cuban dictator. Lee "felt connected to the events on the screen", and that the TV channel was running this double feature just for him (370). At this point, Lee believes that everything that is happening around him are signs pointing him to assassinate JFK. I think the reason Lee starts to overanalyze everything around him is because of Ferrie buttering him up. Lee notices coincidences all around him, such as how many important events in his life all occurred during October and November, and how he and JFK both have brothers named Robert. 

The whole relationship between Lee and Ferrie is pretty creepy, and Ferrie seems to take advantage of him in more ways than one. If you noticed anything else that may have caused Lee to become unhinged, point it out in the comments.

Comments

  1. AlinaDecember 17, 2023 at 10:05 AM

    I agree, Ferrie manipulates Lee to a point where it leaves him unhinged, making him believe that the "coincidences" happening around him were signs for him to be the person to assassinate the president. Ferrie sees Lee's desire to become someone with fame, especially when he asks Lee about his attempt to shoot General Walker, and decides to take advantage of this fact. Great post!

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  2. Joseph T.December 17, 2023 at 1:27 PM

    Good post Gabe. I completely agree that Ferrie has manipulated Lee to the point where he is still under Ferrie's infuence even when the two are not together. He masterfully introduces the idea of murder until it seems like the logical decision to Lee to just shoot the president.

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  3. MitchellDecember 19, 2023 at 12:49 PM

    As the old saying goes, "Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean you aren't all out to get me!" You are absolutely right that Lee's increasing paranoia, the sense that he is at the center of something, that hidden messages are being conveyed to him through the movies that networks choose to air, suggests that he is losing his grip on reality. Who does this guy think he is, that the CIA and KGB would be surveilling his activities in Mexico City? But of course we realize that, in his defection to the USSR, he is also under constant surveillance by the KGB, and the "feebies" have had tabs on him since he returns to the U.S. And indeed, declassified archival material has revealed that the CIA was fully aware of Lee Oswald trying to get a visa to Cuba, as were the Soviets--they have surveillance recordings of Lee's activities in Mexico City, which is what DeLillo is able to base this brief chapter on. So it is possible that he is delusional and paranoid AND these people really are out to get him.

    The way DeLillo frames the plot, this sense of being at the center of things is crucial to Ferrie's ability to "tip the scales"--these important men are watching you, Leon, they have plans for you, etc. Such statements both confirm Lee's paranoia and helplessness AND reinforce his sense that he is at the center of historic events.

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  4. Miranda BurgosDecember 19, 2023 at 6:56 PM

    Hey Gabe, great post! I definitely agree that Ferrie feeds Lee's delusions. He already had a large sense of self importance, as seen in things like the Historic Diary. Ferrie recognizes this and uses it to manipulate him to essentially do his bidding, without directly ordering him.

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  5. danny hDecember 20, 2023 at 6:01 PM

    There's a lot of Ferrie creeping into Lee's mind and heightening the parts of his brain that need to be heightened for him to be willing to listen to and believe just about anything. As a lot of other people have said, a large part of that is paranoia and feeding into his sort of main character syndrome. Ferrie seems to know exactly what to tell Lee to weaken his mind while confusing his emotions. Pretty creepy.

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  6. LeorDecember 24, 2023 at 10:52 AM

    Wow Gabe amazing blog. I think that Ferrie plays an important role in the Kennedy assassination specifically with pushing Lee to make his decision to ultimately go through with the assassination. Ferrie really does a good job at making sure he's getting into Lee's head so that he can manipulate him. Keep up the amazing work!

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