The Zapruder film was very shocking and graphic I had never seen it before nor did I know that a film of the Kennedy assassination even existed. The most graphic and heart wrenching event in the film is not the president himself being shot, but when the first lady leaps onto the back of the car reaching for a piece of his heading that has been blown off from the gunshot. Seeing this and her desperation was very sad. It was almost as if in that moment she thought that putting that piece of him back would save him, would keep him alive. This makes you want to cry and you have such sympathy for her in her desperate act.
I would also like to say that in seeing the film it does appear that the president was shot from behind and not from in front of him. The bullet appears to enter the back of his head rather than the front and it is difficult to see in which direction it actually exists.
Also interesting to see the number of shots. Before reading Libra and seeing the video I had always assumed that JFK had been killed with one direct shot to the head. But seeing the video you can see that he was shot 2 or 3 times. He leans over the first time he is shot and you can see concern on the face of the first lady, and some pain is somewhat visible on his face.
The film was shocking over all, and the fact that people could be more concerned about the conspiracy around the shooting and not the emotions and sadness is disturbing. You would really have to be an emotionless person to sit and watch and study that video over and over for hours upon hours.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Friday, May 11, 2012
Lee, Le, Li....
I find DeLillo's use of Lee's name throughout the novel is very interesting especially how well it all ties in with as character and are historically accurate.
Lee takes on many different aliases throughout the procession of the novel. This last and most important one to me is Leon. Leon is the alias who will be carrying out the assassination and is the one in cahoots with the other conspirators. Leon is also the name would go down in history if Lee had not been a recognizable figure and had people who knew him such as Ferrie and his family.
I also really appreciated the title Libra and tying in of the astrological sign and that Lee was a Libra. Considering that the astrological sign of the Libra is all about balance it somewhat ironic. As a character Lee is not very balanced at all. He is more negative that positive. He is definitely more unorganized than organized. His organization prevents him even more from being balanced. Which in the end leads to his demise.
I have never really been one to believe in astrology and horoscopes but in Lee's case, I would say that it plays a role. His unorganized acts in the Kennedy assassination and the few hours after leading to his arrest make this very apparent. Lee fired his shots too early, leading to the plan not going the way it was supposed to. His cockiness and failure to comply with a policeman leading to him murdering the man also shows how unorganized he was. Lee didn't have a plan for escape. He paced for some time in a back alley rather than just leaving the scene of the crime and going far away. If Lee had been balanced which is the main theme of his zodiac sign he would have been more organized and would have gotten away. I'm not saying that he would have gotten away with the murder of President Kennedy, but it might have taken longer for him to get caught.
Lee takes on many different aliases throughout the procession of the novel. This last and most important one to me is Leon. Leon is the alias who will be carrying out the assassination and is the one in cahoots with the other conspirators. Leon is also the name would go down in history if Lee had not been a recognizable figure and had people who knew him such as Ferrie and his family.
I also really appreciated the title Libra and tying in of the astrological sign and that Lee was a Libra. Considering that the astrological sign of the Libra is all about balance it somewhat ironic. As a character Lee is not very balanced at all. He is more negative that positive. He is definitely more unorganized than organized. His organization prevents him even more from being balanced. Which in the end leads to his demise.
I have never really been one to believe in astrology and horoscopes but in Lee's case, I would say that it plays a role. His unorganized acts in the Kennedy assassination and the few hours after leading to his arrest make this very apparent. Lee fired his shots too early, leading to the plan not going the way it was supposed to. His cockiness and failure to comply with a policeman leading to him murdering the man also shows how unorganized he was. Lee didn't have a plan for escape. He paced for some time in a back alley rather than just leaving the scene of the crime and going far away. If Lee had been balanced which is the main theme of his zodiac sign he would have been more organized and would have gotten away. I'm not saying that he would have gotten away with the murder of President Kennedy, but it might have taken longer for him to get caught.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Pictures of Characters
On seeing the actual pictures of Lee and Ferrie, I realized that they looked either a lot different than I had expected or somewhat similar.
Lee looked a lot younger than I had expected him to, but he was in fact younger than I had thought he was. I had always thought that Lee Harvey Oswald was just some angry 40 year old guy who had decided to stake out and shoot the president. I had never been the kind of person to feed off into conspiracy or be really involved in historical conspiracies. Seeing Lee, and the photos of him I could see that he was somewhat conflicted. His photos of himself holding his gun are especially revealing showing that he needs to somehow impress himself or maybe even his wife. There aren't many other people that would have seen the photo because there wasn't Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram back then. His mugshots also look kind of smug like, "what did I do wrong?". Lee really was just a conflicted character, he always wanted to do things his way and found himself to be much more important than he really was. He didn't want do things how people told him, but when he didn't things seemed to go all wrong. The photos of Lee also make him look very innocent. He has the slightest baby face, that really makes you question if someone like him could carry out such an act.
Ferrie looked just as creepy as I had expected him to. The toupee and his eyebrows were very amusing. Although I expected him to have a more narrow face and a creepy beak like nose. In this weird and terrible way he reminds me of this cashier at County Market who only works late at night and seems to always be there when Nikita and I go. She has really bad drawn on eyebrows, that look like she might use a brown Crayola marker. Although Ferrie's photos don't really make him out to be the conspirator type either. They more make him out to be clown reject, a terrible cross dresser, or a pedophile. Especially the pedophile part, which makes the somewhat more intimate scene between him and Lee more believable.
Its always interesting to have your own interpretations of what a character might look like, but have an actual and historical comparison is even better.
Lee looked a lot younger than I had expected him to, but he was in fact younger than I had thought he was. I had always thought that Lee Harvey Oswald was just some angry 40 year old guy who had decided to stake out and shoot the president. I had never been the kind of person to feed off into conspiracy or be really involved in historical conspiracies. Seeing Lee, and the photos of him I could see that he was somewhat conflicted. His photos of himself holding his gun are especially revealing showing that he needs to somehow impress himself or maybe even his wife. There aren't many other people that would have seen the photo because there wasn't Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram back then. His mugshots also look kind of smug like, "what did I do wrong?". Lee really was just a conflicted character, he always wanted to do things his way and found himself to be much more important than he really was. He didn't want do things how people told him, but when he didn't things seemed to go all wrong. The photos of Lee also make him look very innocent. He has the slightest baby face, that really makes you question if someone like him could carry out such an act.
Ferrie looked just as creepy as I had expected him to. The toupee and his eyebrows were very amusing. Although I expected him to have a more narrow face and a creepy beak like nose. In this weird and terrible way he reminds me of this cashier at County Market who only works late at night and seems to always be there when Nikita and I go. She has really bad drawn on eyebrows, that look like she might use a brown Crayola marker. Although Ferrie's photos don't really make him out to be the conspirator type either. They more make him out to be clown reject, a terrible cross dresser, or a pedophile. Especially the pedophile part, which makes the somewhat more intimate scene between him and Lee more believable.
Its always interesting to have your own interpretations of what a character might look like, but have an actual and historical comparison is even better.
Seeing Lee Harvey Oswald as an actual person rather than just a name, makes it very difficult for me to believe that he killed the president. Lee was very unorganized and just did things on whim, he didn't really think things through. This can be seen when he shoots himself and when he attempts to assassinate the general. Both of these acts are done in haste and do not have the exact outcome that he had hoped for. He is allowed to stay in Japan after shooting himself but the wound only appears to be a mere scratch and nothing major. When he attempts to assassinate the general, he has the dates wrong. Further more when he does actually shoot the general he hits him in the arm, and to further more be belittled the general removes the bullet with a pair of tweezers as though it were a splinter
From his previous attempts at doing harm to others especially his previous assassination attempt just causes me to have some doubts about his success in killing the president. Even if Lee had been assisted and had help from others, he himself would have failed. He had such pride that he didn't use a more advanced weapon and insisted on using his own that was old and outdated. He wasn't really a good shot which could be seen when he shoots the general in the arm. If he couldn't shoot a man who was sitting still, how could he shoot and kill a man that was moving.
I think that there may have even been 3 shooters. Two others to account for the actual shots that hit the President. It is highly unlikely that Lee managed to do it, maybe he did in fact shoot the president, but he didn't kill him.
From his previous attempts at doing harm to others especially his previous assassination attempt just causes me to have some doubts about his success in killing the president. Even if Lee had been assisted and had help from others, he himself would have failed. He had such pride that he didn't use a more advanced weapon and insisted on using his own that was old and outdated. He wasn't really a good shot which could be seen when he shoots the general in the arm. If he couldn't shoot a man who was sitting still, how could he shoot and kill a man that was moving.
I think that there may have even been 3 shooters. Two others to account for the actual shots that hit the President. It is highly unlikely that Lee managed to do it, maybe he did in fact shoot the president, but he didn't kill him.
Friday, April 13, 2012
First Thoughts on Libra
After just these first couple readings I find Libra to be quite interesting. At first I was a little confused about what was going on, because the novel jumps between two stories that take place in two different times but never gives us years. De Lillo leaves hints that are up to the reader to pick up on and some what develop a time setting from there. I was almost more confused than I was while reading Mumbo Jumbo.
Yet after getting some clarification in class, I have a better understanding of the story. I see that Lee had a some what troubled childhood and I am anticipating seeing how all of his childhood troubles lead up to his assassination of the president John F. Kennedy.
I also admire the writing style of De Lillo. When first reading i did not realize that the David Ferrie that Lee buys the gun from is the same David Ferrie that Win Everett calls on the phone. De Lillo connects the two stories in a way that I did not quite expect considering that Win Everett is investigating the possibility of an organization planning an attempted assassination on the president and not the case of Lee Harvey Oswald.
Yet after getting some clarification in class, I have a better understanding of the story. I see that Lee had a some what troubled childhood and I am anticipating seeing how all of his childhood troubles lead up to his assassination of the president John F. Kennedy.
I also admire the writing style of De Lillo. When first reading i did not realize that the David Ferrie that Lee buys the gun from is the same David Ferrie that Win Everett calls on the phone. De Lillo connects the two stories in a way that I did not quite expect considering that Win Everett is investigating the possibility of an organization planning an attempted assassination on the president and not the case of Lee Harvey Oswald.
Dana= Mammy ??
In their panel presentation, Will, Maia, and Shruti suggested that Sarah may represent a mammy like figure. I certainly did not agree with this, Sarah doesn't portray much of the stereotypical values of a mammy figure. Sarah may work in the kitchen in the house, but she doesn't play a major role in raising Rufus, and she has a deep hatred for Master Weylin rather than submission. After contemplating the thought that there may be representation of stereotypical mammy figure in the novel, I found that Dana appears to fit the mammy role.
Dana plays a large role in the raising and upbringing of Rufus. Even though she travels in time between the 19th century and the 20th century, Dana manages to see Rufus through numerous parts in childhood. Even in those short times, she seems to play a larger role than his own mother in his life. She saves his life as a child twice, when he is sick she stays with him and reads to him. She watches him grow up and tends to him, knowing that one day he'll grow up to follow in the foot steps of his father. Yet even though she knows this she hopes that somehow, she might have made a difference and just might be a little different. This can be seen when she tells Rufus not to call her a nigger. She is attempting to change his views on black people.
Further more to fit her mammy role, Dana is submissive to the will of Rufus. She may argue with him and say that she disagrees with his choices but at the end of it all, she has to remember that he is in charge and she has no say over what he does. Despite this dislike of his actions and his disregard of what she has to say, Dana still loves him. Dana still treats him with the utmost respect. Her going to Alice and telling her to go to him, further more shows just how submissive Dana was to Rufus. When Dana did call Rufus out on the things he was doing, such as selling Tess, he quickly snapped at her and she re-assumed her role.
Dana is the representative of a stereotypical mammy in the novel. She tends to Rufus and cares for him as a child, raising him and hoping that he won't be like his father. All the work that Dana does is in the house or in the kitchen, she only works in the field for one day. She is very submissive to Rufus, yet does not hold him in regard as her master, she sees him as family (which he is), but family that has authority over her. She fits the role almost to a tee.
Dana plays a large role in the raising and upbringing of Rufus. Even though she travels in time between the 19th century and the 20th century, Dana manages to see Rufus through numerous parts in childhood. Even in those short times, she seems to play a larger role than his own mother in his life. She saves his life as a child twice, when he is sick she stays with him and reads to him. She watches him grow up and tends to him, knowing that one day he'll grow up to follow in the foot steps of his father. Yet even though she knows this she hopes that somehow, she might have made a difference and just might be a little different. This can be seen when she tells Rufus not to call her a nigger. She is attempting to change his views on black people.
Further more to fit her mammy role, Dana is submissive to the will of Rufus. She may argue with him and say that she disagrees with his choices but at the end of it all, she has to remember that he is in charge and she has no say over what he does. Despite this dislike of his actions and his disregard of what she has to say, Dana still loves him. Dana still treats him with the utmost respect. Her going to Alice and telling her to go to him, further more shows just how submissive Dana was to Rufus. When Dana did call Rufus out on the things he was doing, such as selling Tess, he quickly snapped at her and she re-assumed her role.
Dana is the representative of a stereotypical mammy in the novel. She tends to Rufus and cares for him as a child, raising him and hoping that he won't be like his father. All the work that Dana does is in the house or in the kitchen, she only works in the field for one day. She is very submissive to Rufus, yet does not hold him in regard as her master, she sees him as family (which he is), but family that has authority over her. She fits the role almost to a tee.
Dana-Kevin vs. Rufus-Alice
The 2 main relationships throughout the novel are those between Dana and Kevin and Rufus and Alice. Although Rufus tries to compare them they are very different.
The relationship between Dana and Kevin is very loving and caring. Dana feels that she needs Kevin, it appears that he feels the same way about her. Even after they are separated for what to Kevin is years and for Dana is days all they can think about it each other. Well at least we know this about Dana. She worries about Kevin almost the entire time that she is not with him. Kevin while separated from Dana stays true to her and does not forget her, even after 6 years.
Their relationship may have its flaws but over all it is very good. They have the occasional tension due to their racial and cultural differences, but they don't let that get to them very much. Dana fears that Kevin will be changed by the 19th century and many times she compares him Tom Weylin, but she still loves him all the same. Even when he seems to be changing and they have their disagreements, such as when they see the children playing, and Kevin seems to think that it is just normal, but for Dana she is concerned to see children playing at such real atrocities such as "slave market" that she herself fears and finds revolting.
On the other hand, the relationship between Rufus and Alice is terrible. It is built and founded purely on desire and abuse. Rufus says that he loves Alice, but he has a very funny way of showing it. He rapes her numerous times, and takes her away from the man she really loves. Alice does not choose to love Rufus, nor does she ever really love him she wishes him death numerous times. Yet Alice must act as though she loves him, in acts of submission, because Rufus owns her. And that fact makes it further more difficult for Alice to love Rufus. How can one love someone that they are forced to love?? Is it not a natural reaction to reject things forced upon us?
Rufus tries to compare his love for Alice to the love that Dana has for Kevin, but the only real similarity is that they are both interracial relationships. Rufus and Dana both love people who are from a different worlds than their own, but in the case of Dana the love is reciprocated.
The relationship between Dana and Kevin is very loving and caring. Dana feels that she needs Kevin, it appears that he feels the same way about her. Even after they are separated for what to Kevin is years and for Dana is days all they can think about it each other. Well at least we know this about Dana. She worries about Kevin almost the entire time that she is not with him. Kevin while separated from Dana stays true to her and does not forget her, even after 6 years.
Their relationship may have its flaws but over all it is very good. They have the occasional tension due to their racial and cultural differences, but they don't let that get to them very much. Dana fears that Kevin will be changed by the 19th century and many times she compares him Tom Weylin, but she still loves him all the same. Even when he seems to be changing and they have their disagreements, such as when they see the children playing, and Kevin seems to think that it is just normal, but for Dana she is concerned to see children playing at such real atrocities such as "slave market" that she herself fears and finds revolting.
On the other hand, the relationship between Rufus and Alice is terrible. It is built and founded purely on desire and abuse. Rufus says that he loves Alice, but he has a very funny way of showing it. He rapes her numerous times, and takes her away from the man she really loves. Alice does not choose to love Rufus, nor does she ever really love him she wishes him death numerous times. Yet Alice must act as though she loves him, in acts of submission, because Rufus owns her. And that fact makes it further more difficult for Alice to love Rufus. How can one love someone that they are forced to love?? Is it not a natural reaction to reject things forced upon us?
Rufus tries to compare his love for Alice to the love that Dana has for Kevin, but the only real similarity is that they are both interracial relationships. Rufus and Dana both love people who are from a different worlds than their own, but in the case of Dana the love is reciprocated.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)