Just a few days ago in class, Mr. Mitchell showed us the Zapruder Film, a silent, color home-movie shot by Abraham Zapruder depicting the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Back when we watched the documentary on the assassination in history class, I went on a brief spree, looking up some information regarding the assassination, and of course I stumbled upon the Zapruder Film. I didn’t know that’s what it was called at the time, I actually watched a slightly edited version that was panoramic, stabilized, and was pieced together using multiple videos of the assassination, ultimately giving the viewer a better understanding of the surroundings at the time of the shootings (Here’s the link if you’re wondering: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqk3sdfXFkc). Despite my previous viewing of the assassination, it was still quite a bit jarring how violent the video was. Anyways, after watching both the video and reading 22 November, the chapter that aligns with the events depicted in the video, I appreciate more how DeLillo manages to craft the story. He plays with the timing of the shots, which shots hit and which missed, and he even builds upon the supposed fact that the third shot was louder by suggesting that the reason behind it is that the “third shot” was actually two shots being fired near simultaneously. The whole scene was set up very well and I could see everything from the video being played out in my mind.
Angela mentioned in her post that she thought the book to be more emotionally provoking than the video, and while I agree with that to some degree, the book also shows Lee to be very mechanical. The video is a silent, short film; very little can be taken from it emotionally. I mean you can see Jackie’s shock after the fatal shot as she crawls onto the back of the car but besides that, it’s rather emotionless. On the other hand, the book does introduce multiple character’s thoughts on the events unfolding, and I think that alone brings upon more emotion than a simple video like the Zapruder Film can. However, the book also shows Lee in a very robotic state prior to shooting; he is very focused and “soldier” like. At this stage, his mental state seems to be cleared, however that changes quickly as he realizes he is not the lone gunman.
Libra, the last english book of my last english class at Uni has come to an end. Overall it was an enjoyable read, although quite long and complex, especially compared to Kindred. However, the complexity of the narrative made it all the more intriguing to me. Personally, I think Libra is an incredibly well developed conspiracy plot and the web of character connections and use of parallel narratives make it seem very real.
