Oswald's Narcissism
DeLillo refers to Lee Harvey Oswald’s smirk multiple times throughout the novel. Oswald is additionally accompanied by his notorious facial expression in several photographs, one of the most famous examples being his mugshot, photographed the day after Kennedy’s assassination. In the scene when Oswald walks into Banister’s office to inquire about a position with the firm, he is identified by his “little smile that seemed to say, Here I am—just the fellow you’ve been waiting for” (DeLillo 130). DeLillo’s characterization of Oswald’s smirk mirrors the way in which Oswald views himself—just the fellow everyone has been waiting for, bound for greatness and glory. Oswald is deeply obsessed with the notion of his superiority and importance. In other words, he’s a huge narcissist. Even in high school, he spends hours in the library, seeking out advanced books for the pure purpose of feeling intellectually superior to his classma...