This is said to symbolize balance, peace, and fairness. Within the context of DeLillo's novel I think it is interesting to consider why he choose "Libra" as his title as opposed to some other zodiac sign, or anything at all really. This book really doesn't seem like the kind of story one would title "peace" or "fairness" since it is, above all else, focused on an assassination. In addition to the violence, DeLillo also extensively discusses how the powerful CIA officials make their own rules, planning a failed assassination on their own president to further their own purposes in Cuba. Parameter at least is in this plot for direct monetary gains if Castro is overthrown. This makes it odd to title the book with a symbol of fairness and equality.
Perhaps the title refers more to Lee Harvey Oswald's beliefs and how he was actually a relatively fair person, as can be seen by his obsession with the marine handbook. However, he also disregards these rules that he memorizes better than anyone else. Oswald is also a perfect counterexample to the idea of balance. His life is defined by the unbalanced nature of his mental state. On one hand he is a dedicated communist, reading Das Kapital at an early age despite his dyslexia. On the other hand he is unstable enough to attempt to attempt to shoot Major General Edwin A. Walker, just because of the influence from a man he met for only one day.
I think that either I am missing something huge, or DeLillo has something in store for us later in this book to warrant such a title. Or, perhaps the point of such a title is to deliberately contrast with the plot to highlight the imbalance, the unfairness, of the events depicted. Why do you think DeLillo chose such a title? Is it too early in the novel to make such a judgement?
