However, David Ferrie, Lee's handler/friend, sees life very differently. In New Orleans, Ferrie takes Lee to see a friend named Clay Shaw. The first thing this man asks Lee is when he was born, and we find out that Lee was a Libra. Through Shaw, we get DeLillo's interpretation of what it means to be a Libra.
He said, "We have the positive Libran who has achieved self-mastery. He is well balanced, levelheaded, a sensible fellow respected by all. We have the negative Libran who is, let's say, somewhat unsteady and impulsive. Easily, easily influenced. Poised to make the dangerous leap. Either way, balance is the key." (315)In this book Lee seems to fit much more cleanly into the second of these two types of Libran. He is certainly unsteady and impulsive, as shown by his attempts to get out of the army, defection to the Soviet Union, and shooting of General Walker. Also, it seems that he is relatively easily influenced by De Mohrenschildt to shoot Walker and eventually by Ferrie to shoot Kennedy. Finally, the "dangerous leap" he is poised to make is undoubtedly the assassination of the president. However, it also seems that the "positive Libran" is what Lee wants to be, respected by everyone and in control of his life. I think that Lee was certainly smart enough to recognize at least some of the parallels between what Shaw said and his own life. Therefore, when Lee asks Ferrie "Do you believe in astrology?" a few minutes later, this indicates that Lee is seriously considering the notion of astrology and fate.
When David Ferrie attempts to convince Lee to go through with the shooting he uses the argument of fate and coincidence, presenting it as something Lee has got to do, rather than a choice he has to make.
"You see what this means. How it shows what you've got to do. We didn't arrange your job in that building or set up the motorcade route. We don't have that kind of reach or power. There's something else that's generating this event A pattern outside experience. Something that jerks you out of the spin of history." (384)If this argument helped sway Lee towards shooting Kennedy, and I think it definitely affected him to some extent, then Lee must also believe that there is some element of fate in life. What do you think Lee believes about fate/destiny? Does he believe in free will?
Bonus: Writing about free will naturally made me think of the song Freewill by Rush, which has quite interesting (and relevant) lyrics.
