The Ultimate Performative Male; Lee Oswald as Depicted in “Libra”

The term “Performative male”– a man who performs for women as women’s ideal man to get gratification and often sex– is a term utterly befitting of Lee Oswald’s character in “Libra”. In his case however, instead of performing for physical gratification, he performs for emotional gratification and a sense of superiority that keeps his sly smirk on his face. His audience in his performance is everyone, but he feels superior to those who don’t understand him, and recognized by those who do; other communists. 


From the start of the novel, we see a severely dyslexic Lee attempt to read the massive “Das Kapital” and other books to show off his elite communism. This initial performance is met by a non-understanding audience. Nobody gets him. He’s not like other Americans. This lack of understanding/pushback does however bring him a sense of superiority because he is unique in his community. Later, we see him join the marines, with the manual memorized, being a know-it-all. But gratification hardly comes. Nobody gets him. Then, he defects to the USSR, comes back, and argues with his mom over who gets to write a book on his experience. He has notes he wants to turn into a novel, widening his audience, which he shows off to one of his father figures/centers of gratification (George). Or even how he lays out writings for Marina’s friends about communism, to show off. He seeks for validation even in simply having a Russian wife, which after it stops going his way, he gets violent. The greatest performance is perhaps the picture in which Lee holds the rifle that shoots Walker, a pistol, and laid out are communist magazines, showing off.

Comments

  1. Renee WangDecember 12, 2025 at 8:00 PM

    Hi Sophie! I really liked your post about Lee Harvey Oswald being a performative male. The picture you added with him and the rifle and magazines, compared with the other person holding the book and matcha, is such a perfect depiction of his performative-ness. I think you are completely correct - my impression is that he always tries to portray himself to be some revolutionary thinker and doer to men like Alek and Konno. He kind of reminds me of a pick-me: he always tries to put down other people like the American marines in order to appeal to a select audience.

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