Placing Blame

The novel begins with three CIA agents blaming President John Kennedy and Fidel Castro for the bad things that have happened in their careers and their lives. Win Everett and T-Jay Mackey blame Kennedy and Castro for the downfall of their careers. Larry Parmenter blames the failed invasion of the Bay of Pigs on his loss of reputation and business profits. This blame leads these three men to conspire together to take an unsuccessful shot at President Kennedy and eventually to assassinating the president.

Marguerite Oswald blames the men in her life for the hardships she has suffered. Marguerite has been abandoned, widowed, and divorced by the men in her life. Marguerite believes this is why she cannot keep a job and why she has such a hard time raising her beloved youngest son, Lee. All of Lee's childhood Marguerite openly blames these men, especially her last...