How could a young boy who was class president, interested in football and music become an obsessive assassin? There is no easy way to understand how a young, innocent child could attempt to kill any person let alone the President. In American history there have been 16 assassinations and/or attempted assassinations (“U.S. Presidential Assassinations”). This assassin seemed to be normal child but not for long. John Hinckley Jr. was the son of a wealthy businessman and loving mother he had two successful older siblings ("John W. (Arnock) Hinckley”). During his teen years and adult life, John Hinckley became obsessed with assassination and infatuated actress Jodie Foster which led to his assassination …show more content…
He moved after living in Texas for two years with his sister. John was attending Texas Tech University before he dropped out. Once he got to Hollywood, he moved into to an apartment by himself (“John Hinckley”). During the summer of 1976 he watched the film Taxi Driver about fifteen times. Hinckley began to mimic the main character of the movie. He purchased the book and soundtrack the movie was based on, re-read the book over and over, and listen to the music all the time. He would send letters to his parents talking about his girlfriend Lynn Collins who was a character from the movie Taxi Driver. He created an entire relationship with an imaginary person. John soon gained an unhealthy obsession with Jodie Foster the actress who starred in Taxi Driver (Linder …show more content…
The ruling was not guilty, and he was sent to a psychiatric hospital because he pleaded insanity ("John W(Arnock) Hinckley”). John was later diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder. Which explains his behaviour over the past years, John felt the need to be noticed at any price. People who have this personality disorder have a low self-esteem, and believe that they are unique and special. Hinckley believed he was impressing Foster with his assassination attempt. Symptoms of this disorder can be arrogance, with dramatic and emotional attributes (“Diseases and Conditions”). Hinckley displays many of these traits, which most likely lead him to commit his act. He had a mental disability that went unnoticed or was ignored for years. He managed to fool his parents, his psychologist, and treatment team for years leading up to his attempt which shows how psychotic he really