"Devoid of a personality of his own...he developed a parasitic, mirrorlike survival skill. He learned to capture and reflect the character traits of people who's affection and friendship he sought." (152)
Chapman was able to develop the ability to take on the personality traits of those he wanted to be. This is perhaps why he was so determined to connect to Lennon and Holden, from The Catcher and the Rye. He saw qualities in both people that he aspired to have himself. Personally, it seems as though he wanted to kill Lennon in order to take over his life and hopefully become him. The image is of a man looking in the mirror. This whole concept made me think of looking in the mirror and seeing nothing. With no personality of your own, to look in the mirror and see yourself must be utterly confusing, and I would imagine you'd begin to see nothing at all.
Jack Jones, Let Me Take You Down (London: Virgin Publishing, 1992), page 152
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