Televisual Elements Found in a Visit From the Goon Squad

Jennifer Egan's novel A Visit From the Goon Squad contains many televisual elements. The "cast" of characters in Egan's novel is introduced in reverse chronological order, creating a non-linear, character-driven narrative. The principle of Chekov's gun is evident in A Visit From the Goon Squad because Egan uses passing comments from previous chapters to introduce characters. Since every chapter of the novel takes place in a different time and space, the reader has to pay close attention to the details that are given throughout the chapter and the chapters before in order to determine when and where the narrative takes place. 

The first chapter of the novel titled "Found Objects" introduces Sasha, a kleptomaniac who is currently getting therapy. Since Sasha is the focalizer of the chapter, the reader learns more about her as she delves into the intricacies of her life. Sasha mentions her old boss Bennie Salazar, a famous music producer who "sprinkled gold flakes into his cofee" and "sprayed pesticide in his armpits". This is important because Bennie is the focalizer of the second chapter, "The Gold Cure". We learn that Bennie is having a mid-life crisis due to his job. He is mad at the music industry because of what it has become and his struggle with time leads him to mention his high school friends; Rhea, Alice, Scotty, and Jocelyn. As the novel continues, different characters are focalizers and this switch in perspective mimics the same switch as the television show Lost. The page breaks within each chapter also act as a scene change and further reproduces the feeling of watching TV. 

Egan also employs the use of flashbacks through characters' memories and flashforwards by switching the "when" and "where" of every chapter of the novel. By changing the time and space in which the narrative takes place, Egan forces the reader to read actively and pay attention to minute details that may paint a bigger picture later on in the novel.