Postmodernism Essay

Postmodernism in A Visit from the Goon Squad: How Unique Methods of Storytelling and an Emphasis on Time Enrich the Novel

Postmodernism is a style of philosophy, art, literature, and criticism that began in the late 20th century, typically defined by the rejection of foundational ideologies. A major tenet of postmodernism is that truth and knowledge are constructs of social and historical context rather than absolutes. Postmodernist work is also known for breaking the boundaries and conventions of its medium. Jennifer Egan’s A Visit From the Goon Squad is pure postmodernist literature, as Egan employs shifting narrative and odd or unconventional styles of writing, and focuses on time’s ability to morph truth and environment throughout the novel.

The sequencing of chapters in A Visit From the Goon Squad is a testament to its postmodernist style, as chapters are delivered out of order and in varying narrative modes. Some chapters are written in third person, others in first person. In Chapter 10, Egan writes in second person, creating a unique, more immersive relationship between reader and character that appeals to the novel’s postmodernist identity. As the reader shifts between different narratives, the narratives also shift around the nonsequential timeline, forcing the reader to piece together the events of the book to form a more cohesive knowledge of the events. Ordinarily, the reader wouldn’t be tasked with that responsibility in a book laid out in chronological order.

A Visit From the Goon Squad also dabbles in unconventional methods of conveying information, such as in Chapter 12, which is organized in PowerPoint-esque presentation slides. These slides add another layer to storytelling: not only do the words on the page convey ideas, but the orientation of these words on the page add more depth to the ideas presented. For example, Egan creates a diagram with cyclical arrows and words in between to indicate a never-ending pattern of conversation (p. 181) or a blank space where words could be inserted to indicate silence (p. 188). Writing techniques like these push the boundaries of what literature can convey.

Another strategy of Egan’s that demonstrates the elements of postmodernism in Goon Squad is her emphasis on time. Throughout the book there is reference to the concept of time and its implications on change and truth. This relates most directly to the general definition of postmodernism across all media: a challenger of absolutism. For example, in Chapter 4, Egan explains in only one paragraph how a tribal warrior will have a grandchild who will become a rich technologist. This sharp turn in social position in only two generations shows how a series of events through time can seriously alter circumstances. Though a seemingly simple idea, Egan gives it greater weight and postmodernist undertones through her interconnected yet jumbled style of storytelling. It seems the only absolute truth in Goon Squad is that “time's a goon;” in other words, time is an adversary to situational stagnation (p. 96).

Goon Squad is made more interesting and colorful through its use of unique and odd methods of conveying information, and made more profound through its study of the tenets of postmodernist thought. Its web of complex and compelling characters who are loosely interconnected, and their jumbled, mismatched narratives, mimic how humans experience and remember their social lives. Jennifer Egan’s A Visit From the Goon Squad is an exemplary work of postmodernism for its ability to enhance the reader’s experience through unconventional style.