What do his relationships with Rhea and Mindy have in common? To what extent do both women accept (and perhaps encourage) his abhorrent behavior, and why to they do so? Do the conversations between Lou and Rolph, and Rolph's interactions with his sister and Mindy, prepare you for the tragedy that occurs almost 20 years later? What emotions does Lou's afternoon in 'You (Plural)' with Jocelyn and Rhea provoke? Is he basically the same person he was in the earlier chapters?ĥ. Lou makes his first appearance in 'Ask Me If I Care' (pages 30–44) as an unprincipled, highly successful businessman 'Safari' (pages 45–63) provides an intimate, disturbing look at the way he treats his children and lover and 'You (Plural)' (pages 64–69) presents him as a sick old man. What do the tone and the content of these sections suggest about the purpose and value of therapy? Do they provide a helpful perspective on the characters?Ĥ. Bennie tries to adhere to a list of no-no's his shrink has supplied (pages 18-19). Sasha picks and chooses what she shares: 'She did this for Coz's protection and her own-they were writing a story of redemption, of fresh beginnings and second chances' (page 7). 'Found Objects' and 'The Gold Cure' include accounts of Sasha's and Bennie's therapy sessions. What does Bosco mean? What does Bennie mean? What does the author mean?ģ. In 'A to B' Bosco unintentionally coins the phrase 'Time's a goon' (page 96), used again by Bennie in 'Pure Language' (page 269). What does the mixture of voices and narrative forms convey about the nature of experience and the creation of memories? Why has Egan arranged the stories out of chronological sequence?Ģ. A Visit from the Goon Squad shifts among various perspectives, voices, and time periods, and in one striking chapter (pages 176–251), departs from conventional narrative entirely.

Egan a visit from the goon squad