A Visit from the Goon Squad

Many of the characters in this novel work in the music industry. How is music important in their stories? Which characters are musicians? Listeners? How is it a form of communication? Why did Egan choose to use music as part of this novel’s varying settings? How does it connect to the theme of Time, Identity, and/or Meaning?

Teaching Suggestion: An interesting aspect of this novel is the level to which the music matters. It’s everywhere, but it’s not always the most salient part of a person’s life in each chapter. Encourage students to think about music as a setting while also considering the role it plays in constructing Time, Identity, and Meaning as themes.