Jocelyn
Jocelyn is a member of The Flaming Dildos in high school in the 1970’s. Jocelyn is a very bold character, often making executive decisions for herself and her friends. Jocelyn has a very strong friendship with Rhea, who she’s known since fourth grade, and remains friends with her throughout their adult lives, though they are not as close as they once were. In her senior year of high school, she was involved in a relationship with Lou, an older man at the time. Jocelyn isn’t pressured into the relationship and engaged in sexual activities with him consensually, but years afterwards, she loathes Lou for his involvement in her life. During the time of their relationship, she is the same age as his son, Rolph, who she also has relations with. After learning about his death almost thirty years after, Jocelyn is crushed and angry at Lou, even playing out a fantasy of killing him on his deathbed.
By examining how her opinions on Lou change, Jocelyn becomes a perfect representation of how motives and desires can change over time. By dating an older man in high school, Egan shows how growing up too fast can be risky, and oftentimes people are not as mature as they believe they are. Jocelyn seemed to care very little about her actions as a teenager, only regretting them later on in life.
Rhea
Rhea, Jocelyn’s best friend since childhood, is also a member of The Flaming Dildos in the 70’s. Unlike her friend, Rhea is much more subdued and self-conscious, tending to think more about the choices she made. She is very insecure about her looks, especially her abundance of freckles, and complains internally that no punk rockers have freckles, which leads her to question her own validity as a punk. Despite their differences, Rhea still respects and loves Jocelyn, and is eager to be “equal” to her in experiences, to the point where she even encourages Jocelyn to share all of the details of her relationship with Lou so Rhea can live through them. Later on, she gets married, has a steady job and three children, and seems genuinely happy with her choices.
Rhea’s chapter acts more as a background passage, taking the time to describe each of the band members and providing their characterization rather than being plot-oriented. This gives some insight into Rhea’s character as being someone who likes to stay in the background rather than take the limelight. She describes herself as being ugly, but when Jocelyn narrates, she makes no such claims, highlighting the differences between internal and external perception.
Scotty Hausman
Scotty had a difficult childhood, and it shows in his teenage, and adult, life. His mother dies when he is very young, and it takes a toll on him, bringing him to such a point of desperation and loss that he stares at the sun for several minutes, which messes up his vision and leaves grey scars in his eyes. He is described as having bleached blonde hair and the typical punk rock aesthetic. As a member of The Flaming Dildos, he is extremely interested in the music scene, being a quite talented musician himself and even making his own guitar. He was good friends with Bennie, but their mutual attraction to the same girl, Alice, left their friendship with loose ends and bitterness. After being the popular guitarist in high school, his life changes drastically when he enters the work field. He is next seen working as a janitor, his greatest hobby being fishing in the San Francisco rivers. Married and divorced to Alice, he is completely separated from the old gang before calling up Bennie on a whim and getting in touch. After this meeting, his musical career becomes revived, and the last chapter shows Scotty nervous to go onstage for a performance, with Bennie there encouraging him.
Scotty’s chapter, X’s and O’s, is one of the most postmodernist moments in the novel. Scotty tries to describe experiences as being universal, seeing as nothing can be completely unique to a person because we’re all made up of the same code--“x’s and o’s”, as he calls it-- and tries to live through other people’s experiences. However, through the course of the chapter, we are shown, through his eyes, how much perception and identity matter in creating a true experience. Scotty changes drastically between high school and his adult life, and it just goes to show how much can change in a lifetime.
Alice
Alice, another member of The Flaming Dildos, seems to stick out from the group. She comes from a wealthy family, unlike most of the rest of the group, and because of this is a bit isolated, especially from Jocelyn and Rhea. She has long blonde hair, and Rhea describes her as being very pretty, earning the attention of Bennie, and later on Scotty, the boy she likes. Because of these two attractions, Alice creates a rift between Bennie and Scotty when the latter finally goes out with her.
Alice is very similar to Rhea in the way that neither of them are considered the usual “punks”, what with Alice’s wealth and Rhea’s freckles. However, both of them possess the mindset of the group and the punk movement, making it obvious that they are still punk. Alice’s higher class status shows how wealth and fortune can easily alter people’s opinions and judgments.
Bennie Salazar
Bennie is first introduced as Sasha’s boss at the record label, which he owns. Bennie respects and admires Sasha for her hard work and good looks, and they have a close relationship during their time working together. Bennie is a very positive person who sees the best in people, as seen in Chapter 6 when he reunites with Scotty, urging him to get back in the music business even when it’s clear that Scotty has changed. In Chapter 2, Bennie is suffering from his loss of sexual desire, which is partially due to his divorce to his wife, Stephanie. He desperately wants his drive back, and resorts to quite unusual methods, including putting gold flakes in his coffee, an “ancient remedy”, though it proves unsuccessful. Bennie’s life has always revolved around his deep-seated love of music and everything that comes with it. In high school he was a member of The Flaming Dildos, though he seems to be the only one to have continued with music all throughout his life. He dislikes the way the music industry has changed over time, becoming less about the art and more about the marketing and publicity, but he plays into it all the same due to his career. Bennie is Hispanic, and it often causes people to judge him negatively, such as Rhea claiming that “rich girls don’t get with cholos” (p. 44). In spite of others’ opinions of him, Bennie has always been ready to challenge people, the most obvious example being his long stay in Crandale, an upper-class neighborhood full of white Republicans, with his wife. They are never very comfortable in the area, but Bennie refuses to leave, knowing he has to prove that he can live in such a place. Bennie matures greatly over his lifetime, growing out of his punk stages to become a very responsible and less radical man.
Bennie is a very important character in A Visit From the Goon Squad, cropping up several times and creating many ties for the different characters. Time seems to have the greatest effect on him, seeing as it changes not only him, but also the art that he loves so dearly. His comments and complaints about music emphasize the role technology and time have on society. Bennie’s lack of sexual drive early on in the book shows the audience a man who’s longing for some sort of close human connection again, but is unable to reach it. Because of the structure of the book (each chapter revolving around a new individual), connection is everything, for without it, the book truly would be just a collection of shorts stories, and so by pointing this out in Bennie, the audience is able to understand the importance of relationships. Bennie’s ethnicity acts similarly to Alice’s wealth, seeing as they both act as something to be judged by.
Lou Kline
A character that is featured prominently throughout the entirety of the novel--from his relationship with Jocelyn to his deathbed scene with Rhea and Jocelyn next to him. He is known for his fake relationship with Mindy (who was completely aware of), going as far as to marry her just for a sense of "winning", a component of his consistent desire for dominance. The relationship between him and his son Rolph took a downturn which the reader can link back to the questionable love him and Mindy share. It is evident in the Safari chapter that Rolph's presence was soothing to Lou before their relationship gradually broke. Lou is a character that can further support this idea of aging on people and in his case a negative outcome resulting from it. His youth was worry free with an abundance of children shows, time spent on girls, and more in the moment actions. As can be seen in chapter five, his youth persona had absolutely no benefits, and as his way of reliving his young adulthood and enjoying his last minutes--he invites Rhea and Jocelyn over as a final attempt.
Charlie
Primarily known as Lou's daughter and as first introduced in the Safari chapter. She is seen defying her father’s desires and expectations, especially when she flirts and interacts with an adult African warrior in Kenya. She is a character that when analyzed can be seen as representing young adulthood and adolescence. As can be seen in the safari story where it is evident she is beginning to isolate herself away from Lou. Like many teenagers, Charlie possesses traits of knowledge and self reliance.
Rolph
The son of Lou, who shares character significant character traits with. He possesses some traits of generic purity that are seen in Lou's personality on rare occasions (the period of realization of Lou). He had a brief relationship with Jocelyn, during her relationship with Lou, and they connected easily. Rolph is unable to see the true personality of Lou until he grows up, and once seen can be labeled as a contributing factor towards the suicide he commits. Rolph truly recognizes the cruel and selfish nature of his father as he grows up, which contrasts with the fierce devotion he gave Lou as a kid, which shows the effects of time on relationships and perception.
Mindy
Mindy is Lou’s girlfriend during Chapter 4. She goes to Kenya with Lou’s family, and obviously starts off in a good relationship with Lou, but it weakens over the course of the vacation as she begins to have an affair with Albert. After Kenya, Mindy had plans to go to college, but during her time with Lou, she grows accustomed to his high-end lifestyle and ends up marrying him and having more kids with him before they divorce.She is a unique character who is able to take into perspective many of the characters and relationships to guide the reader into valid conclusions. She analyzes the actions that Lou takes towards her and configures what he is thinking, but continues to play along with his decisions--mainly concerning their marriage.
Albert
Albert is a kind man who grows quickly attracted to Mindy during the safari. They begin to have an affair, and he doesn’t hide his dislike of her boyfriend Lou. His main task in the novel is to help build the character of Lou and support this sense of dominance Lou desires. Therefore, further supporting Lou's decision to marry Mindy despite his true feelings.
Stephanie Salazar
She is Bennie’s wife/ ex-wife and the mother of his son, Chris. An ex-rocker, she tries to accommodate herself to life in Crandale for Bennie’s sake. She works in PR and represents their oldest friend, musician Bosco. She relates to the theme of growth and change as her life shifts out of carefree youth into the responsibilities of adulthood and then again, as the adult life they have constructed comes apart.
Jules Jones
Stephanie’s brother, a writer with a career in journalism, his life is derailed by a struggle with mental illness and his imprisonment for the attempted rape of Kitty Jackson. He is living with Stephanie and Bennie and is at a loss for how to rebuild his life, until Bosco grants him sole rights to write about his Suicide Tour. Jules relates to the theme of personal identity, in that he is released from prison having lost his weight and refers to himself as a writer for the first time in a long time, after struggling with reclaiming his identity as a writer, when Bosco gives him the opportunity to write about his Suicide Tour.
Bosco
A former member of the music group the Conduits. He is Bennie and Stephanie’s oldest friend. Bennie continues to produce his music, even though he is now old, obese, and ill. He considers his life over and has a plan to die in the public eye through his Suicide Tour. He relates to the theme of time, “the goon,” which eventually comes for everyone, changing and ultimately ending their lives.
Kitty Jackson
A well known actress, whose career derailed after he professional behavior became erratic, following an assault committed by Jules. She gets her career back on track through an ethically questionable photoshoot with a genocidal dictator. Her character contributes to the theme of self perception and how incredibly impactful they are in the age of mass media and advertising. One example would be when she purposefully burned her arm to make it appear as though she had been to a high-power party, in which people were burned by oil.
Dolly/ LaDoll
A very successful publicist, Stephanie’s boss and Lulu’s mother, whose career fell apart after throwing a party where A-list celebrities were burned by boiling oil. However, she redeems herself after accepting a job to make a third world dictator seem likeable. LaDoll’s character has similarities to the character of Kitty Jackson, in that they both redeem themselves from fallen careers, having once been very famous, through a very unethical deed.
Lulu
She is the daughter of Dolly. She is clearly dealing with the instability created in her life by her mother’s imprisonment. Further instability is created when she witnesses Kitty being dragged away by the Generals henchmen.
The General
A third world dictator who calls on LaDoll to be his publicist and make him look more likeable after having committed mass genocide against his people. He is a cold and calculating military man but shows, momentarily, a human side when Kitty Jackson charms him.
Sasha Grady
Sasha Grady could be considered as one of the most important roles in A Visit from the Goon Squad because she is the character that ultimately ties all the other characters together through out the novel. We are shown the different sides of Sasha through her tough childhood, angsty teen years, and her adult life. Sasha was raised by her uncle Ted and later in life ran away with her boyfriend Wade, who abandoned her in Hong Kong. She eventually makes it to Naples where Ted finds her. She goes to college at NYU where she "dates" Rob and meets Bennie at a Conduits concert. Sasha becomes Bennie's receptionist and later his personal assistant. Sasha struggles with stealing her whole life and tries to go to therapy to fix her obsession. Eventually Bennie finds out about her stealing and is forced to fire her. We see later that Sasha went to Palestine where she was reconnected with her old friend Drew and they are married and have children. Sasha got over her obsession with stealing and replaces the need by making sculptures out of trash she finds in the desert.
The book ends and begins with the focus being around Sasha, making her a very important character. She shows the significance time can have on a person, the importance of the music industry, and the way people can come in and out of your life like nothing, Through out the story Sasha is able to make a strong impact on several of characters.
Drew Blake
Drew is introduced as dating Sasha. We learn almost immediately that he was deeply affected by Rob's death, which shifted his dreams of wanting to become president one day. He instead after that day decides he wants to become a doctor, and dedicate his life to saving others lives. He ends up marrying Sasha, and having two kids with her. Through his daughter Alison's eyes, he is a pensive man, who doesn't take the time or energy to ever understand his family, because he is so immersed in his work. He especially has trouble connecting with his youngest son, Lincoln, whom he doesn't understand his obsession with music and powerful pauses in rock songs. He represents how people's lives can affect other people's and how they can change them and how the people that you meet can have a significant impact on your life.
Alison Blake
Alison is the youngest daughter of Sasha and Drew. She finds a way to express herself through making powerpoint slides and graphs to chart her emotions and thoughts. Sasha doesnt quite understand her obsession with this, but does not take any measure to stop Alison. She is incredibly observant and often reflects on the relationship between Sasha and Drew and Drew and Lincoln. She knows a lot more than a typical girl of her age would know. She is able to determine what people mean to say or act, compared to what they actually say or do, and charts this often in her slides. She is the only one who really understands her brother. She represents understanding, and how a person can observe and deduce what is going on between two people, without them stating it directly.
Lincoln Blake
Lincoln is the slightly autistic son of Sasha and drew, who has taken up an obsession with music. Through him, you can see how much music still has an affect on Sasha's life. He focuses mainly on the silences, and gets hooked on one subject at a time. Lincoln is used to demonstrate Sasha's everpresent obession with music, and how it has enveloped her so much that it seeps into the subconcious of her child.
Ted
Ted Hollander is the uncle of Sasha, who eventually became her main caretaker. He was an important part of Sasha's past, sheltering her when her parents were fighting, and becoming the parental figure when she had none. He cares for Sasha, and to see her be transformed into a wandering nomad affects him. He only come across her by chance. This is the motif throughout the story of how people who have once known eachother, happen to see eachother again later in their lives, even if they did not originally have the intention of seeing one another. Ted also stands for how Sasha was someone worth looking for. She was someone who didn't want to be found, but should be found by someone who loved and cared for her, so it was only fitting that Ted ran into her.
Rob Freeman
Rob constantly struggles with his psychological state of mind; this seems to be a reoccurring theme throughout the novel. Early on he attempted suicide by cutting his wrists and nearly died. Shortly afterward he began to crave attention around his friends whether it be negative or positive. There is also some evidence that suggests Rob may not have felt entirely all there, like he was living life physically, however not mentally; his mind was always somewhere else. For example, his entire narration of chapter 10 is written in second person, which further illustrates his separation between his mind and body. In addition to this, his relationships sort of wavered because of the way he created discomfort in conversations. When Rob tells Drew about Sasha’s past it is made evident that he has a serious problem of lashing out and has lost control. Even in death Rob’s spirit separates from his body continuing his theme of disconnection.
Alex
Sasha goes on a date with Alex in the beginning of the book and she steals his wallet in an attempt to impact his life and make him remember her. He is not too significant at first however later on in the novel he plays a part in helping Bennie promote music concerts secretly. He eventually settles down with a wife and has a child.
Chris
Chris, Bennie’s son, witnessed firsthand the divorce of his parents when he was fairly young. This greatly impacted his relationship with his father, causing him to shut down and show little interest in most things his father did. He rarely wanted to spend time with his Bennie and because of this Bennie would do almost anything to get his attention, spending money on him left and right.
Jocelyn is a member of The Flaming Dildos in high school in the 1970’s. Jocelyn is a very bold character, often making executive decisions for herself and her friends. Jocelyn has a very strong friendship with Rhea, who she’s known since fourth grade, and remains friends with her throughout their adult lives, though they are not as close as they once were. In her senior year of high school, she was involved in a relationship with Lou, an older man at the time. Jocelyn isn’t pressured into the relationship and engaged in sexual activities with him consensually, but years afterwards, she loathes Lou for his involvement in her life. During the time of their relationship, she is the same age as his son, Rolph, who she also has relations with. After learning about his death almost thirty years after, Jocelyn is crushed and angry at Lou, even playing out a fantasy of killing him on his deathbed.
By examining how her opinions on Lou change, Jocelyn becomes a perfect representation of how motives and desires can change over time. By dating an older man in high school, Egan shows how growing up too fast can be risky, and oftentimes people are not as mature as they believe they are. Jocelyn seemed to care very little about her actions as a teenager, only regretting them later on in life.
Rhea
Rhea, Jocelyn’s best friend since childhood, is also a member of The Flaming Dildos in the 70’s. Unlike her friend, Rhea is much more subdued and self-conscious, tending to think more about the choices she made. She is very insecure about her looks, especially her abundance of freckles, and complains internally that no punk rockers have freckles, which leads her to question her own validity as a punk. Despite their differences, Rhea still respects and loves Jocelyn, and is eager to be “equal” to her in experiences, to the point where she even encourages Jocelyn to share all of the details of her relationship with Lou so Rhea can live through them. Later on, she gets married, has a steady job and three children, and seems genuinely happy with her choices.
Rhea’s chapter acts more as a background passage, taking the time to describe each of the band members and providing their characterization rather than being plot-oriented. This gives some insight into Rhea’s character as being someone who likes to stay in the background rather than take the limelight. She describes herself as being ugly, but when Jocelyn narrates, she makes no such claims, highlighting the differences between internal and external perception.
Scotty Hausman
Scotty had a difficult childhood, and it shows in his teenage, and adult, life. His mother dies when he is very young, and it takes a toll on him, bringing him to such a point of desperation and loss that he stares at the sun for several minutes, which messes up his vision and leaves grey scars in his eyes. He is described as having bleached blonde hair and the typical punk rock aesthetic. As a member of The Flaming Dildos, he is extremely interested in the music scene, being a quite talented musician himself and even making his own guitar. He was good friends with Bennie, but their mutual attraction to the same girl, Alice, left their friendship with loose ends and bitterness. After being the popular guitarist in high school, his life changes drastically when he enters the work field. He is next seen working as a janitor, his greatest hobby being fishing in the San Francisco rivers. Married and divorced to Alice, he is completely separated from the old gang before calling up Bennie on a whim and getting in touch. After this meeting, his musical career becomes revived, and the last chapter shows Scotty nervous to go onstage for a performance, with Bennie there encouraging him.
Scotty’s chapter, X’s and O’s, is one of the most postmodernist moments in the novel. Scotty tries to describe experiences as being universal, seeing as nothing can be completely unique to a person because we’re all made up of the same code--“x’s and o’s”, as he calls it-- and tries to live through other people’s experiences. However, through the course of the chapter, we are shown, through his eyes, how much perception and identity matter in creating a true experience. Scotty changes drastically between high school and his adult life, and it just goes to show how much can change in a lifetime.
Alice
Alice, another member of The Flaming Dildos, seems to stick out from the group. She comes from a wealthy family, unlike most of the rest of the group, and because of this is a bit isolated, especially from Jocelyn and Rhea. She has long blonde hair, and Rhea describes her as being very pretty, earning the attention of Bennie, and later on Scotty, the boy she likes. Because of these two attractions, Alice creates a rift between Bennie and Scotty when the latter finally goes out with her.
Alice is very similar to Rhea in the way that neither of them are considered the usual “punks”, what with Alice’s wealth and Rhea’s freckles. However, both of them possess the mindset of the group and the punk movement, making it obvious that they are still punk. Alice’s higher class status shows how wealth and fortune can easily alter people’s opinions and judgments.
Bennie Salazar
Bennie is first introduced as Sasha’s boss at the record label, which he owns. Bennie respects and admires Sasha for her hard work and good looks, and they have a close relationship during their time working together. Bennie is a very positive person who sees the best in people, as seen in Chapter 6 when he reunites with Scotty, urging him to get back in the music business even when it’s clear that Scotty has changed. In Chapter 2, Bennie is suffering from his loss of sexual desire, which is partially due to his divorce to his wife, Stephanie. He desperately wants his drive back, and resorts to quite unusual methods, including putting gold flakes in his coffee, an “ancient remedy”, though it proves unsuccessful. Bennie’s life has always revolved around his deep-seated love of music and everything that comes with it. In high school he was a member of The Flaming Dildos, though he seems to be the only one to have continued with music all throughout his life. He dislikes the way the music industry has changed over time, becoming less about the art and more about the marketing and publicity, but he plays into it all the same due to his career. Bennie is Hispanic, and it often causes people to judge him negatively, such as Rhea claiming that “rich girls don’t get with cholos” (p. 44). In spite of others’ opinions of him, Bennie has always been ready to challenge people, the most obvious example being his long stay in Crandale, an upper-class neighborhood full of white Republicans, with his wife. They are never very comfortable in the area, but Bennie refuses to leave, knowing he has to prove that he can live in such a place. Bennie matures greatly over his lifetime, growing out of his punk stages to become a very responsible and less radical man.
Bennie is a very important character in A Visit From the Goon Squad, cropping up several times and creating many ties for the different characters. Time seems to have the greatest effect on him, seeing as it changes not only him, but also the art that he loves so dearly. His comments and complaints about music emphasize the role technology and time have on society. Bennie’s lack of sexual drive early on in the book shows the audience a man who’s longing for some sort of close human connection again, but is unable to reach it. Because of the structure of the book (each chapter revolving around a new individual), connection is everything, for without it, the book truly would be just a collection of shorts stories, and so by pointing this out in Bennie, the audience is able to understand the importance of relationships. Bennie’s ethnicity acts similarly to Alice’s wealth, seeing as they both act as something to be judged by.
Lou Kline
A character that is featured prominently throughout the entirety of the novel--from his relationship with Jocelyn to his deathbed scene with Rhea and Jocelyn next to him. He is known for his fake relationship with Mindy (who was completely aware of), going as far as to marry her just for a sense of "winning", a component of his consistent desire for dominance. The relationship between him and his son Rolph took a downturn which the reader can link back to the questionable love him and Mindy share. It is evident in the Safari chapter that Rolph's presence was soothing to Lou before their relationship gradually broke. Lou is a character that can further support this idea of aging on people and in his case a negative outcome resulting from it. His youth was worry free with an abundance of children shows, time spent on girls, and more in the moment actions. As can be seen in chapter five, his youth persona had absolutely no benefits, and as his way of reliving his young adulthood and enjoying his last minutes--he invites Rhea and Jocelyn over as a final attempt.
Charlie
Primarily known as Lou's daughter and as first introduced in the Safari chapter. She is seen defying her father’s desires and expectations, especially when she flirts and interacts with an adult African warrior in Kenya. She is a character that when analyzed can be seen as representing young adulthood and adolescence. As can be seen in the safari story where it is evident she is beginning to isolate herself away from Lou. Like many teenagers, Charlie possesses traits of knowledge and self reliance.
Rolph
The son of Lou, who shares character significant character traits with. He possesses some traits of generic purity that are seen in Lou's personality on rare occasions (the period of realization of Lou). He had a brief relationship with Jocelyn, during her relationship with Lou, and they connected easily. Rolph is unable to see the true personality of Lou until he grows up, and once seen can be labeled as a contributing factor towards the suicide he commits. Rolph truly recognizes the cruel and selfish nature of his father as he grows up, which contrasts with the fierce devotion he gave Lou as a kid, which shows the effects of time on relationships and perception.
Mindy
Mindy is Lou’s girlfriend during Chapter 4. She goes to Kenya with Lou’s family, and obviously starts off in a good relationship with Lou, but it weakens over the course of the vacation as she begins to have an affair with Albert. After Kenya, Mindy had plans to go to college, but during her time with Lou, she grows accustomed to his high-end lifestyle and ends up marrying him and having more kids with him before they divorce.She is a unique character who is able to take into perspective many of the characters and relationships to guide the reader into valid conclusions. She analyzes the actions that Lou takes towards her and configures what he is thinking, but continues to play along with his decisions--mainly concerning their marriage.
Albert
Albert is a kind man who grows quickly attracted to Mindy during the safari. They begin to have an affair, and he doesn’t hide his dislike of her boyfriend Lou. His main task in the novel is to help build the character of Lou and support this sense of dominance Lou desires. Therefore, further supporting Lou's decision to marry Mindy despite his true feelings.
Stephanie Salazar
She is Bennie’s wife/ ex-wife and the mother of his son, Chris. An ex-rocker, she tries to accommodate herself to life in Crandale for Bennie’s sake. She works in PR and represents their oldest friend, musician Bosco. She relates to the theme of growth and change as her life shifts out of carefree youth into the responsibilities of adulthood and then again, as the adult life they have constructed comes apart.
Jules Jones
Stephanie’s brother, a writer with a career in journalism, his life is derailed by a struggle with mental illness and his imprisonment for the attempted rape of Kitty Jackson. He is living with Stephanie and Bennie and is at a loss for how to rebuild his life, until Bosco grants him sole rights to write about his Suicide Tour. Jules relates to the theme of personal identity, in that he is released from prison having lost his weight and refers to himself as a writer for the first time in a long time, after struggling with reclaiming his identity as a writer, when Bosco gives him the opportunity to write about his Suicide Tour.
Bosco
A former member of the music group the Conduits. He is Bennie and Stephanie’s oldest friend. Bennie continues to produce his music, even though he is now old, obese, and ill. He considers his life over and has a plan to die in the public eye through his Suicide Tour. He relates to the theme of time, “the goon,” which eventually comes for everyone, changing and ultimately ending their lives.
Kitty Jackson
A well known actress, whose career derailed after he professional behavior became erratic, following an assault committed by Jules. She gets her career back on track through an ethically questionable photoshoot with a genocidal dictator. Her character contributes to the theme of self perception and how incredibly impactful they are in the age of mass media and advertising. One example would be when she purposefully burned her arm to make it appear as though she had been to a high-power party, in which people were burned by oil.
Dolly/ LaDoll
A very successful publicist, Stephanie’s boss and Lulu’s mother, whose career fell apart after throwing a party where A-list celebrities were burned by boiling oil. However, she redeems herself after accepting a job to make a third world dictator seem likeable. LaDoll’s character has similarities to the character of Kitty Jackson, in that they both redeem themselves from fallen careers, having once been very famous, through a very unethical deed.
Lulu
She is the daughter of Dolly. She is clearly dealing with the instability created in her life by her mother’s imprisonment. Further instability is created when she witnesses Kitty being dragged away by the Generals henchmen.
The General
A third world dictator who calls on LaDoll to be his publicist and make him look more likeable after having committed mass genocide against his people. He is a cold and calculating military man but shows, momentarily, a human side when Kitty Jackson charms him.
Sasha Grady
Sasha Grady could be considered as one of the most important roles in A Visit from the Goon Squad because she is the character that ultimately ties all the other characters together through out the novel. We are shown the different sides of Sasha through her tough childhood, angsty teen years, and her adult life. Sasha was raised by her uncle Ted and later in life ran away with her boyfriend Wade, who abandoned her in Hong Kong. She eventually makes it to Naples where Ted finds her. She goes to college at NYU where she "dates" Rob and meets Bennie at a Conduits concert. Sasha becomes Bennie's receptionist and later his personal assistant. Sasha struggles with stealing her whole life and tries to go to therapy to fix her obsession. Eventually Bennie finds out about her stealing and is forced to fire her. We see later that Sasha went to Palestine where she was reconnected with her old friend Drew and they are married and have children. Sasha got over her obsession with stealing and replaces the need by making sculptures out of trash she finds in the desert.
The book ends and begins with the focus being around Sasha, making her a very important character. She shows the significance time can have on a person, the importance of the music industry, and the way people can come in and out of your life like nothing, Through out the story Sasha is able to make a strong impact on several of characters.
Drew Blake
Drew is introduced as dating Sasha. We learn almost immediately that he was deeply affected by Rob's death, which shifted his dreams of wanting to become president one day. He instead after that day decides he wants to become a doctor, and dedicate his life to saving others lives. He ends up marrying Sasha, and having two kids with her. Through his daughter Alison's eyes, he is a pensive man, who doesn't take the time or energy to ever understand his family, because he is so immersed in his work. He especially has trouble connecting with his youngest son, Lincoln, whom he doesn't understand his obsession with music and powerful pauses in rock songs. He represents how people's lives can affect other people's and how they can change them and how the people that you meet can have a significant impact on your life.
Alison Blake
Alison is the youngest daughter of Sasha and Drew. She finds a way to express herself through making powerpoint slides and graphs to chart her emotions and thoughts. Sasha doesnt quite understand her obsession with this, but does not take any measure to stop Alison. She is incredibly observant and often reflects on the relationship between Sasha and Drew and Drew and Lincoln. She knows a lot more than a typical girl of her age would know. She is able to determine what people mean to say or act, compared to what they actually say or do, and charts this often in her slides. She is the only one who really understands her brother. She represents understanding, and how a person can observe and deduce what is going on between two people, without them stating it directly.
Lincoln Blake
Lincoln is the slightly autistic son of Sasha and drew, who has taken up an obsession with music. Through him, you can see how much music still has an affect on Sasha's life. He focuses mainly on the silences, and gets hooked on one subject at a time. Lincoln is used to demonstrate Sasha's everpresent obession with music, and how it has enveloped her so much that it seeps into the subconcious of her child.
Ted
Ted Hollander is the uncle of Sasha, who eventually became her main caretaker. He was an important part of Sasha's past, sheltering her when her parents were fighting, and becoming the parental figure when she had none. He cares for Sasha, and to see her be transformed into a wandering nomad affects him. He only come across her by chance. This is the motif throughout the story of how people who have once known eachother, happen to see eachother again later in their lives, even if they did not originally have the intention of seeing one another. Ted also stands for how Sasha was someone worth looking for. She was someone who didn't want to be found, but should be found by someone who loved and cared for her, so it was only fitting that Ted ran into her.
Rob Freeman
Rob constantly struggles with his psychological state of mind; this seems to be a reoccurring theme throughout the novel. Early on he attempted suicide by cutting his wrists and nearly died. Shortly afterward he began to crave attention around his friends whether it be negative or positive. There is also some evidence that suggests Rob may not have felt entirely all there, like he was living life physically, however not mentally; his mind was always somewhere else. For example, his entire narration of chapter 10 is written in second person, which further illustrates his separation between his mind and body. In addition to this, his relationships sort of wavered because of the way he created discomfort in conversations. When Rob tells Drew about Sasha’s past it is made evident that he has a serious problem of lashing out and has lost control. Even in death Rob’s spirit separates from his body continuing his theme of disconnection.
Alex
Sasha goes on a date with Alex in the beginning of the book and she steals his wallet in an attempt to impact his life and make him remember her. He is not too significant at first however later on in the novel he plays a part in helping Bennie promote music concerts secretly. He eventually settles down with a wife and has a child.
Chris
Chris, Bennie’s son, witnessed firsthand the divorce of his parents when he was fairly young. This greatly impacted his relationship with his father, causing him to shut down and show little interest in most things his father did. He rarely wanted to spend time with his Bennie and because of this Bennie would do almost anything to get his attention, spending money on him left and right.