Okay, wow. So much happened in the primary texts this week that I had a hard time deciding where to dig in. UFOs, the random introduction of a narrator in Fargo, the consumption of gold, shooting lions because of tourist stupidity, a Suicide Tour, etc. With all of the exciting events within the primary texts, I decided to focus on something a little less flashy, but that still seemed representative of threads that run through Goon Squad: Scotty and Bennie’s reunion. Below I describe Scotty and Bennie’s reunion and the thread of “inbetweenness” that runs through the first 8 chapters, and will conclude with a brief thought about the networked character portals that weave the episodic chapters together.
Chapter 6, “X’s and O’s” is focalized through the perspective of Scotty, to whom we were introduced earlier in the novel. He was described by Rhea in chapter 52 as being “the truly angry one” and has scar spots in his vision from staring into the sun after he learned his mom died (52). The chapter begins with a type of coincidence, as described by Dennenberg in Chapter 4, “The Coincidence Plot.” Scotty is reading a stolen copy of Spin, where he learns that his old friend Bennie is a record producer (92). This leads to Scotty reach out to Bennie through a letter, to which Bennie responds, and eventually leads to an in-person reunion. The coincidence of Scotty stealing this particular issue of Spin where he recognizes his friend from the past, which then leads to their exchange of letters, and an awkward meeting in Bennie’s office functions as a coincidence. Dennenberg describes the traditional coincidence plot as:
“the paths of characters with a previous connection intersect in the space and time of the narrative world in apparently random and remarkable circumstances and through no causal intent of their own. This plot consists of three main phases in terms of the story sequence:
- (A) The previous relationship (prehistory).
- (B) The coincidental encounter (intersection) of the characters in the time and space of the narrative world.
- (C) A cognitive process involving the characters’ recognition (discovery) of each other’s identity” (94).
Part C of Dennenberg’s traditional coincidence definition is particularly interesting when considering how Scotty’s and Bennie’s recognition of one another is skewed from previous ideas of one another’s identities. After Scotty and Bennie exchange a total of three short letters, Scotty decides to visit Bennie in his office and to bring with him a fish-filled paper bag, as a gift (of course). The fish gift seems significant in the distance that has grown between the two men, and their altered recognitions of each other’s identity. When Bennie asks Scotty why he really came to visit him, Scotty replies, “I came for this reason: I want to know what happened between A and B.” He elaborates:
“A is when we were both in the band, chasing the same girl. B is now.”
I knew instantly that it had been the right move to bring up Alice. I’d said something literally, yes, but underneath that I’d said something else: we were both a couple of asswipes, and now only I’m an asswipe; why? And underneath that, something else: once an asswipe, always an asswipe. And deepest of all: You were the one chasing. But she picked me (103).
This moment complicates their recognition or discovery of each other’s identities. It is clear their paths have diverged and they have both changed considerably. Their recognition of one another is both rooted in the past and informed by the present. There is both a continuity of identity and relationship as well as a dissonance, between A and B.
The inbetweenness of A and B, and inbetweenness in general is a significant thread that seems to guide readers across the relational networks and into the portals (episodes/chapters) of various characters’ lives. We see other examples of inbetweenness, both subtle and less so. More obvious examples are Sasha’s “yes/no smile” (13); “Stop/Go Sisters” (27); “sweet-bitter smell” (31). More subtle examples are themes of desire and reality, destruction and repair, young and old, past/present, as in Scotty and Bennie’s reunion.
There is something significant about what happens in from “A to B” that Goon Squad appears to be grappling with. We see in through the design of the book, moving backwards and forwards in time and across characters. I am interested to hear others thoughts about the design of the book, its chapters/episodes/portals, as well as the other examples of inbetweenness the stories are exploring.
Before I wrap things up here, I wanted to share a character map/flow chart I found for the Goon Squad. After chapter 3 I started thinking, I need a map to remember all the connections between characters! Thankfully, there was one already created:
For a bigger image, go here: http://tessiedesigncompany.blogspot.com/2012/01/visit-from-goon-squad-in-flowchart-form.html