By Katie Webb
Arts & Entertainment Editor
David Chase, creator of The Sopranos, and French novelist Marcel Proust aren’t names often bandied about in the same conversation. Yet, during a discourse between author Jennifer Egan and her readers the two were brought up as sources of inspiration for Egan’s novel “The Goon Squad.”
Egan spoke with students about her writing process and read the first chapter of her Pulitzer Prize winning novel on Monday, Nov. 5 at the Cultural Center Theater. Her forum was part of the English Department’s Great Writers Great Readings series.
Proust’s “In Search of Lost Time” is a novel written in seven volumes. And the HBO series following the mob boss Tony Soprano is just that, a series. Egan was intertwined in both series during the time before starting her own piece.
Enthralled by both works, one appealing aspect that was obvious to her was their episodic nature.
“I was mystified by the plot (of the Sopranos) because there was no overarching theme per season, but it still worked,” said Egan.
“Goon Squad” found a similar style. First written as individual short stories never meant to be one book, each chapter follows a different character whose story is not necessarily leading anywhere specific, but gives a poignant snapshot of their life. Peripheral characters fade in and out of focus from one chapter to the next.
“The Sopranos has so many characters, and some of them disappear for a few episodes and pop up later, but you’re still invested in their story,” said Egan.
“Goon Squad” intricately layers characters in the same way, making fans desire the reappearance of absent characters. Rolph for instance, a young boy who will commit suicide in his adult years, was woefully missed by readers. He appeared once as an innocent child then disappeared from the pages.
“I tried so hard to write a chapter about him in that period of his life (as a young adult), but it just didn’t work. It can be unsatisfying for readers,” said Egan.
Unsatisfying perhaps, but a literary success in terms of making the reader invest themselves, yearning to watch characters evolve through the work. “Goon Squad leaves the audience desperate to read more so that Rolph can live a bit longer.
As far as the French masterpiece published from 1913-1927 “In Search of Time,” Egan read the work over a span of six years. The series is highly regarded in part for its use of involuntary memory. This theme is used to manipulate time pulling its characters to past moments triggered by memories.
Proust’s complicated structure is simplified and extrapolated upon by Egan. Her characters seemingly flash from past to future moments from one sentence to the next. In truth, it is the affect of an a-chronological time line.
These muses are only two of the many sources Egan draws from during her writing process.
She also spoke of sitting on the subway in New York City and creating lives for the strangers she encounters as a way of finding story inspiration.
Her writing process, perhaps unorthodox to some, seems fitting for a journalist, trained to observe those around her looking for stories.
Conversely, one student asked Egan how she knew that a story wasn’t working. Egan spoke of spending months on drafts that were eventually discarded and coming to ideas after much struggle with other failed pursuits.
“When I’m bored or sick of something to the point that it feels like an affront to run my eyes over it, that’s when you have develop a sense of when to walk away,” said Egan.
The novelist, inspired by a diverse cross section of work and real life moments, provided immense insight into the creative process for students and faculty alike in attendance.