Out of Body Within the novel A Visit from the Goon Squad a group of characters are all linked together through life experiences. Chapter ten of the novel is written and narrated in second person by Sasha’s best friend Rob. The use of second person allows the reader to experience the events in the story as if it’s our own and allows us to gain a new perspective. As Rob begins to self-destruct the readers understands that he considers his actions and his life as an out of body experience, because he’s lying to himself and trying to escape his reality. According to American poet Jim Morrison, “People are afraid of themselves, of their own reality; their feelings most of all. Feelings are disturbing…the body is the soul's prison”. Rob feels like…show more content… ”You feel a faint appreciation for the beauty and inelegance of a man undressing… You glimpse his naked front” (Egan, 206). Rob constantly lies to himself and makes excuses for his sexuality instead of actually confronting his feelings. He feels trapped within himself, and blames his feelings on other things such as drugs, “Drew leans over and gives Sasha a wet kiss and you can tell the hash is getting him horny because you feel it too” (Egan, 187). Rob doesn’t want to confront the idea that he might be gay so he uses aggression to mask his feelings. “It makes your teeth ache on a way that will only let up if you hit someone or get hit” (Egan. 187). Rob isn’t mad that Drew kisses Sasha, but rather the sight of Drew kissing someone makes him sexually excited. Rob has a strange obsession with Drew, because he’s attracted to him. “If you could see Drew naked, even just once, it would ease a deep, awful pressure inside you” (Egan, 199). All throughout the chapter Rob tries to fight the thoughts and feelings within himself. As he tells the story in second person the reader sees that he’s prisoner within himself; the only time we’re able to see the true Rob is with his does actions that he considers out of
