“Two Generations of War and Surveillance:” On the Portrayal of Sous- and Surveillance Societies in Contemporary American Literature

Abstract

While innovations in technology allow for a multitude of opportunities, they also allow for increased and new types of surveillance, for example through GPS tracking or the recording of communication via email, phone calls and texts. As new sur- and sousveillance technologies are developed and become increasingly common in daily life, the possibilities and consequences of these developments are reflected in contemporary literature. Both Dave Egger’s The Circle and the last chapter of Jennifer Egan’s A Visit from the Goon Squad, entitled “Pure Language,” reflect these new technologies and discuss the effect they have on both a personal and a societal level. This thesis considers the differences and similarities between these novels regarding the subject of sur- and sousveillance. While The Circle offers quite a dark perspective on the influence of social media and advancements in sur- and sousveillance technologies, Goon Squad presents a more nuanced view. Both novels reflect a sense of claustrophobic paranoia, as well as the increasing power corporations have in society and the amount of personal data they are able to mine. Egan credits this increase in surveillance to 9/11, which a large part of the novel is centred around and which is amplified by the setting of “Pure Language,” Ground Zero. Eggers’ surveillance society, on the other hand, appears not to be influenced by 9/11, though he does reflect a desire to create a safer society.