Depression In Perval Everett's When The Day Comes

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Recommended: Examine the effect of nature and nurture on personality development

People at times get so caught up in life that they do not make time for the people or things that make them happy. Everyone should take time to realize what they mean to others and spend time with those people who are important to them. In “When the Day Comes” by Percival Everett, Gunther who is far down the road of depression, does not realize what is important in his life until he sees himself in Gilly White after Gilly has murdered his wife and son. Everette does this to convey the message that we should always make time for the people that make us happy before we lose them.
Gunther is Sheriff of his small country in Wyoming and from the beginning, we see that Gunther is very unhappy with his job. After he has worked a call, in which cows were killed, he returns home to tell his wife, “‘I hate my fucking job.’” Very clear to see he’s not finding any joy is his occupation. When you think of a normal police officer you think of exciting, dangerous situations, however Gunther in the same dialog says, “‘I hate that all I do is put people in lockup that I know for DUI.’” Through this we see that the life he’s living was not …show more content…

He has already hit his low point and still sits in that state. The great realization comes when he goes over to Gilly White’s house. He finds inside, White’s son and wife dead murdered by White. Everett uses this as a representation of what Gunther has done to his family and Gunther realizes this. White and Gunther are in the same boat. Both are depressed and wrapped up in their own problems. Both have killed their relationships with their families. Both do not know where to go from their present situations. The only difference is that Gunther can go back and try to fix it and for White, it is too late. Gunther realizes this as well, coming to see that he has continually pushed his daughter and wife away because of him being so consumed in his own

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