PHILADELPHIA, HERE I COME!A prospective young man named Gar O'Donnell is the focal point of the book 'Philadelphia, Here I Come'. The action takes place the day before and the morning of Gar's departure for Philadelphia. Gar lives in a small village in County Donegal called Ballybeg. Gar finds his home life very boring and repetitive. Throughout the book, Gar shows his feelings about the village through what he says and what he does. "Yes, and if it weren't for Aunt Lezzy and the grace of God, you would be here tonight too, watching the lights go out above the village and hearing the front doors being locked, and the blinds being drawn; and tapping yourself foot to stop the numbness from spreading, not wanting to go home, not for a while yet, wanting to make it through the night even though nothing can happen now, nothing at all ¦.” This is an example in which Gar shows his realistic views. The book is set in the 1960s, and at that time Ireland was very different to what it is today. Many Irish people emigrated to closer countries to live a new life. One of the reasons for this was that the Irish economy was in a depressed state. The people of Ballybeg were slaves to routine and had very little to do in such a small community. Gar soon realizes that he will never be able to live an exciting life in Ballybeg and soon recognizes that he has no future in his home village. This leads Gar to decide to move to Philadelphia, where he hopes life will better impact his future. There are many reasons why Gar wants to leave Ballybeg. Gars' life was a very emotional period. Gars' mother died shortly after his birth, which was a huge upheaval for him and his father. To make matters worse, Gar's father, SB, does not get along with his only son, even though he knows Gar lives and works with him. They see each other every day and their level of communication is always low. ''If he wants to talk to me, he knows where to find me! But I’m damned if I have to talk to him first.” This is an example of where Gar gets so annoyed that he starts lashing out at poor Madge who tries to help him. Gar doesn't mean to, but he's so bored with the state of his life. They only communicate when it is essential. Gar leaves for Philadelphia in the morning, and his father still ignores him and offers him a good price..