Why Walker Percy's Literature Really MattersHave you ever had one of those days where you just weren't there? when your body seemed to do your entire daily routine automatically? when nothing, not even the things you love most, could interest you? I know yes. Walker Percy refers to this state of disengagement as being “sunk in the quotidian” and dead in life (The Moviegoer 10). In his novels, Percy recounts his fears that many of us live perpetually in this automaton state without realizing it. He warns us that until we are healed of this disease, our souls, our true selves, will remain in bondage. Walker Percy began life growing up in the South and after completing medical school. school, he did an internship to become a psychiatrist. Then a bout with tuberculosis led Percy to marry his wife, convert to Catholicism, and abandon his practice to devote himself to writing. After writing essays for a while, Percy published his first novel, The Moviegoer, in 1961. Percy's legacy shaped his literature from the beginning. As a southerner, Percy understands the South better than other regions and films most of his scenes there. As a psychiatrist, Percy knows intimately what goes on in the minds of others, knowledge extremely valuable to character development. As a scientist, Percy understands the physical world well and notices things in nature that other authors would miss. As a Catholic, Percy wishes to transmit his faith to others, to share the joy that his religion gives him. All these experiences blend together in Percy's writing and give his novels a unique and masterful style. Percy's protagonists are all looking to put an end to the daily grind of their old lives. They leave behind a life that they consider a living death, and they all use different approaches to escape it. In The Moviegoer, Binx Bolling goes in search of "himself", his place in society and what he believes. Will Barrett continues a similar search in The Last Gentleman, a search to find his place in the world. Binx and Will are both in their 20s and their research is age-appropriate. Percy's later books use older characters and their research differs from that of the others accordingly. In The Second Coming we find Will Barrett again, but this time he seeks to discover the truth about his past, to prove the existence of God and to find a new occupation worthy of his time..