Peck/Patrick Gavin Character Analysis in They Both Die at the End

Peck is the novel’s antagonist; he’s a 19-year-old boy whom Aimee is dating after being friends with him for years. Peck was part of a gang for a while—that’s where he got his nickname, as his punches are wildly ineffective—but he called off the gang when he started dating Aimee. Though it seems as though Peck has been nice and supportive toward Aimee, Peck is extremely aggressive and selfish when it comes to other guys. Just before the novel begins, Peck voices all of Rufus’s fears that he’s is unlovable and a failure, which is why Rufus is in the process of beating Peck up when he receives his Death-Cast alert. Peck takes a turn toward the morally reprehensible when he calls the police on Rufus and they arrive during Rufus’s funeral. And because Peck doesn’t receive a call from Death-Cast and is incensed that Aimee is possibly breaking up with him, Peck decides that he wants to be the one to kill Rufus. This isn’t a decision that Peck takes lightly—he understands that Aimee will hate him—but he also doesn’t take the time to think seriously about it. He doesn’t consider that shooting Rufus will land him in jail; he only thinks about getting revenge. Ultimately, Peck’s attempt is unsuccessful, and the police arrest him.

Peck/Patrick Gavin Quotes in They Both Die at the End

The They Both Die at the End quotes below are all either spoken by Peck/Patrick Gavin or refer to Peck/Patrick Gavin. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

I don’t wanna think about any of that, I just wanna get to Aimee and say goodbye to the Plutos as the friend they know I am, not the monster I was tonight.

Related Characters: Rufus Emeterio (speaker), Aimee Dubois, Malcolm Anthony, Peck/Patrick Gavin, Tagoe Hayes

Page Number and Citation: 32

Explanation and Analysis:

I believe him. He’s not monstrous. Monsters don’t come to your home to help you live; they trap you in your bed and eat you alive. “People make mistakes,” I say.

“And my friends are the ones being punished,” Rufus says. “Their last memory of me will be running out the back door from my own funeral because the cops were coming for me. I left them behind... I’ve spent the last four months feeling abandoned by my family dying, and in a split second I did the same damn thing to my new family.”

Related Characters: Mateo Torrez (speaker), Rufus Emeterio (speaker), Aimee Dubois, Malcolm Anthony, Peck/Patrick Gavin, Tagoe Hayes, Vin Pearce, Rufus’s Parents, Olivia

Page Number and Citation: 173

Explanation and Analysis:

Death-Cast did not call this gang of boys today, and they’re living as if this means their lives can’t be over while they’re alive. They run through the streets, not caring about traffic, as if they’re invincible against speeding cars and completely untouchable by the law.

Related Characters: Rufus Emeterio, Howie Maldonado, Peck/Patrick Gavin, Kendrick O’Connell, Damien Rivas

Page Number and Citation: 315

Explanation and Analysis:

You may be born into a family, but you walk into friendships. Some you’ll discover you should put behind you. Others are worth every risk.

Related Characters: Rufus Emeterio, Aimee Dubois, Malcolm Anthony, Peck/Patrick Gavin, Tagoe Hayes

Page Number and Citation: 334

Explanation and Analysis:

Peck/Patrick Gavin Character Timeline in They Both Die at the End

The timeline below shows where the character Peck/Patrick Gavin appears in They Both Die at the End. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Rufus is in the middle of beating Peck, who stole his girlfriend, when Death-Cast calls. Mateo’s friends, Tagoe and Malcolm, stare with terrified... (full context)

...Rufus prays that he doesn’t drown like his parents and Olivia. He walks back to Peck, slams him against the wall, and informs Peck that he didn’t win—Aimee didn’t break up... (full context)

...to Pluto and hangs up. He vows to tell Aimee his side of things before Peck can. Hopefully, Peck won’t call the police, or Rufus might spend his End Day in... (full context)

...kidding. Rufus thinks she’s asking about his End Day, but she steps aside to reveal Peck, bruised and bleeding. (full context)

...Rufus against the fridge and asks what he was thinking. Jenn Lori presses ice to Peck’s face and can’t hide her disappointment in Rufus. Aimee drags Rufus to the living room,... (full context)

Human Connection and Social Media Theme Icon

...that this feels like a nightmare—then, she squints and asks if someone called the cops. Peck is the only one who doesn’t look surprised. He shouts that Rufus assaulted him; Aimee... (full context)

...Rufus extra time. He also knows that he’s not innocent—he was complicit in beating up Peck—but now, Malcolm will be marked as a delinquent. He’ll be alive, though. Malcolm cries. He... (full context)

...thinks that Mateo is too good, and he vows to take what he did to Peck to the grave. Mateo explains that they have to see his dad. Rufus considers biking... (full context)

...dying, but she feels as though she already lost Rufus. She storms home and tells Peck, who’s following her, that he’s a monster for trying to get Rufus arrested at his... (full context)

...will remember Rufus as the person he really is, not as the person who punched Peck for no good reason. (full context)

Peck didn’t receive a call from Death-Cast today, so he’s not dying. He expected the call... (full context)

...got crazy after Rufus left. She explains that Malcolm and Tagoe got arrested thanks to Peck. Enraged, Rufus storms away from Mateo, who looks terrified. Aimee tells Rufus he can’t go... (full context)

...and now, Kendrick is a “Knockout King.” He has no one to fight now that Peck got a girlfriend and their gang is over. (full context)

...adrenaline rushes, like starting stuff with his gang. Damien plays darts alone and talks to Peck on the phone. He tells Peck that it was silly to call the cops on... (full context)

Peck gets his gang back together. His nickname comes from the fact that his punches are... (full context)

...still alive. Mateo asks them to bring Aimee and come to Clint’s, but to leave Peck at home. Tagoe says they’ll be there soon and they hang up. Rufus takes a... (full context)

Death-Cast didn’t call Peck, Kendrick, and Damien today, so they’re living like their lives can’t end. The boys run... (full context)

At first, Rufus that Aimee brought Peck, but she stands between Peck and Rufus. He knows he can’t be a hero, but... (full context)

...wants to be somewhere safe, and he admits that he’d never hit anyone before punching Peck. Rufus tells him that punching someone who has a gun is stupid, but Mateo doesn’t... (full context)

...call. They know that Rufus won’t survive, but they’re relieved that Rufus didn’t die at Peck’s hand. They cheer as the cops drive away with Peck and his gang, hoping that... (full context)