The Accidental Tourist Essay Questions

What tendencies do the Leary siblings have in common? What do their habits show about their character and their relationships with one another?

The four Leary siblings—Macon, Rose, Charles, and Porter—share a preference for strict and strange ways of organizing their surroundings. Macon, for instance, enjoys implementing "systems" in order to have a structured way of doing household chores, even though these systems appear mostly nonsensical to an observer. Rose feels it necessary to alphabetize the groceries. The brothers Charles and Porter are also fond of organizational systems, with Porter suggesting they create one to ensure that Edward the dog doesn't wake them at night. All four have ended up back at their grandparents' family home after failing in their marriages. We can infer that being back in a familiar place brings a much-needed sense of comfort and order to their lives. The siblings are also all very protective of each other, especially when it comes to them dating new people.

Through the exposition of the siblings' childhood with their erratic mother, Alicia, we can also intuit that it was the chaos of their early life that has produced adults who are highly regimented, even eccentrically so, in their approach to life.

Why does Macon ultimately decide to be with Muriel instead of Sarah?

Macon makes it clear in the final chapter that the choice between two women he loves is not an easy one to make. In one way, Sarah is perfect for him: after 20 years of marriage, they share the same well-worn routines and outlooks on life. Sarah, in this sense, is the choice of comfort. Muriel, on the other hand, constitutes the polar opposite of Sarah: she is young, from a different social class, highly emotive, and lacking any sense of decorum. After experiencing much tragedy and grief in his life, Macon is ready to break with the past and step into the unknown, which is what Muriel represents.

Macon has a realization in the last chapter that there have been very few real decisions he has made: throughout his life, he has been overcome by events, whether that be the sudden death of his son or the way he was cornered into writing travel guides for a living. Macon chooses Muriel because he loves her, but he also chooses her because this gives him the feeling of control over his life that he has always wanted.

In Chapter 17, there is a description of a young couple that catches Macon's eye. Why is Macon so fascinated by this scene?

The couple initially catches Macon's attention because of how slowly they are walking, even though it is raining. There is something about their carefree nature that affects Macon, who has become so closed-off from the world, as symbolized by the umbrella that he wields. They also, perhaps, remind him of Sarah. Macon and Sarah got together when they were a similar age to this couple, and he misses the innocence of their early relationship. This also comes right after the scene where Muriel accuses Macon of wanting to leave her, so maybe Macon is touched by the simplicity and happiness of this young couple on the street.

What role does humor play in The Accidental Tourist's storytelling?

Despite the often serious subject matter of The Accidental Tourist, there are many moments of humor occurring throughout the novel. The humor usually appears in a subtle, ironic form, such as in the uncanny observations of Macon or the awkward scenarios that he gets himself into, such as running into his former mother-in-law while shopping for Alexander. Macon's sense of humor, in particular, can be seen as a way he copes with the abrasiveness of life, such as when seated next to a strange person on the plane with whom he must make conversation. The narrator's humorous descriptions of Muriel and Julian also serve to further flesh out these characters and allow the reader to better understand them.

Does Macon grow as a character over the course of the narrative? If so, how? If not, why not?

Macon does grow up in certain ways throughout the narrative. In the beginning, he lacks any hope in life, feeling completely defeated after his family has fallen apart. Macon’s tendency to isolate himself from the love and support of others only makes his grief worse. By meeting Muriel, Macon starts to come out of his shell somewhat, inspired by the more brazen and trusting way the young woman approaches the world. One turning point for Macon is when he sits next to a frightened woman on a plane and realizes he has become confident enough to comfort a stranger. In other ways, however, Macon remains the same person: he is still obsessed with feeling in control, as seen in his ultimate decision to be with Muriel, which he chooses on the basis of needing to direct his own destiny.