The Accidental Tourist: A Study

The Accidental Tourist is one of Anne Tyler’s most acclaimed novels. Published in 1985, in the same year it was awarded by the NBCC or the National Book Critics Circle (a prestigious association of almost seven hundred book reviewers in America), and in 1988 was made into a major film. The title of the novel is crucial, both thematically and metaphorically. In the novel, the accidental tourist is the name of the conservative travel guide that is written by Macon, the main protagonist. This guidebook is tailored towards reluctant travelling businessmen; it details how to avoid the ‘foreign’ and how to travel without feeling as though one has left home. Macon himself is a champion of this philosophy, as is revealed in his actions, attitudes and interior monologues. However his fear of the foreign does not limit itself to travel alone; he intentionally ostracizes himself and travels through life avoiding the foreign. The fact that the word ‘accidental’ features in both the title of Macon’s travel book and the novel itself is similarly equally as significant. The accidental is a major theme, and events occur in an accidental fashion, as I will expand

. . .
Some common words found in the essay are:
Accidental Tourist, Macons Muriel, P47 Macon, Critics Circle, Burger Bonanza, Macon Sarah, Sarah Muriel, P4-5 Chapter, P17 Muriels, Muriel Doberman, narrative content, accidental tourist, narrative form, form narrative, 3rd person, narrative form narrative, events occur, content narrative, 3rd person narrator, beginning novel, person narrator, narrator macon, narrative content narrative, form narrative content, accidental major theme,
Approximate Word count = 3713
Approximate Pages = 15 (250 words per page double spaced)