The Accidental Tourist: Analysis of Major Characters
"The Accidental Tourist" explores the complexities of grief and relationships through the lives of its central characters, particularly focusing on Macon Leary, a travel writer who paradoxically despises travel. Following the tragic death of his twelve-year-old son, Ethan, Macon becomes increasingly withdrawn, struggling to maintain control over his life and surroundings. His wife, Sarah, an English teacher, initially finds comfort in Macon's orderliness but grows frustrated by his inability to provide emotional support after their loss, ultimately leading to their separation.
Ethan's presence, though minimal in the narrative, casts a long shadow over the family dynamics, revealing the fragility of their relationships. Macon's challenges with his increasingly aggressive Welsh Corgi, Edward, symbolize his internal struggles and the consequences of his emotional detachment. Alongside these characters is Muriel Pritchett, a vibrant and independent woman who disrupts Macon’s orderly life, seeking connection and establishing her own as a single mother. The Leary family also includes Rose, the nurturing youngest sibling who compensates for the emotional void left by their parents, and the two brothers, Charles and Porter, who each navigate their own paths of adulthood marked by personal challenges. The story intertwines these characters' experiences, illustrating how grief and the pursuit of connection can shape and transform lives.
The Accidental Tourist: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Anne Tyler
First published: 1985
Genre: Novel
Locale: Baltimore, Maryland
Plot: Psychological realism
Time: The 1980's
Macon Leary, the protagonist and narrator. Macon Leary works as a travel writer for a series of books each containing “The Accidental Tourist” in the title. He hates traveling, but he enjoys writing about travel because he can manipulate descriptions into neatly controlled paragraphs. This need to control everything becomes more obsessive. Eventually, Macon withdraws from the world around him when he loses his son and his wife.
Sarah Leary, Macon Leary's wife. Sarah is an English teacher who listened to rock music in the “old days” to keep up with her students. According to Macon, she is sloppy and disorganized. She is at first amused by Macon's systems and finds his moods mysterious, but when their son Ethan dies, she becomes tired of Macon's orderliness. She looks to Macon for comfort, and when Macon cannot comfort her, she leaves him to grieve on her own.
Ethan Leary, Macon and Sarah Leary's twelve-year-old son. Although he is not an active character in the novel, his violent and mindless death is what finally ends his parents' already strained marriage. He is described as a trusting child who loved people; when nervous, he would bounce on the balls of his feet.
Edward, Ethan's nervous and temperamental Welsh Corgi. After Ethan dies, Edward starts to turn on Macon's family and friends. He gets harder to control as the novel progresses, and Macon is forced to seek help.
Muriel Pritchett, an extremely vibrant woman who works three jobs to support her son. She works as a self-employed errand girl, at The Meow-Bow Animal Hospital, and as a dog trainer. She is outspoken and fiercely independent. She first convinces Macon to hire her to train Edward, then actively pursues him as a father for her ten-year-old son, Alexander.
Rose Leary, the youngest of the Leary clan. Rose acts as a mother to her three older brothers. She cooks, cleans, and alphabetizes the kitchen so that the Leary system will function smoothly. Although Rose is in her thirties, she wears dresses that make her appear much older. She is more active than her brothers. She helps the elderly neighbors by bringing them meals and taking them grocery shopping.
Charles Leary, the oldest of the Leary brothers. He works in the family machine factory. He is divorced and childless. He is described as having a childish face. He lives in the Leary house and enjoys playing a card game called Patience that only the Leary family understands.
Porter Leary, Macon's older brother. He is the best looking of the Leary brothers. He is also divorced, and he has three children, a sixteen-year-old boy and two girls. He works in the machine factory with Charles.
Julian Edge, Macon Leary's boss. He is in his thirties and lives in a singles apartment complex. He meets Rose when he visits the Leary home, and he falls in love with her. He is disorganized, and his cluttered office reflects this.