The Accidental Tourist Themes

This Study Guide consists of approximately 59 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of The Accidental Tourist.

The Accidental Tourist Themes

This Study Guide consists of approximately 59 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of The Accidental Tourist.
This section contains 639 words
(approx. 2 pages at 400 words per page)
Buy The Accidental Tourist Study Guide

Death

Ethan's death triggers the novel's initial conflict. At first it leads to the dissolution of Sarah and Macon's marriage. The past year had been "miserable" for both of them, with "months when everything either of them said was wrong." When Sarah admits, "Now that Ethan's dead I sometimes wonder if there's any point to life," Macon responds, "It never seemed to me there was all that much point to begin with." This pessimism spurs Sarah's decision to leave Macon. She feels he is not grieving as much as she, nor is he providing her with the comfort she requires. Macon looks for someone to blame for Ethan's death, including Sarah and himself.

Order and Disorder

Ethan's death coupled with Sarah's departure throws Macon into a state of disorder that he desperately tries to remedy with an obsessive search for order. This need for organization is a consistent theme...

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This section contains 639 words
(approx. 2 pages at 400 words per page)
Buy The Accidental Tourist Study Guide
Copyrights
Gale
The Accidental Tourist from Gale. ©2005-2006 Thomson Gale, a part of the Thomson Corporation. All rights reserved.