1. "It is perhaps in this episode of the 'roasting Idaho' which points out the extremely conservative natutre of the Leary family. The way in which a simple meal of roast potato is transformed into a ritual and the diapproval the Learys show when 'Eliza' serves it differently demonstrates that they show more than passing interest in conformity.
The way the Learys have developed into habitual adults has also prevented them from leading fulfilled, satisfied lives. The close-knit nature of the three brothers and sister has effectively shut other people out. In all of their respective relationships with people outside 'the family' , this obsession with habit and correctness has brought difficulties.
Preferences are an integral part of life; we all have out favourite foods, clothes, colours - the list goes on. It is when those preferences start to control the way a person leads his life that something is perhaps not quite right. (Judy)
2. We are aware of the general inappropriateness of this family based conservatism when we witness the fastidious way in which they insist on doing things without concern for others. For instance in this passage, we notice how quickly the four Learys fall into their routine of set jobs to prepare dinner for the evening. Charles' comment about the dressing and how they had to buy bottled stuff while he was away shows us how much they all disliked disruptions to their conservative, organised lives.
Macon too like all the other Learys insisted on a system for everything; one's life must be orderly and proper. Macon insisted on routine for household duties; he insisted on good English; and he could not stand things being left undone. Along with the other Learys, Macon had a way of doing things his way and not considering other people around him. We see this in the potato scene and when his son Ethan died. Macon decided to tidy up the loose ends by giving away all his belongings to the neighbours. He did not consider Sarah's feelings; he was only concerned with maintaining order and trying to cope with his own grief. (Cheryl)
AN EXAMINATION ANSWER ON THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST
QUESTION:
(i) What aspects of this passage (pp. 76-77) bring into focus the conservative nature of the Leary family?
(ii) How does the text make us aware of the general inappropriateness of this family-based conservatism? In your answer refer to the extract and the novel as a whole.
RESPONSE
The Leary family came from an unsettled childhood. Their mother was in complete contrast to her "stuffy" children who gave them a nomadic existence when all they wanted was a permanent place to call home. When sent to Baltimore to live, they were already "guarded and suspicious of the world". Macon remembers his childhood as a 'glassed in place" before moving to Baltimore, an existence he quickly left behind forever.
On hearing of Macon and Sarah's separation, Rose recounts: "The Leary men are difficult to live with" obviously not realising that she too has all the Leary faults that cause friction with others. Her pantry is an alphabetical order: "the all-spice next to the ant rid" and the 10' x 12' envelopes that are supposed to be 9'x 10' so it's a neater package. She says: "I do hate when things are out of alignment. Porter and Charles work in the bottle top factory that they inherited from their grandfather. Macon is the only Leary willing to try something different and write travel books. As Macon thought: "Rose was the only one who took my writing seriously." Their very own game Vaccination was virtually impossible for anyone else to decipher; the Leary men's wives quickly realised that it was a game that did not include them as they made up their own rules. It was the Leary way of informing those outside the Leary family that their guard is up and impenetrable even to their wives.
The general inappropriateness of this family based conservatism is in the Leary children's inflexibility. Having had a lifetime of virtually looking after one another, outsiders are to be tolerated but not encouraged. As Sarah says to Macon: "You couldn't move house because your gummed address labels hadn't been used up yet", typified the whole family's attitude of conservatism. Porter, Charles and Macon also could not come to a decision on anything until they had argued the point into the ground.
All the Leary children's marriages had failed for a similar reason: too much order and no space in which to grow. When Muriel appears on the scene, she is met with suspicion by the family and regarded as a gold-digger. Yet Muriel opens Macon's eyes to the possibilities of a freer lifestyle, and Macon slowly begins to realise his family's shortcomings. He is not as guarded as he used to be and his book used in his travels as a guard against his fellow travellers is not needed anymore. He is at last able to open up, express his feelings to Muriel and talk to her about his grief in losing Ethan.
The inappropriateness of the Leary's conservatism is seen by Macon for what it is - a way of life that has lost touch with the "centre of your life", as grandfather in Macon's dreams says. Macon has now well on the way to finding that centre and leaving his Leary conservatism behind. #
by Janet Bell, July 13, 1989.
Teacher's comment:
Janet has answered the question, has related her essay to the nub of the essay topic, conservatism. She has defined and illustrated it. She has also shown an extensive knowledge of the novel, in its scenes and details. Such recall is appropriate and well integrated into the argument of the essay. (G. Smith).
THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST WORKSHEET
1. Ariel book review, Sydney, January 1989:
"Macon Leary, an orderly man, who likes routine, writes guide books for businessmen who, like him, hate travel and want to find places just like back at home. Macon's life however is in turmoil: his son has been murdered, his marriage is over and he has this rather disorderly dog to care for. He finds a dog trainer, Muriel, who firmly retrains Macon too. All the characters (including the dog, Macon's siblings and his publisher) are vivid, touching, brilliantly written: Tyler is a novelist who makes ordinary people's lives seem to burst with brilliant humour and complexity and painful affections."
Do you agree with this claim that Tyler makes ordinary lives brilliant and complex? If not, how would you describe her achievement in this novel?
2. Reread your suggested plan of a book review and write an 500 book review of "The Accidental Tourist."
3. Write a character sketch of Macon. Is he the universal "homo suburbiensis"?
4. Describe and plot the histories of relationships in this novel. Compare their relative importances for Macon.
5. What can you say about the place of patterns in this novel? Is Macon obsessed with them? Is he unable to escape from them? Is his contact with Muriel's chaotic management of life salutory?
6. "Patterns are what we cling to in a mindless universe." (Lowell) Is Macon such a one? What is the lesson on life that Macon learned?
7. Compare Muriel and Macon. Why was Sarah not what Macon needed for growth?
8. Re-read pages 280-1. What is the significance of commitment for Muriel? How does Muriel challaenge Macon? Why? Assess this scene in the whole sweep of the novel.
9. Read page 321: "You don't believe in opening up." Discuss this observation: is it correct? Does it challenge Macon? What prompts it?
10. Is The Accidental Tourist a happy novel? Why?
© G. Smith May 15, 1989
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