The Accidental Tourist

Distance is a central thematic element throughout the novel, and the topic is explored in multiple dimensions. This theme is carried by the motif of travel and tourism that keeps Macon moving from one place to the next. Many of the novel’s most important moments occur when there is physical distance between Macon and his home or loved ones. This physical distance serves as a mode for conveying emotional distance. One of the first examples of this occurs in Chapter 1, as Macon and Sarah return from a vacation. Away from their home, the cracks in their relationship have become apparent, and Sarah tells Macon she wants a divorce. As the story progresses, it’s revealed that the emotional chasm between Sarah and Macon had been growing for years, but upon Ethan’s death, they became unable to ignore their differences. The physical distance of their vacation helped Sarah to recognize the emotional distance between her and Macon, motivating her to broach the topic of divorce.

Macon’s trip to New York City is a crucial turning point for his character development. Macon walks to the window to observe the city during his visit to the skyscraper restaurant. Instead of admiring the view, he becomes overwhelmed at the realization of how far away he is from everyone, acknowledging that “it wasn’t the height; it was the distance” (153) that threw him into dread, describing the rush of feelings as “he thought he had died” (152). Macon spirals into panic, realizing he is “completely isolated from everyone else in the universe” (153). Macon’s realization begins as an acknowledgment of how physically separated he is from everyone else, but as the narration continues, it grows to be about his emotional distance. He thinks about Ethan, Sarah, and his siblings, worrying he’ll “never, ever get back” to them (153). Macon’s epiphany about how he’s distanced himself from those around him, especially following Ethan’s death, gives him an important perspective on his habits and personality. The fear he feels at recognizing this distance stems from a fear of loss and grief. Immediately following Macon’s realization, he begins to allow people to enter his life and get to know him, starting with his call to Muriel from the payphone. In the next chapter, Muriel becomes a mainstay in Macon’s life, and their whirlwind romance begins.

Physical distance contributes to changing Macon’s relationships near the novel's end. When Macon travels to Canada, he is without Muriel for the longest time since they entered a relationship. During this time, Sarah begins to call Macon regularly, speaking with him at every stop along his trip through Canada. With Muriel out of the picture and so physically far away from Macon, there is space for his feelings for Sarah to rekindle. Once Sarah’s intentions with Macon become clear, Macon notices how “unfamiliar, suddenly” (290) Muriel’s name sounds. With Muriel so physically far, Macon has allowed himself to grow emotionally distant from her as well. Unable to face Muriel again after his trip, Macon maintains the emotional and physical distance by returning to his marital home where Sarah waits for him. However, the same distance that won Macon back over to Sarah also brings him back to Muriel in the end. During Macon’s trip to France, Muriel joins him, flying on the same plane and staying at the same hotel despite their relationship having ended. With the sudden presence of Muriel in his life again, Macon recalls what attracted him to her in the first place and allows himself to feel emotionally connected to her again, noting he feels “how she drew at him, pulling deep strings from inside him” (328). At first, Macon tries to maintain a connection with Sarah, but their phone call is unfulfilling, and Sarah complains about “some kind of static on the line” (321). Macon acknowledges that the static is due to the long-distance call, but it’s a metaphor for how he’s begun to emotionally disconnect from Sarah once again. Overall, the role of distance both physically and emotionally within the novel communicates the theme of its effect on the characters’ relationships.