Death In Anne Tyler's The Accidental Tourist

In Anne Tyler's The Accidental Tourist, the theme of death is one of the most prevalent themes in the novel. Without death, the novel would not have the story that it does. Death is the first conflict that launches the tale of these two, now divorced, couple. Through the pain and sorrow, Macon, finds himself through little things such as change and travel. After the killing of their son, Sarah and Macon's relationship went downhill. Macon was not very comforting of caring towards his wife, and she was not happy with that. When they are on their way home from a short trip, Sarah tells Macon that she is leaving him. This is the first sign of change after the death of their son. Macon who is not used to change is shocked. Not only has Macon lost a son, he has now lost his wife. This impromptu divorce affects Macon's daily life and
the way he lives at home. After Sarah moves out, Macon is left home alone with his dog, and this brings some changes to his personality. Since his nitpicky wife is gone, Macon discovers a new lifestyle. This new lifestyle of his puts him in a cycle, but he is able to change things up in little ways. Sometimes, he will shower at night rather than in the morning. Little changes are shown throughout the first couple of chapters before he moves in with his siblings. This move is another way that the loss of his family has caused him to change as a person. All of his siblings have weird little quirks, and that makes Macon fit right in. When Macon moved, he brought his untrained and wild dog Edward along with him. With Edward's failure to listen and follow commands, Macon decides to hire a dog trainer. By hiring Muriel, the dog trainer, Macon doesn't realize that this newfound relationship will be one that he will not forget.
Muriel and Macon hit it off, and this is the start to the last change in Macon's life. This relationship starts off as a friendship, but soon becomes much more than that. Once Macon and Muriel start dating he falls in love with her, and he likes her son Alexander. This relationship prompts Macon to leave his siblings and move in with Muriel and her son. This change was brought upon his lonely love life after the divorce from his wife. The theme of loss and death in this book prompt Macon to change his life. Death and loss always causes a change in one's life, but it is how you go about that change that matters. Instead of sitting at home and pitying himself, Macon gets up and changes his life for the better. This shows a sense of strength in Macon that was not seen in the beginning of the novel. The loss of a loved one or the divorce of a spouse can cause severe depression in ones life, but it is how one takes this dramatic change and makes it into something positive for themselves, and everyone else around
them.