Topic > Family and Modernity in "The Accidental Tourist" and "Dinner at The Homesick Restaurant"

Although she had "a fairly isolated childhood" (Salwak, 3), Anne Tyler's insights into family are remarkably accurate. In two of Tyler's books, The Accidental Tourist and Dinner at Homesick, he tells the stories of two very different families. However, the characters' believable emotional states and interactions make it seem like Tyler has lived each life alone. For example, The Accidental Tourist (TAT) focuses on Macon Leary's relationship with two women: his wife Sarah and his lover Muriel. In contrast, Dinner at Homesick (DatHR) looks at the Tull family as a whole. Both books share the theme of longing for an ideal family. The characters strive for perfection in their relationships until the end of the books, where they accept their family's imperfection. To represent this transformation, Tyler uses aspects of modernism such as loss, change and chaos. So, for Tyler, human existence is mutual acceptance. This is demonstrated in the books Dinner at the Nostalgic Diner and Accidental Tourist through the modern aspects of characters who desire a perfect family. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayModernism began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. World War I is considered the dividing line between the pre-modern and modern worlds. However, events such as the move to the cities, the new totalitarianism and the women's movement have inspired a change in attitude. This age is commonly referred to as a reaction to the Victorian era. Artists were the first to embrace this change; they began to create images that were more abstract, surreal and depicted the idea of ​​their own subconscious. Musicians and writers soon followed creating more thoughtful works. They wanted to demonstrate the reality of what was happening in their time and wanted the audience to question the beauty around them. In contrast to the premodern world's focus on stability, faith, and identity, modern writers emphasized chaos, instability, and pessimism. Tyler spent most of his developmental years being homeschooled by his mother until, at age eleven, she was sent to public school. Growing up in an isolated Quaker community led Tyler to question his spirituality. She says: “I decided I couldn't bring myself to believe in God. I sometimes think that at seven I was smarter than I've ever been since. I remember thinking, 'Who will watch over you?' I'm not a spiritual person. I'm not interested in discovering the meaning of life” (Teeman). Already at the age of eleven, Tyler embraced the modern idea of ​​questioning her surroundings. Tyler met Taghi Modarressi at the age of twenty-one and they married shortly after. They had two children before Modarressi died in 1997. Grief initially overwhelmed her, but she has since come to accept his death and appreciate those around her. Tyler's struggles to find herself in faith and companionship mirror her character's struggle to find meaning in a world of chaos. One way this is expressed is through the theme of instability due to change. This theme is prevalent in Tyler's works. Written in 1985, TAT is a canvas for Tyler to explore how death and separation affect the quintessential idea of ​​family. Specifically, it focuses on Macon's pursuit of perfection in his domestic and personal life. Macon's wife Sarah leaves him, along with the death of his son; it is obvious that theLoss of family makes Macon unstable. Sarah and Macon's personality differences are the main cause of their separation. For example, Macon is straightforward and honest while Sarah is warm and kind. Once Sarah leaves, Macon realizes that “now was his time to regroup” (“The Accidental Tourist,” 7). Macon begins to organize his house to become one big "system", something he could never have done because Sarah would not have tolerated it. Along with new organizational skills, Macon develops feelings for a woman named Muriel. She also becomes fond of her son, Alexander, and often fantasizes about getting him a better education and creating a more stable family. Macon's obsession with organization and introversion could be symbolic of a young Anne Tyler. Because of his Quaker upbringing he hadn't done many basic things like use the telephone. Therefore, when she moved from home school to public school, her classmates and teachers paid a lot of attention to her. Tyler says, “Neither I nor any of my brothers can stand being around a crowd of people for any length of time” (Salwak, 4). Like Tyler, Macon is an introvert who tends to shy away from others. This shared isolation affects Macon's actions, particularly how he deals with his isolation. He returns to his roots: his sister and brothers. Just as Tyler looked back to his Quaker roots for inspiration. The return to his roots marks the beginning of Macon's transformation into a person capable of accepting the differences of others. DatHR also revolves around the idea of ​​instability due to change. Similar to TAT, the biggest change in the book is when Pearl Tull's husband, Beck Tull, leaves his family. The resulting Tull family is left with four members: Pearl, Cody, Ezra, and Jenny. Each member reacts differently to this loss. For example, Pearl reacts violently by lashing out at all the children, even Ezra, her favorite. During one of his fits of rage, “She threw a spoon in his face…slapped him on the cheek…grabbed Jenny's braids…yanked it” (“Dinner at the Homesick Diner,” 53). In contrast, Cody keeps everything inside and grows to hate Pearl and Beck; He maintains this mischief throughout much of his adult life. Because of this Cody's whole life becomes unstable, emotionally and physically. He is constantly on the move due to his occupation and sometimes has fits of anger, especially when thinking about Pearl or Ezra. For this reason he is very detached from his wife, son, brothers and mother. For example, when Cody visits Jenny, he realizes that she reminds him of his mother, and because of this he is completely cut off from her. It is only at the conclusion of the novel, after Pearl's death, that he finally shows kindness and compassion towards his family. The last paragraph begins, “Cody grabbed onto (Beck's) elbow and led him (Beck) toward the others” (“Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant,” 303). In each book, families suffer a loss and react negatively. However, the family members remain united despite their different ideas. In DatHR the children all bond with their mother's anger; they always clean up all the messes she makes and comfort her. Likewise, in TAT Macon goes to live with his sister Rose. Tyler wants to convey the message that family will always be there regardless of their personal opinion. The Tulls and Learys may not be the perfect family, but they are still bonded by their childhood experiences. In Tyler's eyes, this ties them together for life thanks to her strong bond with her brothers. Through the novels, Macon and Cody.