56 pages 1 hour read

Anne Tyler

The Accidental Tourist

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1985

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Chapters 17-20Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 17 Summary

Muriel tells Macon about the man she was seeing before him. She helped that man get his life together, and he left her to elope with another woman shortly after. Macon finds his thoughts wandering to Sarah from time to time in little moments while taking Edward out or while listening to Claire rant about her relationships. 

Macon and Muriel walk to the thrift stores and encounter Dominick’s mother, who asks if they’ve seen him. She worries about him staying out all night and talks about how he doesn’t drive safely when he has Muriel’s car. While thrifting, Muriel brings up going to France with Macon, which is his next trip after Canada. Macon hesitates because of the cost. When he mentions she’d need to take time off, Muriel reveals that she left her job at the vet. Macon becomes upset with Muriel, who justifies her decision because Macon has taken on a lot of financial responsibility for them anyway. Muriel eventually assures Macon that she can take care of herself.

Muriel continues to hint at the France trip, but Macon tries to ignore it. While heading home from the grocery store, a young teen tries to rob them, but Muriel smacks the boy with her purse and tells him to go home.

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