3. Introduction to "The Accidental Tourist"

 

"The Accidental Tourist" is a lesson written by Bill Bryson. It is a chapter extracted from Bryson's collection of travel articles called "Notes from a Big Country" (1998). Alternately, the book was released in the United States under the title "I'm a Stranger Here Myself".

The lesson is narrated from the first-person point of view and hence, is subjective in nature. It contains instances and experiences from various point of the narrator's life.

The lesson revolves around the experiences of the narrator. Hence, there is only one central character here. He is,

Apart from the narrator, we also have a few other (minor) characters who become a part of the narrative. They are,

Speaking of the style adopted by the writer, the lesson echoes the humour found in Jerome K Jerome’s works. Like Jerome's works such as "Three Men in a Boat" and "Three Men on the Bummel", "The Accidental Tourist" by Bill Bryson has humour that is devoid of sarcasm, irony, or incongruity.
 
The lesson’s humour is more self-deprecating, as the narrator creates humour around his stupidity and ignorance. It is subtle and harmless, and though the reader ends up laughing at the incredulous situations, he/she also feels pity towards the narrator.