Question

What is the significance of the title 'The Accidental Tourist'?

Answer 1

The title is on point with the character of Bill Bryson as he causes an accident wherever he goes. There is not a single thing he does which does not lead to a mishap. To every place that Bill visits there is some catastrophe awaiting him. Even Bill says so himself in the beginning that he is not very good at living in the real world. We see this in various incidents, in the aeroplane while tying his shoelace he is made to sit in a crouching position, he drops all the contents of his bag because he is unable to open the zipper, spilling ink in his gums and teeth, dropping a drink twice on the same lady’s lap, and ending up on the wrong side of a self locking door instead of the lavatory. All these incidents show that the title is apt for the character.