Class 9 English Notes Chapter 9 (The Accidental Tourist) – Moments Supplimentary Reader Book

Alright class, let's focus on Chapter 9, 'The Accidental Tourist' from your 'Moments' book. This chapter is a humorous piece by Bill Bryson, recounting his own experiences as a remarkably clumsy traveller. For your exam preparation, pay close attention to the details, the narrator's character, and the overall tone.

Chapter 9: The Accidental Tourist - Detailed Notes

1. Author: Bill Bryson (An American author known for his humorous books on travel, science, and the English language). This story is an excerpt, likely from one of his travelogues, showcasing his signature self-deprecating humour.

2. Genre: Humorous personal anecdote/Travel writing.

3. Central Theme: The story revolves around the narrator's extreme clumsiness and inability to perform simple tasks, especially while travelling, leading to a series of comical mishaps (catastrophes, as he calls them). It highlights the frustrations and absurdities that can accompany travel.

4. Summary of Key Incidents & Plot Points:

• Introduction to Clumsiness: The narrator establishes early on that he is prone to accidents and confusion, particularly in public places like airports and cinemas. He struggles with basic tasks like finding the lavatory or remembering his hotel room number.
• The Logan Airport Incident (Boston):
  • The narrator is travelling with his family (en famille).
  • He remembers his British Airways frequent flyer card is in his carry-on bag just before check-in.
  • The bag's zipper gets jammed. He pulls harder, causing the zip to break and the side of the bag to fly open.
  • Contents spill out over a large area: newspaper cuttings, loose tobacco, magazines, passport, English money, film.
  • His finger gets gashed on the zip and starts bleeding profusely.
  • He becomes flustered, shouting "My finger! My finger!", causing consternation among other passengers. His wife looks on with exasperation, not surprise.
• Incidents on Airplanes:
  • Spilling Drinks: He has a knack for knocking over soft drinks onto fellow passengers, especially women. He recounts leaning back to talk to an attractive woman and knocking his drink into her lap.
  • The Ink Incident: While trying to look sophisticated (suave and debonair) on a flight, he attempts to write notes. He puts a pen in his mouth and engages in conversation, only to find later that the pen leaked, leaving his mouth, chin, teeth, and gums a startling shade of navy blue for several days.
• Frequent Flyer Miles Problem:
  • Despite flying frequently (estimated 100,000 miles a year), he rarely gets to use his air miles.
  • Reasons: He forgets to ask for them, the airline fails to record them, or he can't find his card.
  • He illustrates this with the example of a flight to Australia – he couldn't find his card and thus couldn't claim the miles. The name on the ticket (B. Bryson) didn't match the name on the card (W. Bryson), adding to the confusion. He laments missing out on a potential first-class trip to Bali.
• The Narrator's Coping Mechanism & His Wife's Role:
  • He acknowledges his inability to perform tasks others find simple.
  • His wife is patient but often exasperated. She instructs their children to "Take the lids off the food for Daddy" because he is likely to cause a mess (seismic event).
  • He is not allowed to cut meat when they travel and is warned before opening car doors.
  • He doesn't eat or drink on planes without lids and avoids bending over to tie shoelaces.
• Conclusion/Acceptance:
  • He marvels at people who manage travel smoothly.
  • He accepts his limitations and concludes that his only travel desire is to return home safely without causing major incidents or injury. He longs for simple pleasures rather than travel perks.

5. Character Sketch: The Narrator (Bill Bryson)

• Extremely Clumsy: The defining trait. He struggles with zippers, lids, drinks, pens, directions, etc.
• Self-deprecating: He narrates his embarrassing moments with humour, fully aware of his own absurdity.
• Easily Flustered: Minor problems quickly escalate into panic (e.g., the jammed zip, the bleeding finger).
• Observant: Despite his clumsiness, he observes the reactions of others (his wife's exasperation, fellow passengers' consternation).
• Relatable (in a way): While his clumsiness is exaggerated for comic effect, many readers can relate to minor travel frustrations or embarrassing moments.
• Desires Simplicity: Ultimately, he doesn't crave adventure or luxury but just wants to manage basic tasks without disaster.

6. Tone and Style:

• Humorous: The primary tone, achieved through exaggeration, understatement, and descriptions of ridiculous situations.
• Conversational: Written in an easy-to-read, anecdotal style, as if telling a story to a friend.
• Self-deprecating: The humour comes largely from the narrator making fun of himself.

7. Key Vocabulary for Exams:

• Catastrophe: An event causing great and usually sudden damage or suffering; a disaster.
• Exasperated: Intensely irritated and frustrated.
• Consternation: Feelings of anxiety or dismay, typically at something unexpected.
• Suave: (Especially of a man) charming, confident, and elegant.
• Debonair: (Of a man) confident, stylish, and charming.
• En famille: (French) With one's family.
• Accrue: (Of sums of money or benefits) be received by someone in regular or increasing amounts over time.
• Seismic event: An earthquake or event causing earth tremors; used humorously here to mean a major disturbance or mess.
• Eject: Force or throw out (something) violently or suddenly.
• Bon vivant: (French) A person who enjoys a sociable and luxurious lifestyle. (The narrator implies he tries to appear this way but fails).

8. Message/Takeaway:

• Travel can be fraught with minor (and sometimes major) mishaps.
• Humour can be found in everyday frustrations and personal flaws.
• Accepting one's limitations can lead to a simpler, less stressful outlook.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):

1. Where did the incident with the jammed zipper and spilled bag contents occur?
   a) Heathrow Airport, London
   b) Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris
   c) Logan Airport, Boston
   d) JFK Airport, New York

2. What item was the narrator primarily trying to retrieve from his bag during the zipper incident?
   a) His passport
   b) His frequent flyer card
   c) His wallet
   d) A magazine

3. Which of these items did NOT spill out of the narrator's bag at the airport?
   a) Loose tobacco
   b) Newspaper cuttings
   c) A camera
   d) English money

4. What injury did the narrator sustain during the bag incident?
   a) A twisted ankle
   b) A bumped head
   c) A gashed finger
   d) A bruised arm

5. According to the narrator, who does he most often spill drinks on when flying?
   a) Himself
   b) The flight attendant
   c) The person sitting next to him, especially women
   d) His children

6. What caused the narrator's mouth, chin, and gums to turn navy blue on a flight?
   a) Eating blue candy
   b) Sucking on a leaky pen
   c) Drinking a blue-coloured soft drink
   d) An allergic reaction to airline food

7. Why did the narrator often fail to accrue frequent flyer miles?
   a) He didn't fly enough.
   b) He deliberately avoided loyalty programs.
   c) He forgot his card, forgot to ask, or the airline made errors.
   d) His card had expired.

8. What does the narrator's wife ask the children to do for him when they travel?
   a) Carry his luggage
   b) Remind him of the flight time
   c) Take the lids off his food
   d) Help him find the lavatory

9. What is the meaning of the phrase 'en famille' used in the text?
   a) In a hurry
   b) With one's family
   c) Feeling ill
   d) On business

10. What is the narrator's ultimate desire when it comes to travelling?
    a) To visit exotic locations like Bali
    b) To collect the maximum number of air miles
    c) To appear suave and debonair
    d) To simply arrive and return home without incident

Answer Key for MCQs:

1. c
2. b
3. c
4. c
5. c
6. b
7. c
8. c
9. b
10. d

Study these notes carefully, focusing on the specific incidents and the narrator's characterisation. Understanding the humour and the vocabulary will be beneficial for your exams. Good luck!