Comparison of The Swimmer and A Rose For Emily

544 Words2 Pages

“The swimmer” and “A Rose for Emily” both show the same theme in the way that they both show that the characters cannot face the past. Emily will not face the truth, the fact that her father died. Neddy drinks because he cannot face the past. The act of drinking takes his mind off of the pains he dealt with in the past.

The main ideas that are expressed in John Cheever's The Swimmer, is how Neddy lives through a variety of stages of alcoholism and how they each affect his everyday life. In The Swimmer, Neddy takes daily swims through multiple swimming pools. This represents the journeys in his life. He goes from being cheerful to complete sadness and depression. When Neddy is or is not swimming also represents the emotions he is going through. For example, when Neddy is not swimming, he will feel down or angry for no apparent reason. Because of his alcohol addiction, he is usually looking for alcohol during this period of time. Once he has had a few drinks, he is feeling much better and is ready to swim again. “He needed a drink. Whiskey would warm him, pick him up, carry him ...

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