Diving into John Cheever’s Short Story, The Swimmer

In John Cheever’s short story, “The Swimmer” he conveys the transformation of the character through the use of the literary element of setting. The story begins in an American, middle class, suburbs. After what seems to be a night of partying and drinking. Neddy Merrill, the main character initially appears very optimistic; he has a perfect family, high social status and very few problems in his life. In spite of his age, he feels young and energetic therefore decides to swim across town through the neighborhood pools. However, his journey becomes less and less enjoyable as the day unfolds. The water become murky, uninviting and he becomes exhausted. Also the people in his surrounding become less cordial including his mistress who wants nothing to do with him. His voyage then comes to an end when he arrives to an empty, abandoned home. The central idea suggests that an unhealthy obsession with the materialistic aspects of life can lead to alienation.

The society is suggested to be one obsessed with wealth, alcohol, and social status. Which unsurprisingly down spiraled to Neddy Merrill’s ultimate downfall. Cheever introduces the story by describing the societies overindulgence in alcohol, “I drank too much last night— you might have heard it whispered by the parishioners (or)—the priest himself” (Cheever 215). Therefore, indicating that it was a very common habit among the society as a whole, even the most respectable play a part. It is very apparent that the society perceived in the story is that of “prosperous men and woman” who have high standards in regards to possessions (Cheever 217). Wealth is a determinant of social status and respectability in his culture. Neddy’s journey starts well pampered by drinks,...

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...nterpretation of the story would be distinct with each setting. For example if he was to choose to write this story with a lower class, African-American social setting the interpretation the audience would acquire would much different. It could be to represent the enslavement era or the civil rights movement. Thus, setting is extremely crucial to the ultimate interpretation of the story.

Works Cited

Cheever, John. “The Swimmer.” Short Fiction: Classic and Contemporary. 6th ed. Ed. Charles Bohner and Lyman Grant. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2006.

Bloom, Harold, ed. "'The Swimmer'." John Cheever, Bloom's Major Short Story Writers. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishing, 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= BMSSJC43&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 25, 2011).