John Cheever's The Swimmer

1792 Words8 Pages
Introduction The Swimmer is one of Cheever’s short stories in his tome, ‘The Stories of John Cheever’. He describes the swimmer as a rich and idle young man named Neddy who embarked on a swimming excursion to home on a midsummer Sunday. Neddy begins his venture while highly spirited and encountered allies and cordial neighbors along his way. As he proceeds with his journey, he gets weary and receives disturbing news from his neighbors. He realizes that his friend had a surgery that he cannot recall of and Mrs. Halloran consoled him for his terrible loss, which he appeared unfamiliar with as he presumes that he is well wealthy with a happy family. Time passes quickly and the trees begin to alter their color and shed leaves. While in public…show more content…
This approach usually sounds like the narrator is the author. The technique is often allows the reader to fashion their own conjectures as regards the minds of the characters. It is an inclusive approach that allows the reader to be a part of the plot’s resolution. An example of the use of third-person narration in the story is illustrated as, “His life was not confining and the delight he took in this observation could not be explained by its suggestion of escape” (Cheever 783). It is clear from this statement to resonate with Cheever’s purpose with Neddy. He intended to use him for one corporate strategy as a poster-boy depicting an image of a business-hungry and shallow American. As such, the narrator’s attitude towards Neddy reveals that Neddy is selfish, cold-hearted and empty at heart. The story evidences this fact, as it is clear that Neddy’s character is dissimilar to that of his cronies. Other people seem friendly and caring of their friends and neighbors while Neddy is uncaring and hedonistic (Cheever 781). His pilgrim aspect of swimming is his way of coping with his self-centered nature. The narrator depicts Neddy as one consumed with his ambition to the extent of losing track of everything in life. This escapism nature of Neddy draws him away from reality to surrealism (Nicholas

More about John Cheever's The Swimmer

Open Document