Introduction
When people encounter complex life situations, they sometimes choose unhealthy coping strategies, such as alcohol or gambling. The chosen work, “The Swimmer” (1964), written by John Cheever, depicts this problem from Neddy’s perspective. He has a loving wife, beautiful daughters, and helpful friends. However, for some reason, a strange idea comes to Neddy’s mind to swim the whole district, from pool to pool. It sounds like a real adventure, almost safe and harmless, so the traveler begins their long voyage.
Another replaces one pool, friends’ faces are indifferent to strangers’ faces, and spring becomes autumn. It is a surreal story that reflects Neddy’s downfall, the destruction of his family, and the negative impact of alcohol on his life via symbolism. Thus, Cheever shows how people can reject reality with unhealthy habits, demonstrating the disastrous consequences of such choices.
Analysis
Alcohol is one of the main symbols in the story that depicts Neddy’s problems and family issues. It also acts as an instrument for the main character to escape from his real life and erase his bad memories. In this story, the journey equals the escape from reality. It is not for nothing that the story begins with the phrase, “We all drank too much” (Cheever para. 3). At first, the main hero succeeds. Still, it is impossible to run away forever, and gradually the world of illusions recedes, and bitter memories break through the setting of self-hypnosis and self-deception.
In addition, this journey is an allegory for life itself. People swim, not noticing how the seasons change, how debts multiply, and how the body grows old. “Since it was midsummer, the tree must be blighted, and yet he felt a sadness at this sign of autumn” demonstrates how Neddy feels that something is wrong but cannot understand why (Cheever para. 13). One should not lose the feeling of the passage of time; otherwise, one will not have time to look back, as the person may find themselves in front of an empty house at the sunset of life.
Cheever uses techniques that are characteristic of many of the author’s stories. These are, for example, the shift of the climax to the story’s outcome, the unexpected transformation of the character or situation, and the exploration of a closed space, such as the suburbs with several houses. Moreover, the author fills the novel with metaphors and comparisons: “The water refracted the sound of voices and laughter and seemed to suspend it in midair” (Cheever para. 10). It helps the author to force the reader to focus not on realism but on reflection.
The short story contains a complex conflict between the image of the hero and the result of one’s act. At the novel’s beginning, Neddy appears as a man without weaknesses: “he seemed to have the special slenderness of youth” (Cheever para. 5). However, as he experiences countless problems and family issues, this image of an ideal, fit, tanned, and wealthy man disappears.
Lastly, the author demonstrates that self-discovery can lead to disastrous findings in a creative manner. The hero presents himself as a discoverer, but his attempt to make a cognitive effort leads to self-destruction. “In his mind he saw, with a cartographer’s eye, a string of swimming pools, a quasi-subterranean stream that curved across the county” describes his desire for a personal journey (Cheever para. 6). Time turns out to be capable of stretching, as while Neddy swims from one side of the pool to the other, it seems as days, months, and even years pass.
As a result, his journey of self-discovery uncovers the ugly secrets of his past instead of his dreams and wishes. At this point in the story, alcohol reappears as the instrument to forget about all problems once again and start the voyage anew. The quote, “He needed a drink. Whiskey would warm him, pick him up, carry him through the last of his journey,” clearly confirms Neddy’s unhealthy addiction (Cheever para. 31). Alcohol has destroyed Neddy’s life. Still, it has also become his only friend, showing the grim reality depicted in “The Swimmer.”
Conclusion
“The Swimmer” is a surreal story about the disastrous consequences of addiction and how people tend to escape their real-life problems. It is impossible to say whether the main character is moving into the past, into the future, or remains in place in the present. Due to the lack of details indicating how much time has passed, a motif of repetition appears in the story. It is present in everything: characters’ dialogues, the story’s composition, and the description of the water.
Water is symbolic, disturbing space and time, confusing the present with the past, each time the protagonist swims. As the story progresses, it also turns from a relaxing and cozy environment to a cold and hostile one, resembling Neddy’s life. In summary, “The Swimmer” is an unfortunate but realistic story that demonstrates the weakness of the human mind and the power of addiction.
Work Cited
Cheever, John. “The Swimmer.” The New Yorker, Web.