The story "The Swimmer" by John Cheever follows the plight of a man, Neddy, and his
peculiar drive to swim home from the Westerhazy's by using the many pools of the rich
community between the home he is in and his own home eight miles away. "It was one of
those midsummer Sundays when everyone sits around saying "I drank too much last night".
The bewildered protagonist represents a society in which all of it's values are based
upon social status and materialism. During the course of Neddy's strange endeavor, the
illusions he has constructed about his life are stripped away, Neddy's gradual,
devastating progress from boundless optimism to bottomless despair, from summer to
fall, (all marked by the signals of seasonal change - the leaves on trees, the wheeling
of the constellations); and with Neddy slowly losing heart, growing weary, getting old.
The "American Dream" as reflected by the author, can be more closely examined and
defined. By looking at the external, one would see the affluent and rich and powerful,
but even under slightly more casual inspection you find that wealthy people loaf around
and indulge themselves with alcohol to rid themselves of their problems. His feeling of
confusion, gives us a lens to further analyze the concept. According to Neddy, “his life
was not confining and the delight he took in observation could not be explained by its
suggestion of escape”.
The bystanders view of Neddy, however, depicts him as “close
to naked,” as they “wondered if he was the victim of foul play, had his car broken down,
or was he merely a fool”. This, I believe, was meant to show some short of
disconnection from the real world. These men living out the "American Dream" can in
some ways become so disconnected with reality. Often relying on alcohol for escape,
“whiskey would... carry him through the last of his journey”.
Not unlike the fall of Gatsby, Cheever's creation of Neddy and the social
structure around him relies on the usage of allusion throughout the story. His
descriptions of the "prosperous men and women" becomes almost satirical in the
telling. The parties, the constant drinking, and the oblivious Neddy all can be tied to the
commentary of such a society.
Throughout the story, both the society and Neddy think
that they can avoid the problems of life by consuming alcohol, obtaining wealth, and
partying. Ultimately, the personal tragedy of mankind results from his own ignorance
and misperception of reality.
