The Swimmer

The story’s protagonist, Neddy Merrill, embodies The Alienation of Postwar American Suburbia. John Cheever presents a character who is alienated from others, partly due to the artificiality of his suburban environment and partly due to his narcissistic character. Although Neddy and his wife, Lucinda, know and even socialize with their neighbors (as illustrated by their presence at the Westerhazys’ pool), Cheever implies their interactions are superficial. The lack of dialogue in the opening paragraphs, other than repeated assertions from the characters that they “drank too much” (Paragraph 1), highlights the lack of meaningful communication. As Neddy visits the pools of the neighborhood, his acquaintances declare they must see one another again soon, but without conviction. Cheever highlights how often Neddy and Lucinda “regret” invitations, implying that their “regret” is insincere. He also conveys the snobbery and unspoken status competition inherent in the affluent suburb. This is illustrated in the Merrills’ friendship with the extremely wealthy Hallorans and their snubbing of invitations from the Biswangers, who do “not belong to Neddy’s set” (23). The fragility of relationships built on social status is emphasized as Neddy’s precarious financial situation emerges, receiving an increasingly hostile reception from his neighbors, including the Biswangers.

Cheever’s exploration of Neddy’s social network also underlines the theme of Alcohol Addiction and Suburban Life. Neddy is seen asking for a drink or wishing for one multiple times throughout the story, and his desire for alcohol takes on more urgency than reaching his destination. While Neddy appears to have an addiction to alcohol, it is also clear from the story’s opening lines that everyone in the neighborhood drinks “too much.” The story suggests that the comforts enjoyed by the residents of the area have led to a lifestyle that involves the constant pursuit of pleasure. Neddy’s drinking emerges as a tool to block out the realities of life that jeopardize this pleasure. As he realizes he has forgotten important facts about his life and those of his friends, he reflects, “Was his memory failing or had he so disciplined it in the repression of unpleasant facts that he had damaged his sense of truth?” (Paragraph 10).

The narrative perspective and style of “The Swimmer” invests the story with irony and satire. The third-person limited narration conveys Neddy’s thoughts while maintaining an ironic detachment that exposes his character flaws. Neddy’s narcissism is illustrated in the following reflection: “He was not a practical joker nor was he a fool, but he was determinedly original and had a vague and modest idea of himself as a legendary figure” (Paragraph 3). The juxtaposition of Neddy’s perception of himself as both “modest” and “a legendary figure” satirizes his self-aggrandized view of himself. A brief section of second-person narration halfway through the story further distances the narrative from Neddy by allowing readers to observe him as if they were disinterested passersby. Describing the protagonist at the side of the highway in his trunks, the narrator states, “Had you gone for a Sunday afternoon ride that day you might have seen him, close to naked […]. You might have wondered if he was the victim of foul play” (Paragraph 11). This second-person perspective of Neddy underlines the absurdity of his quest.

Neddy’s characterization also underlines The Fragility of Suburban Masculinity. Through his self-aggrandizing comparison of himself to heroes and explorers, evoking the epic voyage of Odysseus, Neddy clearly believes himself to embody masculinity. However, Cheever undermines this idea by underlining that the most heroic feat Neddy can conceive of is swimming home across his neighbors’ pools. The protagonist’s similarities to Narcissus suggest the self-centeredness and sense of entitlement at the heart of suburban masculinity. The purpose of his “quest” is to glorify himself in the eyes of others. Meanwhile, his unrepentant memories of ending his affair with his mistress, Shirley, echo the rejection of Echo by Narcissus in Greek myth.

Neddy fails to foresee that his journey will entail being confronted by the results of his egotism and callous treatment of others. His mental state declines as the increasingly hostile treatment he receives erodes his confident, masculine persona. For example, Shirley’s replacement of him with a younger lover challenges his sense of entitlement and virility. The moment when he cries for the first time since childhood marks a stripping away of the trappings of Neddy’s masculinity. The discovery of his abandoned home is the culmination of this journey, as he realizes he has lost the status symbols of his masculinity: his wife, his daughters, his servants, and his suburban home. His loss of control over his emotions and his acknowledgment that he can no longer employ hired help underscore his emasculation.

The depiction of the passage of time in “The Swimmer” introduces a Surrealist element to the narrative. In the course of a summer’s day, time becomes fluid and confusing, as Neddy is unable to reconcile his reality with the visual, auditory, and olfactory clues he receives from the world around him. Despite the unmistakable signs that autumn is approaching, he explains away trees with falling leaves as “blighted.” The summer’s day symbolizes Neddy’s initial confidence in his youth and vigor at the beginning of the story. However, the signs of fall are accompanied by Ned experiencing the gradual weakening and aching limbs of old age. In a parody of Odysseus’s voyage, Neddy’s physical decline suggests that years have passed within less than 24 hours.