In an allegory nothing is what is seems and even when the meaning of something is pinned down it is still a subjective decision. Therefore whichever aspect that is to be defined may have completely different meanings depending on the individual reader. In John Cheever's "The Swimmer" there is certainly no shortage of aspects, ranging from very small details to broad encompassing settings, that have a different meaning other than what they literally are. One such facet is that the protagonist of this story, Neddy Merril, is swimming a staggering eight miles to his house by way of neighborhood private and public pools. Throughout this journey Neddy becomes closer and closer to the realization of what is really happening to him and the reason for this is that the pools he is swimming in are actually representative of the alcohol he is consuming. This connection, between water and alcohol, will be found and explained through close critical analysis of this story in the following paragraphs.
The most obvious observation that would lead to the conclusion of a connection between water and alcohol is that at most of the houses Neddy visits he either asks for a drink, is given a drink, or just takes a drink. What ties all of these drinks together in similarity is that he always drinks either before or after his swim, never during. This might suggest that the act of swimming is actually like the act of drinking because for Neddy it seems the more he swims the more intoxicated he becomes. One example of this correlation is when Ned visits the Levy's and takes it on himself to pour a drink from a pitcher the Levy's had made. This event stands out among the rest because in all of the other situations he was given a ...
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... even after realizing that the idea of swimming eight miles to get to his house was somewhat of a flawed idea. This seems to correspond with a person who is drunk taking a break from drinking and almost realizing what is going on and still falling back under the influence of the alcohol.
In conclusion, it seems that through the analysis of the short story "The Swimmer" that John Cheever purposefully included a real connection between the water that his protagonist swam and the alcohol that he drank. Also, through further consideration it seems that a part of the reason of this short story might be a commentary on the fact that in societies where affluence is present there tends to be a large amount of addiction. It could be assumed that this idea might be because the author believes that material comfort breads unrest and mental illness to its beholders.
In the second story of Drown by Junot Diaz, Yunior and Rafa have already been in the United States of America for about three years. In this story, their mother’s sister came to the United States. They travel to the Bronx in order to celebrate their aunts and uncles’ arrival. In Fiesta 1980, we meet their father and sister, and learn more about their mother. Through the way they all interact, we learn more about each family member’s characteristics and their family dynamic.
The main ideas that are expressed in John Cheever's The Swimmer, is how Neddy lives through a variety of stages of alcoholism and how they each affect his everyday life. In The Swimmer, Neddy takes daily swims through multiple swimming pools. This represents the journeys in his life. He goes from being cheerful to complete sadness and depression. When Neddy is or is not swimming also represents the emotions he is going through. For example, when Neddy is not swimming, he will feel down or angry for no apparent reason. Because of his alcohol addiction, he is usually looking for alcohol during this period of time. Once he has had a few drinks, he is feeling much better and is ready to swim again. “He needed a drink. Whiskey would warm him, pick him up, carry him ...
Water is a powerful medium for introspection. This truth is evident in the short story, 'Greasy Lake,' by T. Coraghessan Boyle. In this story, water serves as a catalyst for self-reflection, as it propels the protagonist into a certain degree of conflict, and ultimately works to reveal and confront the character?s inner struggle.
While some stories are more relevant in today 's society I think they are all equally important, despite the amount of attention each topic gets in American society’s media. In “The Swimmer” the clever metaphor using Neddy’s slowly digressing swim journey on the “Lucinda River” compares to how his real life and his relationship with his wife Lucinda and his children goes downhill. It is clear that Neddy is living a la...
John Cheever does not merely state the theme of his story, he expresses his theme, as a good writer should, in a variety of metaphors and analogies coupled with powerful imagery. In The Swimmer, Cheever writes and underscores his primary theme of alcoholism in many ways, such as his use of autumnal imagery and the color green. However, there is also some very prominent symbolism and allusions that serve to highlight the theme while also augmenting the artistic and poetic nature of the story. One very important use of symbolism is in the “perverted sacraments” as originally pointed out by Hal Blythe in 1984. Along side these symbols, Hal Blythe, along with Charlie Sweet, later discovered a clear allusion to Ponce de Leòn in 1989.
Cheever, John. “The Swimmer”. Short Fiction: Classic and Contemporary. 6th ed. Ed. Charles Bohner and Lyman Grant. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2006.
Some of the most popular uses of water in literature include representing themes such as life, death, the soul, a cleansing, as well as creation and destruction. The sea in particular has often been cast in the past as its own ominous presence. A being of uncertainty and infinite depths, the sea is often a mysterious force in literature with many different meanings. The sea can be seen as the start of new beginnings and adventures as well as a dark end all. Throughout The Awakening, water is used to symbolize fear, frustration, rebirth, and liberation. This symbolism can be seen throughout the story in corporation with the main character, Edna
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.
Critics interpreting Chaucerian depictions of drunkenness have traditionally focused on the state as an unalloyed vice, citing variously as justification the poet’s Christian conservatism, his intimate association with the disreputable London vintner community, and even possible firsthand familiarity with alcoholism. While we must always remain vigilant to the evils of excessive inebriation, to portray Chaucer’s images of drink and revelry in The Canterbury Tales as an unqualified denunciation is to oversimplify the poet’s work and to profane his art. By fusing his portrayals of drunkenness with the revelation of truth and philosophical insight, Chaucer demonstrates the capacity of wine and ale to evoke the funky earthiness of humanity that we so desperately seek to avoid and that is so fundamental to our corporeal experience.
Short stories are a common literary form that allows the author to convey much in a condensed manner. Short stories can vary greatly in their purpose and structure. In a comparison of the stories "The Swimmer" and "The Drunkard," it is clear that the former is the superior literary work, as it utilizes literary elements more thoroughly in order to convey more significant themes.
is embarrassed by the time he had wasted, and the ease with which he became
water, curved and smooth and green.'; This seems to illustrate the peacefulness of the situation, almost creating a lazy, calm atmosphere. However, the imagery within “The Swimmer'; is quite opposite. “The Swimmer'; tends to portray a scene of force, as there is no evidence of the peaceful interaction between man and water as found in “Lone Bather.'; Evidence of such force ...
“The Swimmer” by John Cheever is a short story about Neddy Merrill and his journey through alcoholism. Alcoholism plays a detrimental role in Neddy Merrill’s life because it has been ruined due to his dependence on this awful substance. The author symbolically presents the stages of alcoholism, its effects on the alcoholic, as well as how the alcoholic’s family and friends change towards Neddy.
In the short story The Swimmer by John Cheever, one of the dominant themes is the passage of time. In this short story time seems to pass as reality does with us unaware of its passing. The main character is the protagonist hero, Neddy Merrill who embarks on a traditional theme of a homeward journey. The scene opens on a warm mid-summer day at an ongoing pool party with Neddy and his wife Lucinda. The pool is “fed by an artesian well with a high iron content, was a pale shade of green.
The Swimmer by John Cheever begins at Helen and Donald Westerhazy’s pool when Neddy Merrill makes the decision to journey eight miles home by swimming through a series of pools, he calls the “Lucinda River” (297) and walking when unable to swim. While he making his way back home, he stops at fourteen old friends’ houses and drinks before continuing on if possible. By the end of Neddy’s journey, he is exhausted and comes to the realization that he has lost not only his house but also his wife and daughters, and also his so-called friends and even a mistress. Cheever suggests that alcoholism is a destruction of life through the use of symbolism, imagery, and characterization.