The Lost Generation in The Swimmer, by John Cheever and Winter Dreams, by F. Scott Fitzgerald

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“The Swimmer” by John Cheever and “Winter Dreams” by F. Scott Fitzgerald have many elements in common. These stories are about two wealthy men interacting with other wealthy people. As the stories progress Neddy and Dexter search for the truth and the meaning of life. These two literary works fall under the literary movement called The Lost Generation. Finally, at the end of the narratives they are both grieving for themselves and realize that they have missed life’s meaning and opportunities. Authors use symbolism, imagery, and other literary devises to illustrate their anecdote’s themes. Fitzgerald and Cheever use watery imagery, such as the swimming pools and the boat, to convey the themes of their stories, which is, the passage of time and that there is a dark side of the American Dream.

The swimming pools that Neddy, the main character, plunges through as he makes his way home signifies the passage of time. At the beginning of the narrative, Neddy is a “slender man-he seemed to have the especial slenderness of youth-and while he was far from young he had slid down his banist...

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