Alcohol: The Unseen Poison in 'The Swimmer'

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The story “The Swimmer” by Cheever takes place during midsummer Sunday where everyone sitting around and saying “I drank too much.” Most of the story takes place at when Neddy goes on a journey by traveling through many pools. Neddy belongs to white upper-middle class social standing. The story does changes over times when Neddy travels through different pools with new experiences. At the beginning of the story, everyone is talking about their hangovers. Throughout the story, alcohol is defined as a drug or poison. The protagonist is dealing is obsessed with alcohol, to which he could not stop drinking and it had become his habit as he continues his journey. In the story, alcohol is defined as the poison.

Plot:
When Neddy takes his journey …show more content…

As he traveled he met so many different people, who were rude, mean, and does not accept his acceptance. However, they are few who didn’t accept his habit of drinking. Which he could not stay away from. Many people have different roles in this try to contain situations towards the antagonist, so the antagonist figured himself properly, what really he is.

Point of View:
The story was told by third person point of view who reveals about the main character Neddy. The story had covered the main character thoughts and see his actions throughout the story. Also, the author was telling the story as someone was observing Neddy’s journey. It had shown the reactions of his friends and neighbors as he travels through their pools. “Neddy asks for a drink when he gets to Helen and Eric Sachsen’ pool, but Helen says they haven’t been drinking since Eric had an operation three years ago. Neddy has no recollection that Eric had been sick.” His feelings changes as he continuing his journey.

Theme:
The theme of the story is about that life continues and changes over time. Time passes and things do not stay the same. As Neddy finish his journey he becomes cold and his life cycle of happiness is shutting down while he is entering the winter world. “He shouted, pounded on the door, tried to force it with his shoulder, and then looking in at the windows, saw that the place was …show more content…

The story delivers the message that life is short and don’t waste your time. Spend this worthy time to achieve something good or reach your goals. Rather than him who had spent all his life in luxury and at the end he found there no one behind him everything he had gone. He wasted his life on things which were not worthy, such as drinking all the time. Which brought him close to death.

Critique/Analysis:
The story made me feel sad because the antagonist had suffered after entering the real world from his fantasies. The strongest aspect of the story is when Neddy learned the lesson from his journey that time pass quickly and life is too short. The weakest aspect of the story is Neddy attitude and feelings had changed as he went through his journey by meeting people. The story thought me that life is short and don’t waste time on things which are not worthy, besides, focus on your goals which can make you and

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