The
short story “The Swimmer”, by American Author John William Cheever, was
published in The New Yorker on July
18, 1964. Most of Cheever’s fiction is set in upper-class suburbs including the
Upper East Side of Manhattan, the Westchester suburbs, and old New England
villages around Quincy, Massachusetts. Cheever was born in Quincy and was
raised in a large Victorian house. During his childhood his father, Frederick
Cheever, worked as a successful and prosperous shoe salesman. As the shoe and
textile industries declined, his father lost most of his money and began
drinking alcohol heavily. John Cheever also struggled with alcoholism most of
his adult life. The story is told with a semi-omniscient narrator. The reader
has access only to the main character’s thoughts and feelings. The main
character is Neddy Merrill, an upper-class, free-spirited, older gentleman full
of youthfulness. Other characters include his wife Lucinda Merrill, Donald and
Helen Westerhazy, and many others that Neddy meets during his journey. The
story is set at Donald and Helen Westerhazy’s house during a midsummer Sunday.
Neddy and his wife are lounging by the pool when Neddy decides to swim home, 8
miles away, by the way of swimming pools located throughout the county. He
names this string of swimming pools the Lucinda River, after his wife, and
starts his journey full of youthful energy and optimism. He is happily greeted
by the first few pool owners, but then a storm approaches and the tone changes.
Neddy has trouble at the public pool, which is not as nice as the privately
owned pools, but nevertheless continues on. Signals indicate a seasonal change
from summer to autumn and Neddy is greeted more hostile by the next few pool
owners. He begins to hear stories of money and other misfortunes that he has
trouble recalling. He finally arrives at his home, where his four daughters
should be, to find it empty and abandoned. The textual signals and gaps
presented indicate the relationship between wealth and happiness and social
classes. The story is narrated through the course of a day but signals claim a
span of two seasons, from mid-summer to autumn. This contradiction is the
paradox.
At first read I filled the gaps in
the text with my personal experiences about my grandma. Growing up I knew she
was retired and well off financially. She owned a large farm and I remember
spending my summer vacations from school with her. The beginning of the story
reminded me of those hot summer days spent down at the creek swimming. My
grandmother seemed to be full of energy as well. In the story, Neddy hears of
financial trouble, his and people he knows, but can’t seem to remember all the
details. When I was around sixteen my grandma began acting different. She
wasn’t herself and had trouble remembering to pay her bills. We all knew there
was something wrong with her. Over the next few years we learned she had
Alzheimer’s. In the story Neddy arrives home to find his home abandoned. The
text suggests he lost his home, money, and possibly his memory. I filled this gap with the memory of my
grandma losing her farm, money, and her memory. My first interpretation of the
text from my personal experience, lead me to believe the story was about
becoming elder and how, in hindsight, it seems to happen overnight. Further
analysis of signals, gaps, irony, and diction suggests otherwise.
In the beginning of the story the narrator
indicates that everyone is happy, drinking and lounging by the pool, “We all
drank too much.” It is a nice mid-summer day but the narrator implies that
could change, “In the west there was a massive stand of cumulus cloud so like a
city from a distance.” The narrator relates the color of the water and drinking
with being wealthy and happy, “Neddy Merrill sat by the green water, one hand
in it, one around a glass of gin.” This sets the tone for the first part of the
story. Neddy is even compared to a summer’s day, “He might have been compared
to a summer’s day, particularly the last hours of one.” The last part of this sentence
reveals what is to come. Before Neddy begins his journey across the county the
narrator reveals Neddy has a narcissistic side, “he was determinedly original
and had a vague and modest idea of himself as a legendary figure…He had an
inexplicable contempt for men who did not hurl themselves into pools.” This is
important because it provides insight to Neddy’s character.
Neddy begins his journey and his
first stop is the Grahams. Diction implies the Grahams are wealthy and in the
same social class as Neddy. Mrs. Graham greets him with excitement, “what a
marvelous surprise…Here, let me get you a drink.” After that it was off to the Hammers, the
Lears, the Howlands, and the Crosscups. The narrator demonstrates all are wealthy
through imagery of their property. Neddy’s next stop is the Bunkers. As he
approaches the Bunkers he hears sounds of a party. The narrator demonstrates
the peak of Neddy’s wealth, “Oh, how bonny and lush were the banks of the
Lucinda River! Prosperous men and women gathered by the sapphire-colored waters
while caterer’s men in white coats passed them cold gin.” Neddy is greeted
enthusiastically by Enid Bunker, “Oh, look who’s here! What a marvelous
surprise!” The tone is that of superiority. The narrator implies Neddy is a
wealthy, respected man, “he stopped to kiss eight or ten other women and shake
the hands of as many men.” Neddy is on to the Levys, who are not home, but
after swimming in their pool, helps himself to a drink. The narrator reveals
this is Neddy’s fourth or fifth drink and this becomes a change in the tone of
the story.
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