THE SWIMMER (Other (Not Listed) Sample)

Name Professor’s Name Course Date “The Swimmer” The Swimmer is a story that symbolizes the life of a middle-class American individual. The main character in the story is Neddy Merrill. John Cheever talks about a well-off man named Ned Merrill visiting a friend in a suburban area. He then decides that he will swim for eight miles o his home using all the pools in the area. In the process, his journey becomes challenging since in every house he approaches, he is reminded of his economic, romantic, and domestic failures that devastate him, making him engage in addiction. The literary analysis focuses on the story’s setting, tone, and character, which revolves around Neddy Merrill. The story’s setting is in the suburbs of Westchester County, one of the wealthiest counties in the United States. It is a Sunday afternoon when Neddy Merrill spends most of his aquatic adventure. It is a Sunday afternoon when events occur “it was one of those midsummer Sundays when everyone sits around saying, "I drank too much last night (Cheever 726).” As stated by Cheever, the environment depicts the time when the events occurred in the area. He attends a cocktail party in the area, forcing him to swim through the different swimming pools (Shayne and Lehlohonolo). In his aquatic adventures, he uses the suburban area to make various discoveries that convert him from a vibrant man into an impoverished older man with significant crises. At the story's beginning, John Cheever focuses on the lightheaded and relaxed tone. Even as Neddy begins his journey, he calls Lucinda River after his wife while in a happy mood. Halfway through the story, the tone changes and becomes sad and dark. Since Neddy experiences various mental challenges as a result of his mid-life crisis. Cheever asserts, “Was he losing his memory, had his gift for concealing painful facts let him forget that he sold his house, that his children were in trouble, and that his friend had been ill?" (Cheever 734). The quote suggests how Neddy Merrill’s life storms made him unaware of specific conflicts around him and how to deal with them. The storm he experiences in his forgetfulness shows his tragic experiences through mental health issues (Shayne and Lehlohonolo). Neddy Merrill finds himself engaging in addiction since he cannot control his life through a sad tone. Neddy Merrill is the main character in the story, with a wife named Lucinda and four daughters. In the beginning, he has a high social standing, a perfect family living in an expensive suburban home, and has minor life problems since he and his friends are all blessed (Shayne and Lehlohonolo). In his life, he has mastered the world’s r...