Analysis Of The Swimmer By John Cheever - 1143 Words

The Swimmer by John Cheever tells the story of a man journeying to retain his youth but in the end, loses more than he realises. Ironically enough, this is similar to what the protagonist in Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been, (written by Joyce Carol Oates) experiences. Both characters have an established goal yet never quite reach it. Imagery and symbolism are used to adeptly express this throughout each piece which creates an unsettling mood following the resolution. Imagery to infer the inevitable passing of time begins to appear in the form of rapidly changing seasons. At the beginning of the story, Cheever establishes that it is summer: â€Å"â€Å"It was one of those midsummer Sundays when everyone sits around saying, â€Å"I drank too†¦show more content†¦It is in the small act of disrespect that represents what Neddy has been refusing to accept all along - people disliking him for some undiscovered reason that has potentially left him as a shell of his form er self. Notions of sympathy are also strong hints regarding Neddy’s blissful and unaware state. In the middle of the story, friends comment on feeling terribly sorry for his misfortunes (which he is oblivious to) and â€Å"poor children† (31). In response to this, he affirms that he had not sold his house and his daughters are at home. Mrs. Halloran’s voice is then described as having an â€Å"unseasonable melancholy† (31) which would not be in the sense of total agreement with this declaration. His willing oblivion is finally unhindered when Neddy returns to his house, seeing that it had been long forgotten by the â€Å"rusted garage door handles† (34) and the emptiness within, which might also relate to the emptiness inside himself as well. The story ends with this cruel realisation, giving very little closure. This contributes to the unsettling and shocking mood that said conclusion portrays. The imagery in Where Are You Going, Where Have You B een? is fairly pivotal in relation to the climax and resolution, but it is portrayed in a way that centres around physicality as opposed to the metaphorical mind. Connie seeks individualism as much as she is confident and is willing to challenge parentalShow MoreRelatedAn Analysis of the Swimmer by John Cheever1694 Words   |  7 Pages201330) 26 April 2014 An Analysis of The Swimmer by John Cheever Most stories can have an emotional impact on people, but once in a while certain stories can take the reader to the edge of reality. The Swimmer is a fascinating story with primary use of a setting and amazing characters that engages readers and can move them to experience life in an unfathomable way. Cheever was born May 27, 1912, in Quincy, Massachusetts, to Frederick Lincoln Cheever and Mary Liley Cheever. His father owned a shoeRead MoreAnalysis Of The Swimmer By John Cheever1925 Words   |  8 PagesBook Award in 1958 for his debut novel The Wapshot Chronicle, John Cheever was highly acclaimed as a novelist, but he may be best remembered for his array of short stories. In the words of the acclaimed novelist Philip Roth, Cheever was an â€Å"enchanted realist† who had â€Å"as rich and distinctive [voice] as any of the leading voices of postwar American literature.† This ‘voice’ was in full display Cheever’s stories, especially in â€Å"The Swi mmer,† which is about a man named Neddy Merrill who embarks on a ‘voyage’Read MoreAn Analysis Of John Cheever s The Swimmer 1385 Words   |  6 Pages Snigdha Sama Mrs. Hurtado English I H 9 March 2016 A Tale of Riches to Rags in â€Å"The Swimmer† The character and intelligence of a person is truly shown when he or she is forced to face reality. This is clearly established in â€Å"The Swimmer†, a story about a man thrown off his high horse. The story starts with Neddy Merrill and his group of wealthy socialites conversing at the Westerhazys’ house. Flashing back to his Olympic days, Neddy decides to swim through bodies of water to reach hisRead MoreJohn Cheevers Personal Connection to The Swimmer1483 Words   |  6 Pageslearn, John Cheever is the master. By researching Cheever, I was able to understand his background, read his short story â€Å"The Swimmer† closely, and make a personal connection. Author Biography Known for writing about the world of the American suburbs, John Cheever is one of the greats. It is not because he wrote many great stories, was very rich, and had a fantastic life. He may have been some of those things, but not all of them like he had hoped. Much like most authors, John Cheever had a troubledRead MoreThe Passage of Time and Life in The Swimmer, by John Cheever2346 Words   |  10 Pagesstories and novels, author, John Cheever, has showcased his incredible writing abilities multiple times throughout his career. Even as a child, Cheever outwardly expressed his desire to write. As proven by his longstanding career, Cheever’s thirst for writing remained with him throughout his entire life. In perhaps his most famous piece of work, â€Å"The Swimmer,† Cheever’s impeccable writing ability is showcased brilliantly. Although originally set out to be a novel, â€Å"The Swimmer† has grown to become a widelyRead MoreEssay on John Cheever the Swi mmer1951 Words   |  8 PagesHierarchy in Cheever’s â€Å"The Swimmer† John Cheever’s short story, â€Å"The Swimmer,† describes the epic journey of Neddy Merrill as he attempts to swim his way back home. Throughout the story, readers continually question reality and fantasy while wondering whether Merrill is really experiencing what Cheever portrays or if he is simply stuck in the past. Merrill goes from house to house as he freestyles across each swimming pool along the way. As the story draws to the end, Cheever points out that Merrill’sRead MoreEssay on Troubled Waters: a Commentary on quot;the Swimmerquot;732 Words   |  3 Pagesnothing 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 Cheevers 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 MerrilRead MoreMasculinity As A Man s Man2606 Words   |  11 Pagesman’s man that exemplified President Theodore Roosevelt’s idea of pulling one’s self up by the bootstraps. Over the years, especially in literature, the evolution of masculinity can be directly traced through careful and considerate evaluation and analysis. As we explore the evolution of masculinity, the key elements to fully understand include what exactly it means to be a man, how this concept has changed over time, and what it means to be a man in today’s society. When the word masculinity is mentioned