John Cheever’s allegorical story of a man swimming across his town presents several themes common to twentieth-century fiction.
Set in an affluent county in suburban New York, “The Swimmer” comments on the wealth associated with the upper classes of American society. The beginning of the tale opens with Neddy Merrill at a cocktail party on a pleasant midsummer afternoon. He has a drink in one hand and is dangling his other hand in a backyard swimming pool. Although pools are frequently considered a luxury by most people, in this community they are commonplace. In fact, pools are so prevalent in his neighborhood that Neddy can make the eight-mile journey home by swimming. The wealth of Neddy and his neighbors is reinforced by the fact that one of them even has a riding range that Neddy must cross on his journey home. The affluence of the upper class is also reflected in Neddy’s and his friends’ predilection for—and ability to afford— parties. At the story’s beginning, Neddy’s wife and friends are complaining about the previous night’s party at which they had too much to drink. Furthermore, on his journey home, Neddy attends other parties, all of which are catered. In an ironic reversal, however, by the tale’s end it is revealed that Neddy is in financial trouble.
Appearance vs. Reality
Despite the financial well-being of Neddy’s circle of friends, their situations are not necessarily happy or hopeful. Critics have noted that their parties represent the emptiness of contemporary American society and the meaningless and hypocrisy of the middle and upper classes. For example, Neddy tries to gain a sense of accomplishment and to recapture his youth by swimming home—an act that he considers meaningful, but one that is bizarre and of no real importance. The happiness supposedly associated with wealth is also elusive. Friends continue to offer their sympathies about Neddy’s recent financial misfortunes, and the domesticity associated with suburbia is shattered when it is revealed that despite his happy marriage to Lucinda, Neddy has had an affair with one of his neighbors, Shirley Adams. The hypocrisy suggested by Neddy’s affair is also reflected in his relationship with the Biswangers. Although repeatedly invited, Neddy and his wife refused to attend the Biswangers’ parties because they associated with the wrong sort of people. These people include real estate agents, veterinarians, and eye doctors; although all these individuals are trained and respected members of the community, they do not fit into the Merrills’ social group.
Alienation and Loneliness
Neddy’s affair and the circumstances surrounding his arrival home reveal an ultimate loneliness and alienation that are considered major themes of “The Swimmer.” Other details in the story also reflect this thematic emphasis. Neddy, for example, is snubbed and treated as a gate-crasher at the Biswangers’ party. Of the homes he encounters on his journey, several are locked up, and one house is even vacant and for sale. Also, at the story’s conclusion, Neddy arrives home, but instead of finding his wife and daughters, he discovers that his house is dark, locked, and empty.
The Life Cycle
The life cycle and the passage of time are also prominent themes of “The Swimmer.” When the story begins, Neddy, who is described as being near the prime of his life, decides to affirm his vitality by swimming home. At first his journey goes smoothly. He does, however, run into various obstacles, represented by physical challenges (hedges, gravel paths, highways, and the like) as well as by people, the various friends and neighbors he encounters. As he progresses on his journey, he grows more fatigued and is struck by the loneliness of his situation. Cold and miserable (and a little drunk), he even considers giving up the journey. During the course of his trip, Neddy also becomes less and less sure of his abilities and memories. Friends offer their consolations about his recent misfortunes, but he denies that there is anything wrong. It is, however, unclear whether Neddy is merely denying that something is wrong or whether his memory has failed him. Appearing cold, tired, miserable, and alone at the end of the story, Neddy stands in sharp contrast to the vibrant man who began the swim home at the story’s onset. The passage of time is also reflected in the story in a surreal way in its focus on the seasons. When Neddy’s begins his swim, it is a beautiful and warm summer day. By the end of the story, he has encountered a terrible storm and the temperature has dropped drastically. Furthermore, the leaves have started to turn and are beginning to fall in preparation for winter.
Short Stories for Students, Volume 2, John Cheever, Edited by Kathleen Wilson, Published by Gale Research, New York, 1997.