The Swimmer John Cheever Analysis
Life is full of incredulous and horrendous surprises. Mistakes are natural in human nature; humans can better themselves by facing and accepting their mistakes. In the short story "The Swimmer" by John Cheever, Ned Merrill swims through his neighbors' pools to get home. This short story has a variety of symbolism that connects to the themes of life; furthermore, Cheever wants to address his readers to accept their mistakes instead of ignoring it and then having to face it with bigger consequences. Ned Merrill does not follow this example, and he is left with nothing but himself. Ned Merrill is a man who had a very wonderful life but destroyed it by not accepting his mistakes. John Cheever makes note of this through the symbolism of
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Alcohol, for example, has many consequences when drinking it. John Cheever makes notes of alcohol throughout the novel. Alcohol has different representations. In the story, it can be represented as two things: a self-defense mechanism for Ned to forget his mistakes, or the mistakes itself. "A smiling bartender he had seen at a hundred parties gave him a gin and tonic and he stood by the bar...After swimming the pool he got himself a glass and poured a drink. It was his fourth or fifth drink"(Cheever 279). This quote, for example, explains how he uses alcohol to forget things. Most people who have four or five drinks do not function well with thinking, and Ned Merrill may be one of them. Throughout the story, Ned is written to almost have a drink after swimming; therefore, it is understandable for him to forget things, such as The Welchers moving away. If Ned is able to forget his neighbors moving away, then he is able to forget the mistakes he has made over time without accepting the consequences that go with it. The alcohol could also be used to represent the mistakes Ned has made through his life, and he insists on taking more. Ned goes to the Sachses' house for a drink, but is soon rejected by Helen. "'...I wonder if you’d give me a drink.' 'Why, I’d love to,' Helen said, 'but there hasn’t been anything in this house to drink since Eric’s operation.
Alcohol, for example, has many consequences when drinking it. John Cheever makes notes of alcohol throughout the novel. Alcohol has different representations. In the story, it can be represented as two things: a self-defense mechanism for Ned to forget his mistakes, or the mistakes itself. "A smiling bartender he had seen at a hundred parties gave him a gin and tonic and he stood by the bar...After swimming the pool he got himself a glass and poured a drink. It was his fourth or fifth drink"(Cheever 279). This quote, for example, explains how he uses alcohol to forget things. Most people who have four or five drinks do not function well with thinking, and Ned Merrill may be one of them. Throughout the story, Ned is written to almost have a drink after swimming; therefore, it is understandable for him to forget things, such as The Welchers moving away. If Ned is able to forget his neighbors moving away, then he is able to forget the mistakes he has made over time without accepting the consequences that go with it. The alcohol could also be used to represent the mistakes Ned has made through his life, and he insists on taking more. Ned goes to the Sachses' house for a drink, but is soon rejected by Helen. "'...I wonder if you’d give me a drink.' 'Why, I’d love to,' Helen said, 'but there hasn’t been anything in this house to drink since Eric’s operation.