Short Story: The Swimmer

Introduction
"The Swimmer" is a short story by John Cheever, released in 1964. It informs the story of the protagonist, Neddy Merrill, who decides to swim home through a series of his neighbors' pools. Throughout the story, the passage of time is strangely distorted, leading the reader to question the protagonist's sanity. The Swimmer is a surrealist and cautionary tale about the emptiness and disillusionment of rural life in 1960s America.

Setting and Characters
The story is set in a rich suburban neighborhood in Connecticut during a summer day. The lead character, Neddy Merrill, is a rich, middle-aged guy who lives in the fictional area of Bullet Park with his spouse and four daughters. Neddy is initially depicted as a confident and daring person who is favored and appreciated by his pals and neighbors.

The story begins at a yard pool celebration hosted by Neddy's good friends, the Westerhazys. While the characters enjoy their drinks and discussions, they all appear unconcerned to the vacuum and superficiality of their lives. The dialogue between the characters typically remains shallow, concentrating on gossip, gatherings, and product possessions-- showing the basic malaise of the post-war American Dream.

The plot focuses on Neddy's decision to swim across all the swimming pools in the community in a straight line, which he describes as the "Lucinda River"-- named after his spouse-- as a method to reach his own home. Throughout his journey, Neddy encounters numerous good friends, associates, and obstacles which slowly expose the darker reality behind his carefree personality.

The Swimmer's Journey
As Neddy embarks on his water journey, his preliminary enthusiasm and optimism rapidly fade. Regardless of starting his experience in the bright sunlight, the weather starts to change and the swimming pools he experiences ended up being chillier and more unwelcoming, signifying the progressive decrease of Neddy's life.

During his swim, he meets several neighbors who discuss numerous problems and failures that he's knowledgeable - including rumors of Neddy's alcohol addiction, financial destroy, and weakening domesticity. As the protagonist can't recall these events, it appears as though he is quelching or denying the reality of his scenario.

Neddy's encounter with the Hallorans - an older couple who swim nude in their swimming pool, symbolizes the loss of younger optimism and the darkness that lies underneath the surface of the rural exterior. They discuss that his daughters are working to support the household and express sympathy for Neddy's misfortunes, which puzzles him.

Conclusion: The Dark Truth
As daylight fades and darkness swallows up the neighborhood, Neddy ends up being increasingly disoriented and the passage of time appears to accelerate. In spite of being a relatively short physical journey, his development through the different pools represents years of his life unraveling and the loss of his previous identity.

In the end, Neddy reaches his house only to find that it is empty, neglected, and locked. His spouse and children are nowhere to be found, leaving the protagonist to face the plain reality of his life's decline. The final picture of Neddy as a broken, separated man underscores the essential disillusionment of the American Dream and the hollowness of the 'idyllic' suburban life.

"The Swimmer" acts as a powerful critique of mid-century American society, questioning the very structures of the suburban way of life and the pursuit of product success. John Cheever masterfully uses surrealism and the distortion of time to engage the reader in Neddy's journey, forcing them to challenge the darker, often ignored aspects of our own lives.