In “The Swimmer,” John Cheever's protagonist embarks on an epic journey that challenges readers' perceptions of the world around him. As Neddy embarks on his journey down the “Lucinda River,” Cheever paints a strictly realistic portrait of American suburbia. Yet as the story progresses, Cheever changes the environment around Neddy to convey a different message. By using multiple parallels between the mythical and the modern, the surreal and the real, the American dream and American reality, John Cheever forces the reader of “The Swimmer” to question the status quo. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay Ancient epics normally begin by invoking a muse who aids in the narration and remains separate from the normal text. Cheever's "muse" is not a mythical ideal; Cheever instead begins with an isolated section that focuses on drinking. Almost every character thinks they've had "too much to drink." Alcohol, not a religious figure, is what helps the characters. The contrast is evident when Cheever writes that he was heard "from the lips of the priest himself, struggling with his cassock in the vestiarium...". In this case, Cheever uses the contrast between mythical and modern cultural themes to show the degradation of American culture. Another contradiction between Neddy's world and the mythical appears in the first sentence in which the protagonist is introduced. Neddy Merrill remembers how "he had slipped on his banister that morning and whacked Aphrodite's bronze back on the hall table as he ran towards the smell of coffee in his dining room ". This contrasts Neddy's view of the ideal world with the actually real world. Neddy sees himself exclusively as he wants others to see him: the mythical hero in contrast to the suburban American consumer. In the first paragraph, the narrative can almost be seen as coming from a first-person perspective. Neddy is described as having "the peculiar thinness of youth" and is compared to a summer's day. This is significant, as Neddy specifically points out a cloud in the distance that resembles "the bow of an approaching ship", which foreshadows the storm to come later in the story, and Neddy's concomitant decline. In the rest of the story, Neddy's disposition and interactions with the people around him show the transition from the surreal to the real. While still in his mythical guise, Neddy declares that he will swim home, quite a feat for the self-proclaimed modern hero. He named his planned route “Lucinda River,” in homage to his wife. This gesture seems to describe Neddy's role as a father, but the reader discovers that this is not the case. As Neddy travels from pool to pool, the willingness of his peers to his intrusion is just nice. He is systematically greeted and offered a drink by everyone he meets, and many mention how he is frequently at the heart of their many social events. At the party, the narrator makes sure to mention that Neddy "stopped to kiss eight or ten other women and shake hands with as many men." The colors of the river itself reflect Neddy's mood, as he describes the "sapphire" hues of the Lucinda River. However, it is important to note that Neddy never accepts an invitation from one of his neighbors. He frequently mentions that his family had dinner together, but his family seems to "regret all their invitations." In the midst of Neddy's journey, aspects of his eventual downfall aremore clearly visible. The first indication of this comes when Neddy notices that the same cloud he had seen before had "risen and darkened, and as he sat there he heard the percussion of thunder again." It is during the storm that the world around Neddy begins to wither around him. The once warm air cools and begins to shiver, a tree is stripped of its leaves, and Neddy "felt a peculiar sadness at this sign of autumn." Shortly after, Neddy notices that the occupants of one house have left and that another neighbor's swimming pool is dry. The dry pool greatly affects Neddy, as the narrator describes that "he felt like an explorer who searches for a torrential spring and finds a dead stream." This passage points to the mythic parallels, as Neddy now realizes that he is not the modern American hero he thought he was. The realism of “The Swimmer” soon shows as Neddy is forced to wait to cross a busy street. Here, Neddy is described as looking like "a victim of foul play", as he is exposed to ridicule from passers-by. In this position, Neddy finds himself unable to return to his journey, unable to retreat into his surreal, ideal world. Although at first glance it appears that Neddy is choosing not to return to his surreal world, in reality it is suggested that he is physically incapable of doing so, as the reader will discover at the end of the story. The scene in the public swimming pool as well. represents a stark contrast to Neddy's ideal world. As a representation of American society, the pools Neddy visited during the first half of his trip were free and open, with friends and hospitality along the way. The public swimming pool is probably also open, but freedom is lost. All swimmers are required to follow a strict set of guidelines and Neddy is reluctant to enter the pool which "stinked of chlorine and looked like a sink". Swimmers were regularly "abused" over a public address system, and Neddy himself was reprimanded for not wearing an identification disc. In this new realistic world, the swimming pool is a representation of American society as it really is. While all are free to use the pool, they must follow strict rules set by authority figures. True freedom is lost in this system, and swimmers are constantly splashing and shoving each other in chaos. Neddy's next destinations only serve to reinforce the ideals that have been built throughout the story. As he approaches the Hallorans' swimming pool, he removes his swimsuit in accordance with the Hallorans' "reformist" ideals. It is here that the reader finally glimpses the reality of Neddy's situation, when Mrs. Halloran suggests that Neddy has sold his house and that his children are in some danger. Still under the impression that his ideal world has swallowed up reality, Neddy brushes aside his worries and continues on his way. Shortly after this encounter, the narrator describes how Neddy "was cold and he was tired and the naked Hallorans and their dark water had depressed him." The swim was too much for his strength, but how could he have known that, sliding down the ramp that morning and sitting in the Westerhazy sun? Once again, this contrasts between Neddy's real and surreal worlds, as he is forced to confront the reality of his situation. Later, Neddy himself suggests that he has a "gift for hiding painful facts". As Neddy continues, the reality of his situation becomes more apparent. He feels unwelcome at a party and overhears a conversation about his apparent financial problems. Once again, Neddy finds it hard to believe.