The Swimmer

by John Cheever

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The Swimmer Questions and Answers

Describe the difference between Neddy's experiences before and after the storm in "The Swimmer."

In "The Swimmer," how does Neddy Merrill relate to the world in which he moves? Why does he decide to swim home?  

What is Cheever's attitude toward Neddy in "The Swimmer" and how does the story's point of view showcase it?

What is the plot, climax, and conflict behind the story "The Swimmer"?

In what order did the narrator swim to each house? What were the names of the pools he swam to in order?

What was the John Cheever's attitude towards affluent suburbia in "The Swimmer"?

What is the tone of "The Swimmer" by John Cheever?

How does the third person point of view affect what we know about Ned and his life in "The Swimmer"? 

What elements of "The Swimmer" equate to postmodernism?

Why does Neddy Merrill only talk with women?  

What is the time period of "The Swimmer"?

How does Neddy Merrill relate to the world in which he moves? Why does he decide to swim home?

In "The Swimmer," does Neddy gain a sense of freedom after his journey on the Lucinda?

What is the role that alcoholism plays in John Cheever's "The Swimmer?"

Neddy is alive at the end of "The Swimmer," so what happens to him after he finds his house for sale and family gone?

Did Neddy really love his wife in "The Swimmer"?

In "The Swimmer," did Ned's drinking cause him to lose his home, or did he start drinking because he lost his home?

How is class addressed in the short story "The Swimmer?"

Explain “The Swimmer” as a critique of modern society.

How is Neddy Merrill presented in the beginning of the story?  How would you describe the narrator's tone, and what does that tone communicate about the narrator's attitude toward Neddy?

What is the significance of Neddie's visit to the public swimming pool as opposed to the private ones?

At the heart of the American Dream is the idea that prosperity is a reward for hard work. There has been a long history of ambivalence toward affluence in America, however---that it corrupts our values and makes us only concerned about material things. Pick three works from our different exam periods--say "Life in the Iron Mills," "Babylon Revisited," and "The Swimmer"--and discuss what these stories say about the effect of money on ideas of sympathy, community, fellow-feeling, spirituality, etc

Discuss the moments in the “The Swimmer” when you realize that the story is not literal but that the fantasy (or delusion) of the main characters seem to be at work. Specifically, quote a line or two that hints at the idea that the main character is imagining reality and explain why in a sentence or two.

Describe the mood at the beginning of the story "The Swimmer?

What is the allegory of the film The Swimmer?

Identify an example of hypocrisy in Cheever's "The Swimmer."

What does "The Swimmer" have to do with the journey of life?

I'm trying to figure out if what happens to Neddy is a result of a breakdown, an alcoholic haze, losing everything, or economic change.

Could somebody help me to understand "The Swimmer"?

What is the difference between the swimmer and the swimming in "The Swimmer"?

What is Cheever's purpose in delaying the revelation about Neddy's family and home?

Which of the Cheever stories did you enjoy the most, the enormous radio or the swimmer? Why? Did you find one or both thorough confusing? What symbolism did you find in each story?

How could I write a good paper about the male protagonist's masculinity in John Cheever's “The Swimmer” and“The Country Husband”?

How many times is the reader addressed in “The Swimmer”?

What happens between paragraphs 1-11? And what point is conveyed by the second person narration?

Is Neddy trying to cover up his true weak, unlikable, poor self with this heroic, athletic, wealthy image?

Examine how the symbolism of the journey reflects human consciousness in "The Swimmer."

In "The Swimmer," how do the major symbols challenge our view of these characters as human beings?

How does the setting add to or take away from the story as it is being told?

In "The Swimmer," how does the symbol of the swimming quest affect how the worth of the protagonist is presented?

To what extent does "The Swimmer" express some form of postmodern fiction?

Have you understood what event is being discussed by people in the 1st paragraph of the story?

Analyze the depiction of the American family in "The Swimmer," "A Small, Good Thing," and "Average Waves in Unprotected Waters." Do characters accept an appropriate level of moral responsibility for their actions in these narratives?

In the story "The Swimmer", where did Ned start to lose faith?