What would you do to break the daily routine of life? Just for a day, to be part of something new and to indulge in random activities. How far would you go to feel alive again? A wealthy suburban man named Neddy Merrill, whom author John Cheveer describes in his short story "The Swimmer," led a quiet, simple life. Despite this “high quality” life, Neddy Merrill felt bored and tired. Trying to find something exciting, he decided to take on an unusual and adventurous task. Along the way, it becomes clear that Neddy's journey may be more than meets the eye. He discovers that things are no longer the same and that his life and his relationships with people have changed. Throughout the story, we observe the inevitable passage of time and the repetitive emptiness of suburban life. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The story begins on a Sunday afternoon in the middle of summer when Neddy and his wife Lucinda Merril were accompanied by their neighbor friends Helen and Donald Westerhazy. They were all sitting around the Westerhazy pool, complaining about hangovers from last night, while they drank. At that time, Neddy felt young, energetic and happy, as the author describes: "He was a thin man – he seemed to have the peculiar thinness of youth." He notes that his house is five miles away, where his four daughters may have just finished their lunch. It was then that a crazy idea came to him. He decides to return home by swimming across all the swimming pools in his county. Feeling like an explorer, Neddy imagines the pools in his garden, from here to his house, as an unbroken line of water, rather like a river that he named after his wife, "Lucinda River.” The idea made him feel alive. “His life was not confining and the pleasure he took in this observation could not be explained by its suggestion of escape.” He thinks of all the swimming pools that await him and the friends that await him. As determined as he was and full of energy, Neddy began his unknown quest. His first stop was the Grahams' swimming pool. Mrs. Graham greets Neddy and notes that she tried to call him while serving him a drink. As soon as he finished his drink, he swam alongside their pool and continued on his way as he felt distracted from his trip. After passing the Hammers, Lears, Crosscups and Howlands pools, he arrived at the Bunkers where he heard a party going on. When Enid Bunker saw him, she rushed to meet him. The author describes his greetings to Neddy with a touch of irony: “Oh, look who's there! What a wonderful surprise! When Lucinda said you couldn't come, I thought I was going to die. He then has a drink with a bartender he has seen hundreds of times at similar parties. This makes us think that life in the suburbs sometimes becomes repetitive. Neddy's next destination was the Levy swimming pool. As soon as he arrived, he discovered that they were away, but they had just left, as there were glasses and bottles left in the garden. He enters their garden and swims in their pool, then pouring himself a drink. He notes that it's his fourth or fifth drink and that he's only halfway to the end of the "river." The absence of the Levys haunts Neddy but he searches for it in the alcohol left behind. Alcohol was like an artificial support for him. It's hard to imagine that a wealthy man from the suburbs needs an artificial boost to find happiness. “A train whistle sounded and he wondered what time it waswas. Four ? Five? It was suddenly night; this is when the pinhead birds seem to organize their song into a high-pitched, knowing recognition of the approaching storm. We see that time passes quickly since the birds were warning that the storm was approaching. The weather begins to change as if it were not a summer day. So the author lets us understand that at that moment Neddy lost track of time by wondering: “There was an explosion, a smell of cordite, and the rain lashed the Japanese lanterns that Mrs. Levy had purchased in Kyoto last year. , or was it the year before. As the storm emerges, Neddy hides in Levy's gazebo. After the storm, the air cooled considerably. There is a hint of a change in mood after the storm as signs of fall begin to appear. “The force of the wind had torn a maple tree of its red and yellow leaves and scattered them all over the grass and in the water. As it was the middle of summer, the tree must have been destroyed, and yet he felt a particular sadness at this sign of autumn. The author lets us know that time flies. The changing seasons and weather also symbolize Neddy's mood, attitude and emotions. He then heads towards the Welchers' swimming pool. When he arrives there, he notices that their swimming pool is dry. “He was disappointed and intrigued. It was quite common to go away for the summer but no one ever emptied their pool. The Welchers were gone for good. Neddy Merrill, with his perfect family, high social status, and expensive suburban home, was feeling sad. The man who began this journey as a legendary figure, is now tired and disgusted with himself, and disappointed with how things have changed. He couldn't even remember the last time he heard from the Welchers. He wonders if his memory is failing him or if he has simply repressed unpleasant information. After leaving their home, he begins walking down the driveway. People in cars start throwing things at him. He thinks about returning to the Westerhazys, but he does not succeed. “Why was he determined to complete his journey even if it meant putting his life in danger? At what point did this prank, this joke, this joke become serious? This passage, which appears about halfway through the story, suggests that Neddy's journey, which began as a game, is actually more significant than Neddy anticipated. Neddy began his journey from pool to pool thinking of himself as an explorer, doing something unexpected on an ordinary afternoon. Neddy just wanted to take a new route home and didn't see it as a life-changing decision. However, at this point, Neddy is standing in a swimsuit on the side of a busy highway and the journey suddenly becomes something more than just a game. He doesn't understand why he perseveres or why the journey has become something something serious, but he recognizes that the pleasure has disappeared. This quote also refers to a broader idea of ​​“swimmer”. Neddy claims to be content and happy with his life, but he doesn't seem to realize that this life is all he has and that his actions have consequences. All his rejected invitations earned him enemies. He also ruined his marriage and apparently lost his fortune. His life, as the quote suggests, is indeed serious, not a farce or a joke. Just as he feels unable to stop his strange journey home, he is unable to go back and make up for the mistakes of the past. There is nowhere to go but forward, cross the highway and head into the future. He then arrives at the Hallorans and begins..