In John Cheever's short story, "The Swimmer", he conveys the transformation of the character through the use of the literary element of setting. The story begins in a middle-class American suburb. After what appears to be a night of partying and drinking. Neddy Merrill, the main character initially appears very optimistic; he has a perfect family, high social status and very few problems in life. Despite his age, he feels young and energetic and so decides to swim across town in the neighborhood pools. However, his journey becomes less and less pleasant as the day goes on. The water becomes cloudy, unappealing and he becomes exhausted. Additionally, the people around him become less cordial, including his mistress who wants nothing to do with him. His journey then ends when he arrives at an empty and abandoned house. The central idea suggests that an unhealthy obsession with materialistic aspects of life can lead to alienation. Society is suggested to be obsessed with wealth, alcohol and social status. Which, unsurprisingly, led to Neddy Merrill's ultimate downfall. Cheever introduces the story by describing society's alcohol abuse: "I drank too much last night - you may have heard it whispered by the parishioners (or) - the priest himself" ( Cheever 215). Therefore, indicating that it was a very common habit in society as a whole, even the most respectable people play a role in it. It is very obvious that the perceived society in the story is one of “successful men and women” who have high standards for possessions (Cheever 217). Wealth is a determinant of social status and respectability in one's culture. Neddy's journey begins well pampered with drinks, ...... middle of paper ...... interpretation of the story would be distinct depending on each setting. For example, if he chose to write this story in a lower class African American social context, the interpretation the audience would get would be very different. This could represent the era of slavery or the civil rights movement. Thus, the setting is extremely crucial to the final interpretation of the story. Works Cited Cheever, John. “The Swimmer”. Short fiction: classic and contemporary. 6th ed. Ed. Charles Bohner and Lyman Grant. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2006.Bloom, Harold, ed. "'The swimmer'." John Cheever, Bloom's principal short story writers. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishing, 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= BMSSJC43&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 25, 2011).