“The Swimmer,” written by John Cheever, is a story about the life of a middle-aged man living in a middle-class American suburb. I chose to write about "The Swimmer" based on the universal themes of the American dream and life and hardship in the suburbs. The story is very true to the lives of many Americans living the American dream today. Keeping up with the Joneses is part of this dream and can turn into the nightmare of Neddy's life if denial, escapism and alcoholism become too much a part of the American dream as they did for the protagonist. Neddy initially appears as a popular character and middle-aged athletic man who spends most of his social time drinking with friends and neighbors. As time passes as he swims in his community's public and private pools back home, his image, strength and popularity begin to wane. Neddy begins to become a pariah and is despised by neighbors who he had previously despised by ignoring dinner invitations. He seems tired and confused and is questioning the choice of quest he has begun to undertake through the swimming pools of his city. This symbolizes the common midlife crisis that many middle-aged suburbanites experience. Even though with Neddy he denies it and lives in a fantasy world. He loses track of time and days turn into weeks or years. This story highlights how ignorance, indifference and the inability to recognize and accept reality, if left unchecked, can quickly destroy lives and families. Neddy's journey through the pools represents a significant time period in his life that is ignored. He escapes in drink after drink and pool after pool, and on his journey the summer days quickly deteriorate into autumn ones... middle of paper... his family is gone. Neddy's journey through the pools of This City effectively parallels many Americans living in middle- and upper-class suburban America. Neddy, as many Americans do today, chooses to swim through his life with his eyes barely open. Behaviors such as taking on too much debt, alcoholism, and keeping up with the neighbors (by Jones) are things that eat away at society and destroy families. This story was true at the time it was written and is still true today. Cheever's “The Swimmer” is written as a deft treatment of narcissistic middle-class suburban life. Having read it twice and seen the film, I would recommend it as a great read to anyone who loves symbolic stories. Works Cited Cheever, John. "The swimmer." The Northon Anthology American Literature. 8th ed. vol. E. New York: W. W. Norton, 2012. Print.