In “The Swimmer,” John Cheever's protagonist embarks on an epic journey that challenges readers' perceptions of the world around them. As Neddy embarks on his journey along the “River Lucinda,” Cheever paints a rigorously realist portrait of suburban America. However, as the story progresses, Cheever changes the environment around Neddy to convey a different message. Using multiple parallels between the mythical and the modern, the surreal and the real, and the American dream and the 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 Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Ancient epic poems normally begin by invoking a muse who aids in the narrative and remains separate from the regular text. Cheever's "muse" is not a mythical ideal; rather, Cheever begins with an isolated section that emphasizes alcohol consumption. Almost every character believes they "drink too much." Alcohol, not a religious figure, is what helps the characters. The contrast is evident when Cheever writes that it 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 occurs in the first sentence in which the protagonist is introduced. Neddy Merrill recalls how "that morning he had slipped down the banister and slapped Aphrodite's bronze butt on the hall table as she ran toward the smell of coffee in her dining room." This contrasts Neddy's vision of the ideal world with the actually real world. Neddy sees himself exclusively as he wants others to see him: the mythical hero contrasted with the suburban American consumer. In the opening paragraph, the narration can almost be seen as coming from a first-person perspective. Neddy is described as having the “peculiar slenderness of youth” and is compared to a summer's day. This is significant, as Neddy specifically points to a cloud in the distance that looks like the "bow of an approaching ship", foreshadowing the coming storm 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 calls his planned route “Lucinda River,” a tribute to his wife. This gesture seems to represent Neddy's role as the father of the family, but the reader discovers that this is not the case. As Neddy travels from pool to pool, his peers' disposition to his intrusion is thoroughly enjoyable. He is routinely welcomed and offered drinks by everyone he meets, and many people mention how he is often the life 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 just as many men." the Lucinda river. However, it is important to note that Neddy never accepts an invitation from one of his neighbors. He often mentions how his family eats dinner together, but his family seems to "regret all their invitations." In the midst of Neddy's journey, aspects of his eventual downfall are seen more clearly. The first indication of this comes when Neddy notices that the same cloud he had seen before had "lifted up and darkened, and as he sat there he heard the clap of thunder again." It is during the storm that the world around Neddy begins to wither aroundhim. The once warm air cools and he begins to shiver, there is a tree stripped of its leaves, and Neddy "felt a peculiar sadness at this sign of autumn." Shortly thereafter, Neddy notices that the occupants of one house have left and that another neighbor's swimming pool is dry. The dry pool affects Neddy greatly, as the narrator describes that he "felt like an explorer seeking a torrential spring and finding a dead stream." This passage ties back to the mythical parallels, as Neddy now realizes that he is not the modern American hero he believed himself to be. The realism of "The Swimmer" shows itself early when Neddy is forced to wait to cross a busy street. Here, Neddy is described as “a victim of foul play,” as he is exposed to ridicule from passersby. In this position, Neddy finds himself unable to turn back on his journey, unable to retreat into his surreal, ideal world. Although on the surface it appears that Neddy chooses not to return to his surreal world, in reality it is suggested that he is physically unable to do so, as the reader will discover at the end of the story. The scene in the public swimming pool also represents a stark contrast to Neddy's ideal world. As a representation of American society, the pools Neddy walked during the first half of his journey were free and open, with friends and hospitality along the way. The public swimming pool is probably open, but freedom is lost. All swimmers are required to follow a strict set of guidelines and Neddy was reluctant to enter the pool which "smelled of chlorine and felt 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 is. While everyone is free to use the pool, they must follow the strict rules set by authority figures. In this system, true freedom is lost and swimmers are constantly diving and colliding in chaos. Neddy's next destinations only serve to reinforce the ideals that have been built throughout history. As she approaches the Hallorans' swimming pool, she removes her bathing suit 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 kind of danger. Still feeling like his ideal world has consumed reality, Neddy dismisses his concerns and continues on his way. Shortly after this encounter, the narrator describes how Neddy “was cold and tired and the naked Hallorans and their dark water had depressed him. The swim was too much for her strength, but how could she have imagined it, sliding down the railing that morning and sitting in the Westerhazy sun? Once again, this contrasts between the real and surreal worlds of Neddy, who is forced to confront the reality of his situation. Later, Neddy himself suggests that he has the "gift of hiding painful facts". As Neddy continues, the reality of his situation becomes more apparent. He finds himself unwelcome at a party and overhears a conversation about his apparent financial problems. Once again, Neddy struggles to believe only in his ideal world. Neddy then reaches the swimming pool of his former lover, who scolds him after reflecting on the “supreme elixir” of sexual joy. However, in this pool he discovers that “the strength in his arms and shoulders was gone, and he paddled to the ladder and got out.” Here Neddy sees the constellations of winter and begins to cry. This ties back to the mythical quality of.