The Swimmer, By John Cheever (1964)

 The Swimmer, By John Cheever (1964)

7/10


I’ve once read an article about how people who suffer from schizophrenia lives in a world of total delusion. I was terrified that to a schizophrenia patient, everything he thought real and normal suddenly falls apart in a clumsy mess. It seems Ned suffers from a similar problem, which makes him think that he is living a peak life, while he is actually broke. He is living his days in happy, relaxed delusions, only to be struck in the head with the cruel truth every night.

If I view Ned as an actual person, I don’t really sympathize with him. He ran away from reality and hid his mind in the past.

However, I think Ned is supposed to stand as an example of many things. In a historic point of view, he might be American citizens or America itself, unable to return to the once glorious past anymore, but still grasping for control. Or, his journey may be a symbol of life, a slow, silent tragedy.

My favorite part of the story was the evidences of autumn such as the constellations spreaded cleverly throughout Ned’s journey. I rated it seven out of ten. (195 words)


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