The Entitlement Of The Swimmer Essays Example

As a literary form, short stories offer a range of versatility for the writer. Not only do they allow the writer to paint a story with fewer words than many other literary forms, but they also allow for the same depth in the overall theme. As with any piece of literature, this theme can be positive or negative; it can reflect a key trouble of their life. For author John Cheever, short stories offered him the chance to point out the problems of the life he saw spinning around him. Through his short story “The Swimmer” Cheever criticizes the sense of entitlement and denial present in the middle and upper-middle classes, as displayed by Neddy’s disregard for privacy, his forgetfulness, and the abundance of privilege evident along the Lucinda River.
When Neddy’s route and method of travel become clear, Cheever reveals the extent of Neddy’s sense of entitlement. Once he conceives of the idea to ‘swim’ home through his neighbor’s pools, it becomes clear that he plans to do so with little warning. Such a plan forgoes decency and etiquette of asking permission to cross into someone else’s private property. True, he is welcomed warmly with a drink at the first stop, but this reception does not make the behavior correct. Once Neddy passes through the yards of absent friends and someone who does not recognize him, it becomes clear that this behavior may not be even legal. The brevity with which Cheever describes this behavior makes it seem undesirable and illegal. In fact, the entire episode seems as if Neddy was a teenage boy illegally diving into as many pools as possible before running away. This comparison unfavorably highlights the attitudes of privileged people who believe that they can walk uninvited onto another person’s property.
Once Neddy passes into the stretch of property where his presence is viewed negatively, a sense of condemnation of denial takes over the piece. When Neddy crosses into the busy two lane road, Cheever depicts him as a victim of sabotage or even as a crazy person. These roles imply that the protagonist’s journey through the county in a pair of wet swimming trunks was not as normal as he imagined in his head. Instead, it was the act of someone out of their mind. The fact that Neddy even considered the trek without considering his appearance suggests a disconnect with the average world. Then when he is snubbed by the bartender, the Biswangers, and the lifeguards at the public pool, Neddy’s disconnect with the middle class becomes clearer. Instead of being simply a class peculiarity, his invasion of privacy is a sin that defies the norm. Furthermore, the fact that Neddy does not recognize his transgression is not something that can be forgiven but rather is another layer to his since of entitlement.
Though harsh and snide, Cheever’s criticism of the Lucinda River lifestyle is valid because it reflects a realistic disconnect found in American life. As evidenced by the scene at the road, there are different classes of people who do not always understand how the other group behaves. On one hand, those of the lower classes probably could not imagine a life with the amount of luxury that Neddy has. Conversely, there are those in the higher classes who could probably not go a day without electronics and four star cuisine. The fact that such a range exists in America with little understanding between the two ends of the spectrum highlights a major problem in the nation. As long as a gap like this one continues, writers like Cheever have the ability to criticize those that make the gap possible.
Through his short stories, author John Cheever expresses his feelings about negative elements of American society, such as the entitlement and denial of the upper-middle and middle classes. As depicted by Neddy Merrill and his acquaintances, these classes express a surplus of wealth. Rather than be aware and conscious of the behaviors that this encourages, Neddy takes his lifestyle for granted. Unfortunately, this choice only leads to a disconnect between him and those around him. Ultimately, this gap is precisely what Cheever criticizes and attacks in those classes.