The Space Narrative and Disillusionment of Identity in John Cheever’s “The Swimmer”

Abstract

John Cheever’s short story “The Swimmer” profoundly explores the theme of modern people’s identity loss and disillusionment through a spatial narrative structure. The story centers around the protagonist Neddy Merrill’s journey home and unfolds around his crossing of the “Lucinda River” in the neighbor’s swimming pools. In terms of physical space, the distribution and barriers of the swimming pools symbolize the fragility of interpersonal relationships in middle-class communities, while the change from clear water to dryness reflects Neddy’s inner gradual collapse. In terms of social space, Neddy’s journey reflects the changes in community relationships and social classes. The attitudes of the neighbors, from enthusiasm to indifference and then to eviction, reflect the collapse of his social status. The empty and abandoned house symbolizes the predicament of his psychological space and the loss of identity. Cheever deconstructs the American suburban dream through the interweaving of physical space, social space, and psychological space, warning of the spiritual crisis behind the material prosperity in modern society.