1. The Swimmer
John Cheever
• John William Cheever ( May 27,1912-June 18,
1982) .
• An American novelist and short story writer.
• His fiction mostly set in the Upper East Side
of Manhattan, Where he was born.
• He is ‘now recognized as one of the most
important short fiction writers of the 20
century.”
2. The Swimmer
• “ The Swimmer” was originally published in
The New Yorker on July 18, 1964.
• On a Sunday afternoon in midsummer,
• Neddy and Lucinda Merrill and Helen and
Donald Westerhazy sit around the
Westerhazys’ pool, complaining about their
hangovers.
• They are all drinking. Neddy feels young,
energetic, and happy.
• He decides to get home by swimming across
all the pools in his county
3. The Swimmer
Characters along with the short summary.
• Neddy Merrill : Ned is the protagonist of the
story.
• His own house stood in Bullet Park, eight
miles to the south.
• He takes on the pilgrim’s mission to swim 8
miles across the country to his house.
4. .
• Lucinda Merrill: Neddy Merrill’s wife and
presents only at the beginning.
• Donald and Halen Westerhazy: They are
friends and staying at their same place.
Neighbours are:
1) Mrs. Graham: A neighbour whose pool
Neddy swims . She is quite friendly to the boy
and wants him to stay and talk.
5. .
• 2) Mrs. Hammer: She doesn’t recognize
Neddy when she saw him.
• 3) The Levys: Ned swims there too.
• stays in their gazeb, waiting for a storm to
pass.
• But, they are not there at home.
• 4) The Lindleys: Another neighbouring
family. They have a riding ring but it is
overgrown with grass and horse are missing.
6. .
• 5) The Welchers: Another neighbouring
family. They have gone away and put their
house for sale.
• 6) Mr. and Mrs. Halloran: They are an old
married couple who are friendly to Ned.
• They have a habit of being naked around
their pool and Neddy also goes in their
background necked as well.
7. .
• Mrs. Halloran is the first one who points out
that something has gone terrible wrong in his
life.
• 7) Helen and Eric Sachs: Helen is a daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Halloran and Eric Sachs is the
husband of Helen.
• Neddy goes there to look for a drink but Ned
didn’t get.
8. .
• 8) Grace Biswagner: Grace Biswagner used
to invite Neddy’s family for dinner many
times a year.
• In where, the boy goes in search of a drink.
• Thinks, she would be delighted but became
rude to him.
• Asks for the barkeeper too but the result is
the same.
• Stats thinking deeply regarding this matter.
9. .
• 9) Shirley Adams: She is Neddy’s old mistress,
who was heartbroken when he ended their
relationship.
• Neddy swims in her pool but she disregards
him.
• Finally, he reached home but the house is
empty.
