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The Swimmer Symbolism

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In “The Swimmer”, by John Cheever, Neddy Merrill’s journey is elapsed through time as he ventures home through a number of neighborhood pools. As more time seems to pass, the seasons around Neddy appear to change. The change in the setting of each pool are symbolic of the season of life which Neddy is experiencing. Initially, Cheever describes Needy as the type of man who “slid down the banister” (Cheever 250) which landed him near a bronze goddess of sexual love, but as he swims though more pools and the seasons changed around him, Neddy has to “paddle to the ladder” (Cheever 256) in order to get out, for his strength and power he once had left his body. These two instances fall under Cheevers symbolic seasons. During the warm and pleasant
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