Cheever's Allusion
John Cheever’s short story, “The Swimmer,” was first published in 1964, and because of its popularity, a film was produced that told the story on the silver screen. The author, John Cheever, was born on May 27 1912 in Quincy, Massachusetts and began writing at the age of seventeen after being expelled from Thayer Academy. His first story was appropriately titled Expelled. Cheever was eventually made a Guggenheim Fellow, a grant for writers, which gave him money and the free will to write whatever he wanted (“John Cheever Biography”). Cheever’s short story, “The Swimmer,” revolves around a man named Neddy Merrill who sets out on a journey to swim across the county. Neddy sets out on his journey as a young man with great vitality , but as the
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Dante’s Inferno begins the story by stating that it was ‘midway through life’s journey’ (368). Cheever uses Neddy’s journey through the suburbs as an allusion to Dante’s journey through hell as they encounter many similarities along the way (368). The link of pools in “The Swimmer,” referred to as The Lucinda River, is a reference to the link of waterways on Dante’s journey that form The River of Life (368). Also the name, The Lucinda River, is a possible allusion to St. Lucia, the name of a saint that keeps Dante safe along his journey (368). Another small detail that Cheever included in his story that alludes to Dante’s Inferno is Neddy’s disappointment when he finds an emptied pool along The Lucinda River (370). Dante has a similar feeling of disappointment when he finds a ‘vile broth’ in the Styx Marsh (370). Another pool that alludes to a body of water in Inferno is the public swimming pool that Neddy passes through (370). This public pool represents the ‘ghastly pool’ that Dante passes through (370). These two bodies of water are related because both characters must push through the shoddy water because they are “pilgrims” and “adventurers” (370). Throughout the short story it is shown that Neddy does not have the best memory. This confusion is explained in Dante’s Inferno when Cavalcante de Cavalcanti tells Dante that souls in Hell have trouble understanding the past, present, and future (372). This allusion finally sheds some light on Neddy’s condition and why he has trouble understanding his past. One last possible allusion in “The Swimmer” is the reference to William Shakespeare’s sonnet A Midsummer’s Night
Dante’s Inferno begins the story by stating that it was ‘midway through life’s journey’ (368). Cheever uses Neddy’s journey through the suburbs as an allusion to Dante’s journey through hell as they encounter many similarities along the way (368). The link of pools in “The Swimmer,” referred to as The Lucinda River, is a reference to the link of waterways on Dante’s journey that form The River of Life (368). Also the name, The Lucinda River, is a possible allusion to St. Lucia, the name of a saint that keeps Dante safe along his journey (368). Another small detail that Cheever included in his story that alludes to Dante’s Inferno is Neddy’s disappointment when he finds an emptied pool along The Lucinda River (370). Dante has a similar feeling of disappointment when he finds a ‘vile broth’ in the Styx Marsh (370). Another pool that alludes to a body of water in Inferno is the public swimming pool that Neddy passes through (370). This public pool represents the ‘ghastly pool’ that Dante passes through (370). These two bodies of water are related because both characters must push through the shoddy water because they are “pilgrims” and “adventurers” (370). Throughout the short story it is shown that Neddy does not have the best memory. This confusion is explained in Dante’s Inferno when Cavalcante de Cavalcanti tells Dante that souls in Hell have trouble understanding the past, present, and future (372). This allusion finally sheds some light on Neddy’s condition and why he has trouble understanding his past. One last possible allusion in “The Swimmer” is the reference to William Shakespeare’s sonnet A Midsummer’s Night