The Swimmer | Style

The Swimmer Style

Allegory

' "The Swimmer" is often considered an allegory about decline, the aging process, and the life cycle. An allegory is a symbolic representation through characters or events of truths or generalizations about human existence. In allegories, people, places, and events often have more than one meaning—that is, they can stand for more than one thing. As such, allegories relate a surface story and a "hidden" story that focuses on other issues. The surface story of "The Swimmer" concerns the protagonist's swim home. The hidden, allegorical meaning of "The Swimmer" has to do with aging, physical decline, the life cycle, and the hypocrisy of the upper classes. Parables and fables are often considered types of allegories.

Point of View

The point of view of' "The Swimmer" is one of the most intriguing aspects of story. Because it is told completely in the third person ("I" constructions are not used), the reader is never...
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