John Cheever Writing Styles in The Swimmer

This Study Guide consists of approximately 43 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of The Swimmer.

John Cheever Writing Styles in The Swimmer

This Study Guide consists of approximately 43 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of The Swimmer.
This section contains 803 words
(approx. 3 pages at 400 words per page)
Buy The Swimmer Study Guide

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...

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This section contains 803 words
(approx. 3 pages at 400 words per page)
Buy The Swimmer Study Guide
Copyrights
Gale
The Swimmer from Gale. ©2005-2006 Thomson Gale, a part of the Thomson Corporation. All rights reserved.