Week 4, Question 3

The narrative structure in “The Swimmer” is both interesting and seldom used: the readers know as much as the narrator and, significantly, know more than the character(s) does. Given this fact, explain why you think the author chose it-for what purpose or effect-and how it affects your reading and understanding of the story.

Knowing as much as the narrator and, significantly knowing more than the character(s)does enables the reader to take a look into how the upper-class adjust to people who have fallen into hard times either by circumstances or choices they themselves have made. The format of the story is written giving insight to the blindness or delusions years of alcohol abuse has inflicted upon “The Swimmer”, also known as Neddy Merrill. There is little compassion from the upper social society. Some people react to Neddy’s intrusion into their pool with politeness, never acknowledging his slide from grace. Others not only acknowledge his fall from grace, but take the opportunity to point out the numerous times he has borrowed or squandered money. The part of the story that gives the most insight as to what had happened to “The Swimmer” is when Grace Biswanger says, “They went for broke overnight-nothing but income-and he showed up drunk one Sunday and asked us to loan him five thousand dollars….” (P. 1466) The Swimmer lives a life of delusions. He sees life as it used to be and not as what he has created it. He does not live in the moment. During his journey he hears parties. Parties that perhaps at one time he would have been invited to but he is no longer part of the same circle.