Swimmer (disambiguation)

A swimmer is a person who swims.

Swimmer or swimmers may also refer to:

People with the surname

Art, entertainment, and media

Films

Games

Literature

Music

The Swimmer (short story)

"The Swimmer", a short story by American author John Cheever, was originally published in The New Yorker on July 18, 1964, and then in the 1964 short story collection, The Brigadier and the Golf Widow. Originally conceived as a novel and pared down from over 150 pages of notes, it is probably Cheever's most famous and frequently anthologized story. At one point Cheever wanted to parallel the tale of Narcissus, a character in Greek mythology who died while staring at his own reflection in a pool of water, which Cheever dismissed as too restrictive. As published, the story is highly praised for its blend of realism and surrealism, the thematic exploration of suburban America, especially the relationship between wealth and happiness, as well as his use of myth and symbolism.

In 1968, "The Swimmer" was adapted into a film with the same name, starring Burt Lancaster.

Plot

The story begins with Neddy Merrill lounging at a friend's pool on a mid-summer's day. On a whim, Neddy decides to get home by swimming across all the pools in the county, which he names "The Lucinda River" in honor of his wife, and starts off enthusiastically and full of youthful energy. In the early stops on his journey, he is enthusiastically greeted by friends, who welcome him with drinks. It is readily apparent that he is well-regarded and from an upper-class or upper-middle-class social standing.

The Swimmer (1968 film)

The Swimmer is a 1968 Technicolor American surreal drama starring Burt Lancaster with Janet Landgard and Janice Rule in featured roles. The film was written and directed by Academy Award-nominated husband and wife team of Eleanor Perry (screenplay adaptation) and Frank Perry (director). The allegorical story is based on the 1964 short story "The Swimmer" by John Cheever, which appeared in the July 18, 1964 issue of The New Yorker.

Plot

On a sunny day in an affluent suburb in Connecticut, a fit and tanned middle-aged man in a bathing suit, Ned Merrill (Burt Lancaster), drops by a pool party being held by friends. They offer him a cocktail while nursing hangovers from the night before. As they share stories, Ned realizes that there is a series of swimming pools that form a "river" to his house, making it possible for him to "swim" his way home. Ned dives into the pool, emerging at the other end and beginning his journey. Ned's behavior perplexes his friends, who know things about his recent past he seems to have forgotten.