What kind of man does Neddy Merrill imagine himself to be, and how does his vision of himself change as the story unfolds?Discuss

Writing a Critical Brief:

Study carefully the document How to Read a Short Story, which defines and explains the literary terms and concepts.

You can find the story here:

https://loa-shared.s3.amazonaws.com/static/pdf/Cheever_Swimmer.pdf

Pick one to write your thoughtful reaction.

1. What kind of man does Neddy Merrill imagine himself to be, and how does his vision of himself change as the story unfolds?

2. In what way is the story a critique of suburban culture?

3. How and why does Cheever use the metaphors of exploration and discovery?

4. At what point in the story does Neddy’s whimsical adventure begin to turn into a more serious and self-reflective undertaking?

5. Discuss how the story straddles the line between realism and surrealism

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