The Swimmer: Themes Of Loss And Social Status In John Cheever’s short story, “The Swimmer”, themes of loss and social status are developed throughout the story. The main character, Neddy Merrill, portrays the idea of a journey. Cheever compares and contrasts Merrill’s beliefs about his own life in both the realms of reality and fantasy throughout his physical, as well as mental, journey. Cheever clearly illustrates how effected Merrill is socially and psychologically by the societal pressures of the idea of attaining the American dream. Cheever begins his short story with