The story begins talking about people drinking too much, and
feeling the effects on Sunday.
It was a fine day in the summer time, Neddy wanted to swim.
Massive clouds in the distance, a storm is coming- for his
life.
Cheever describes Neddy as the last hours of a summer’s
day. Does that mean the best times for
Neddy are in the past?
Lucinda asked Neddy where he was going on page 2, he said he
was going to swim home. This is where his life went into turmoil?
First party he goes to they gladly offer him a drink.
Later on page 3 Cheever discusses a few people hear or see
him swim buy, but can’t tell if its him for sure. Does this mean he is starting
to change?
2/3 of the way down page 3 he hears thunder. The storm is coming. His storm
Page 5 the leaves are changing, the weather cooling. It’s
fall, and his situation is darkening
He found the welchers pool dry and he was disappointed. No alcohol
Cheever writes “was his memory failing or . . . he had
damaged his sense of truth?” Denial
Bottom of page 5 he begins getting shamed on the highway
with trash and beer cans on the ground around him. He is just trying to cross
the highway, but I think there is more to it.
This is where he gets real bad with his problem, and everyone is
starting to notice he is falling apart.
Page 6 “at what point had this prank, this joke, this piece
of horseplay become serious?” he realizes he has a problem?
Bottom of page 7 people tell neddy they are sorry for his
problems. He either doesn’t remember them or is in denial.
Page 8 he notices weight loss, wonders how it could be in
one day
He is getting cold, needs a drink to warm him up.
Notices his memory is shot again
Page 10 people talk behind his back about his problems
Page 11 he starts crying, he knows things are wrong
He gets into his last pool, but doesn’t dive for the first
time, but went down the steps into the pool.
Gets home to an empty home. Family gone. No life. It’s over.
Cheever shows Neddy being lost in a world of alcohol and abandonment.
Landon,
ReplyDeleteYou have a good start here and there is a lot to work with in this story! What specific literary characteristics are you going to explore in your paper? Don't forget when annotating you aren't just summarizing and questioning; you want to explore the language and literary characteristics of the text. For instance, in this story, Cheever combines realism with surrealism. Or you might exploring a particular motif or set of symbols like all the language that relates to exploration. There are several resources in the Unit 2 folder that will help with this kind of paper. Let me know if you have questions or want help!
~MS