Neddy Merrill serves as the protagonist of “The Swimmer,” and readers gain insight into his thoughts through the third-person narration. Neddy views himself as a heroic figure, much like Odysseus in The Odyssey, but his story arc more closely mirrors that of Narcissus in his egotism, callousness, and desire to preserve his youth. Neddy’s reliance on alcohol, growing confusion, and the hostility shown to him as the story progresses exemplify The Alienation of Postwar American Suburbia, as well as its hedonism.

Neddy’s perception of himself as a virile, athletic figure also ties to The Fragility of Suburban Masculinity. Neddy is initially presented as a hypermasculine man full of “youth, sport, and clement weather,” old enough to have four daughters yet agile enough to slide down the banisters (Paragraph 2). His determination to complete an epic journey validates his opinion of himself as a “legendary figure” in his own life (Paragraph 3). His journey makes him feel like “a pilgrim, an explorer, a man with a destiny,” all having connotations of masculinity and greatness (Paragraph 5).

Over the course of the narrative, Neddy’s masculinity and social status are called into question.