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Cheever’s ‘The Swimmer’ Focus of WT’s Great Books Series in September
Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu
CANYON, Texas — A classic tale with a confounding ending will backstroke into the spotlight for the September edition of West Texas A&M University’s Great Books series.
Dr. Eric Meljac, assistant professor of English, will lead the discussion of John Cheever’s “The Swimmer” at 7 p.m. Sept. 13 via Zoom.
The discussion series — sponsored by the Department of English, Philosophy and Modern Languages —is open to those who either have or haven’t read the book, said Dr. Daniel Bloom, Great Books organizer and associate professor of philosophy.
Meljac said “The Swimmer” appealed to him because he appreciates stories that don’t follow traditional narrative trajectories.
“In many ways, ‘The Swimmer’ reminds me of the films of David Lynch, which begin seemingly normal but end with a completely baffling closure,” Meljac said. “Whenever Lynch is asked why his work doesn’t make sense, his reply goes along the lines of ‘I don’t know why people want art to make sense when life itself doesn’t make sense.’ That’s how Cheever’s story seems to me.
“It’s about a life,” Meljac continued. “But in a way, it doesn’t make much sense in any immediate way. I love such challenging art—art that forces us to situate ourselves in a sense of discomfort and forces us to reckon with what it might be trying to say to us.”
WT professors and guest lecturers lead the monthly Great Books discussions.
The series began in 2011 and is traditionally held on the second Tuesday of the month; a return to in-person meetings at Burrowing Owl Books, 7406 S.W. 34th Ave., Suite 2B, in Amarillo, is expected to occur in January.
To register for the September discussion, email Dr. Patricia Tyrer at ptyrer@wtamu.edu.
The series is one way in which WT serves the region by offering engagement with a variety of literary and philosophical texts. Being a learner-centered university is a key principle of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.
That plan is fueled by the historic, $125 million One West comprehensive fundraising campaign. To date, the five-year campaign — which publicly launched Sept. 23 — has raised more than $110 million.
About West Texas A&M University
WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 59 undergraduate degree programs and more than 40 graduate degrees, including two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.
—WT—