The promise of American freedom captures the imagination of people around the world. Freedom is the idea of ​​American equality and a mechanism for success for each individual's skills and abilities. Freedom becomes a tool of economic prosperity for American industry which has had a great influence on American culture since the Industrial Revolution. Over the years, technological developments mark changes in American life which become more and more materialistic. However, American freedom is not always compatible with the harmony of power and wealth. The traditional values ​​of the past which are self-sacrifice are currently seen as the quest for wealth. The differences between traditional values ​​and individualism, belief and modernization, strength and hardship are predictable before wealth influences freedom and American life. During the 1960s, the middle and upper classes benefited from post-war prosperity and material comfort. America's suburbs are growing rapidly. American citizens are becoming more modern than ever. Liberation from the traditional view of American freedom changes the views of American society by enacting changes in dress code, sexual morality, and respect for each person's rights. Therefore, this alteration of freedom in American society is perfectly depicted in John Cheever's story, "The Swimmer." Cheever's story reveals the disordered mind of the protagonist, Neddy Merrill, who describes himself at the beginning of the story as a young, strong, athletic man with financial influence in upper-class society. However, Merrill abuses his freedom, which leads him to a weak and broken man who loses his wealth and family and finds himself...... middle of paper ......3. Literary Resource Center. Internet. July 24, 2014. Document URLhttp://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CH1420032077&v=2.1&u=avl_jeff&it=r&p=LitRG&sw=w&asid=10fbb04b42cd70f3ace028430ed32d2dCheever, John. “The swimmer”. The Northon Anthology of American Literature. 8th ed. Flight. E. New York: WW Norton, 2012. 156-65. Print.Current-Garcia, Eugène. “The Swimmer: Overview.” Reference guide to American literature. Ed. Jim Camp. 3rd ed. Detroit: St. James Press, 1994. Literary Resource Center. Internet. July 24, 2014.Document urlhttp://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do? Id = gale% 7ch1420001586 & v = 2.1 & u = avl_jeff & it = r & p = litrg & sw = w & asid = 205e8eb920959542d84229e3fe70dc46wall War." Introduction. The Northon Anthology of American Literature. By Jerome Klinkowitz. 8th ed. Vol. E. New York: WW Norton, 2012. 3-7. 1945.