Structure

Title

The meaning of the title of Claire Keegan’s short story “Close to the Water’s Edge” is not immediately obvious, suggesting only that the story may take place near water. After reading the story, readers will discover that the title has both literal and symbolic meanings. 

The title’s literal meaning is related to the main character’s (the young man’s) grandmother. While it was her dream to see the ocean (p. 145, ll. 13-15), the woman did not go swimming when her dream finally came true, because “she had no idea how deep it was.” (p. 150, ll. 20-21). The grandmother literally stayed at the water’s edge and then returned to her life with her husband, a decision she came to regret (p. 148, ll. 42-45). The symbolic meaning of the title is, therefore, related to fear or caution, and, consequently, to not living the life one wanted for oneself. 

The title appears once at the beginning of the story: “A jogger stays on the hard sand close to the water’s edge, his shadow at his...