Composition

The short story “Neutral Buoyancy” by J. R. McConvey has a chronological composition and follows the main character for about an hour. 

The story opens up with a typical in medias res beginning, which hooks the readers and makes them curious about Jetta’s quest to reach her goal: “They always make it harder to achieve results” (l. 1). The first line and the word “results” suggest that Jetta sees swimming as a goal that she must reach, and not simply as a form of relaxation. 

Moreover, the word “they” – which most likely refers to the other people in the pool – shows that Jetta sees others as obstacles to her wellbeing. Therefore, the story creates...