Setting

The physical setting of the short story “Neutral Buoyancy” by J. R. McConvey is the BeWell Downtown pool (l. 17) where Jetta has been going for the past three years to swim. This setting underlines the role swimming plays in the main character’s life.

For the other people in the short story, the swimming pool seems to be a place where they can relax or socialize. For Jetta, however, the pool is the place where she can escape he...