“Swimming Lessons” by Rohinton Mistry is a sensitive and realistic
short story that explores the emotional and psychological struggles
faced by immigrants. The story centres on Kersi Boyce, a young Parsi
man who migrates from India to Canada with hopes of building a
better life. However, instead of fulfilment and belonging, he
experiences deep loneliness, cultural alienation, and a constant sense
of displacement.
In Canada, Kersi lives alone in an apartment building. His daily life is
monotonous and emotionally empty. He finds it difficult to interact
with people and feels uncomfortable in the unfamiliar social and
cultural environment. Although Canada offers material comfort,
cleanliness, and order, it lacks the warmth and familiarity of home.
This contrast highlights the emotional cost of migration, showing that
physical comfort does not guarantee inner happiness.
A significant part of the story is built around Kersi’s memories of his
childhood in Bombay. These memories often interrupt his present
life in Canada and pull him back emotionally to India. He recalls his
parents, his home, and especially his experience with swimming
lessons as a child. As a young boy, Kersi was afraid of water and was
forced by his parents to take swimming lessons. Despite repeated
efforts, he never learned to swim confidently. These memories are
not merely nostalgic; they symbolise his present condition as an
immigrant who struggles to adapt to a new environment.
The swimming lessons function as a powerful metaphor in the story.
Learning to swim represents learning how to survive and adjust in a
foreign land. Just as water frightened Kersi as a child, life in Canada
feels strange and threatening to him. His failure to master swimming
mirrors his inability to feel fully comfortable and confident in Canada.
This symbolism shows that adaptation is not easy and does not
happen automatically for everyone.
Another important aspect of the story is Kersi’s role as a writer. He
writes short stories based on his experiences in Canada, which are
sent back to India and read by his parents. His parents read these
stories with pride and curiosity, but they fail to understand the
emotional pain and loneliness hidden behind his writing. This creates
a gap between Kersi and his parents, representing the emotional
distance that often develops between immigrants and their families
back home. While the parents imagine a successful and happy life
abroad, the reality is far more complex and painful.
The ending of the story shifts briefly to the parents’ perspective,
emphasising their concern and misunderstanding. They worry about
Kersi but cannot fully grasp the depth of his struggle. This narrative
shift reinforces the theme of miscommunication and emotional
disconnect caused by migration.
In conclusion, “Swimming Lessons” is a deeply moving portrayal of
the immigrant experience. Through Kersi Boyce’s loneliness,
memories, and symbolic struggle with swimming, Rohinton Mistry
shows that migration involves not just a change of place, but also a
profound emotional and psychological journey. The story highlights
themes of alienation, identity crisis, nostalgia, and the difficulty of
adapting to a new culture, making it a powerful reflection on the
human cost of displacement.