What metaphors are used in Robert Kennedy Saved from Drowning by Donald Barthelme?

The narrative can be seen as a metaphor for public vs. private Life. Robert Kennedy was a very public figure. He came from an important political family, was the brother of President John F. Kennedy, and was himself a candidate for president when Barthelme wrote the "Robert Kennedy Saved from Drowning." One of the questions that emerges from the story is: How much do people know about this man?