Most students have witnessed the refraction of light when viewing a partially submerged object—a spoon in a glass of water appears to bend—but they have little understanding of the phenomenon. The purpose of this case study is to elucidate the underlying principles and application of Snell's law to explain such illusions without the use of equations or numerical examples. It is intended to be an introduction to the topic and a starting point for the discussion of concepts related to the reflection and refraction of light through different media based on their indices of refraction. Using the familiar setting of a swimming pool, the case study relates fundamental principles of optics to observations that most students have personally experienced to explain these effects. This case study is appropriate for introductory physics classes at early college and senior high school classes. It can also serve as the basis for an informal writing assignment in writing intensive courses.