By swimming through the tunnel, Jerry completes a rite of passage. He also realizes that even though he can do what the big boys can, he still wants to go home and spend time with his mother.
Why does Jerry decide to swim through the tunnel?
By swimming through the tunnel, Jerry completes a rite of passage. He also realizes that even though he can do what the big boys can, he still wants to go home and spend time with his mother.
How does Jerry get to the entrance of the tunnel?
In “Through the Tunnel,” how does Jerry get to the entrance of the tunnel? He holds onto a heavy rock to push himself down. He dives down from the highest point on the rocks. He pulls his way down by gripping a rock wall above the tunnel.
What does the incident on the rock cause Jerry to do through the tunnel?
But, they ignore him and dive off the rock on which they have been standing. It is this incident which makes Jerry aware of his immaturity; he desires acceptance from the older boys, so he watches what they do, and decides to practice until he, too, can execute this marvelous dive through the tunnel.What is a character trait of Jerry in through the tunnel?
In the beginning of the story, Jerry comes across as caring towards his mother and still looking for her protection. This is suggested through his attitude to her and through the fact that he looks for her from the water: “He was very familiar with that anxious, apologetic smile.
What is Jerry's internal conflict?
As they walk toward their usual beach (apparently they have been here numerous times before), Jerry feels some internal conflict as a result of his desire to go off by himself to the “wild bay” instead of going to the “safe beach” with his mother.
What does Jerry do that makes the native boys accept him in through the tunnel?
They were big boys, men, to Jerry. He dived, and they watched him; and when he swam around to take his place, they made way for him. He felt he was accepted and he dived again, carefully, proud of himself. Jerry is very pleased the other boys are impressed with his diving and accept him.
How do you know that Jerry is proud after his swim through the tunnel?
How does Jerry feel about himself after swimming through the tunnel? He felt proud because he did what he set out to do.What are the internal and external conflicts Jerry faces in through the tunnel?
External and internal. The exterior conflict is when Jerry starts to train his body to be able to hold his breath for a long time and swim through the tunnel. The second conflict is internal. In the beginning, Jerry is portrayed as a boy who is dependent on his mother and cannot do anything without her.
Why was the adventure necessary for Jerry?The quote refers to the instance when the adventure that is so necessary to Jerry is brought closer. Why is the adventure necessary to Jerry? It is to prove that he can, literally, swim with the big boys, that he has left his childish ways behind, and that he is ready to navigate new challenges and conflicts in life.
Article first time published onWhat is Jerry's mother's reaction when Jerry says that he can hold his breath for 3 or 4 minutes?
What is Jerry’s mother’s reaction when Jerry says that he can hold his breath for 3 or 4 minutes? She does not believe him, and tells him not to overdo it.
How the character trait of determination in Jerry in through the tunnel advances the plot of the short story?
The plot is resolved when Jerry succeeds and then realizes that being with the other boys no longer matters to him, and he also brags to his mother about how long he can stay submerged. Determination is necessary for him both to complete the swim and to have this epiphany.
What did Jerry do when he first saw the boys?
Looking back to shore, Jerry sees some boys strip off their clothes and go running down to the rocks, and he swims toward them but keeps his distance. The boys are “of that coast; all of them were burned smooth dark brown and speaking a language he did not understand.
How is Jerry independent in through the tunnel?
Jerry trains until he does not require air for minutes at a time. Breaking away from his mother allows Jerry to explore and challenge himself. He learns to swim through the dangerous tunnel by himself, without any assistance from the local boys, which establishes his independence.
Why does Jerry so desperately want a pair of goggles?
Though he understands that he may never befriend the group of boys, Jerry still wants to figure out the mystery of swimming through this tunnel. As an outsider to the area, he has to use goggles to see where the boys already know to swim, and a heavy rock to reach a depth they have no trouble diving to.
What is Jerry's mother's internal conflict in Through the Tunnel?
He faces an internal conflict on whether he should stay with his mother or follow his desire to go to the bay. Likewise, Jerry’s mother also faces an inner conflict between her sense of duty and her sense of giving way towards her son.
What is the main conflict Through the Tunnel?
The plot of the short story “Through the Tunnel” by Doris Lessing follows Jerry, an 11-year-old boy, through a single event of his life: training to swim through an underwater hole in a rock. The plot is focused on two main conflicts: overcoming one’s limitations, and humans versus nature.
Why does the Bay draw Jerry's attention in Through the Tunnel?
Expert Answers Young Jerry wants to go to the rocky bay because it presents a challenge and because there he can exert some independence from his mother with whom he usually spends the day at the usual beach.
What is one internal conflict Jerry faces in the story?
Jerry’s internal conflict, firstly, arises from his mother’s wish and what he wants for himself. He has to choose between doing what he wants or being obedient. At first, his guilt is what compels him to stay with her. He finally resolves this conflict by telling her that he longs to be elsewhere and she allows him.
What do you think is Jerry's worst moment in the tunnel?
It is not long before he is inside the tunnel, and he bumps his head, causing him a sharp pain. However, Jerry’s worst moment occurs after his false sense of victory in seeing a crack of light. For, darkness lies ahead and his lungs begin to hurt as his oxygen supply depletes.
What does internal conflict mean in a story?
Internal conflict is when a character struggles with their own opposing desires or beliefs. It happens within them, and it drives their development as a character.
Where does Jerry discover the boys had been swimming?
Jerry and his mother are on vacation in an unspecified foreign country. They often spend their holidays here and go swimming at the “usual beach.” Jerry’s mother lets him go off by himself to explore the rocky bay. Jerry watches local boys go through an underwater tunnel.
What does the big beach symbolize for Jerry?
The usual interpretation is that the “safe beach” represents the comfort and security of Jerry’s childhood and his mother and the rocky, “wild beach” represents the unknown adolescent future without his mother.
How does the author create suspense during Jerry's swim through the tunnel in paragraphs 34 39?
Answer and Explanation: In Lessing’s “Through the Tunnel”, the author builds suspense by playing up Jerry’s feelings of fear and uncertainty, keeping the audience in the dark about whether he will survive swimming through the tunnel or not. “He must go on into the blackness ahead, or he would drown.
What is the theme of through the tunnel?
In Through the Tunnel by Doris Lessing we have the theme of connection, isolation, determination, failure, independence, conflict and coming of age. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Lessing may be exploring the theme of connection.
How does Jerry's journey end?
The tunnel represents Jerry’s passageway from youth to maturity, a symbolic journey from boyhood to manhood. In the end, Jerry’s climatic swim through the dark, dangerous tunnel proves his strength and endurance. Jerry’s boyish ways are cast off and his manhood is embraced. Finally…
Why is through the tunnel a coming of age story?
The main theme of the story “Through the tunnel” is coming of age, which means becoming an adult, typically as a result of an event or a rite of passage.
What is Jerry's relationship with his mother?
Jerry’s relationship with his mother is complicated. She does her best to raise him how she wants, but then finds herself worrying over what amusements he might secretly be longing for (Lines 10-12). His mother was the one to open up the door to Jerry’s tunnel encounter.
What does Jerrys reaction to the boys in paragraph 41 reveal about his motivation for swimming through the tunnel?
Expert Answers After his rejection by the older native boys, who have perceived him as immature as he splashes foolishly in the water, Jerry sits on the rough rock and cries “openly” because he envies their camaraderie and freedom and daring.
What does the tunnel symbolize in through the tunnel?
The tunnel represents Jerry’s passageway from youth to maturity, a symbolic journey from boyhood to manhood. By proving himself worthy, Jerry is showing the world that he is no longer a child. In the end, Jerry’s climatic swim through the dark, dangerous tunnel proves his strength and endurance.
Which word best describes Jerry's journey through the tunnel?
The diction, or word choice, of Doris Lessing’s description of Jerry’s swim through the tunnel is suspenseful as it creates anticipation of Jerry’s successful passage, and the sense of danger is certainly created through the selective use of certain words.
