Analyzing Doris Lessing's 'Through The Tunnel'

The ocean can be an adventure if one wants it to be. “Through the Tunnel”, makes one feel like never giving up with what they want to accomplish in their life. In “Through the Tunnel”, Doris Lessing uses imagery and characterization to convey to never give up on the things that one wants to do in life, because if one gives up, then they will never know what might have happened. For Jerry, a day at the beach turns into an adventure that gives him confidence in himself. Imagery lets one understand the theme visualizing that one can do anything if one simply just does not give up on themselves. Jerry watched older boys swimming through a tunnel from one side of a large rock to the other and Jerry was determined to learn how to hold his breath long enough to make it through the long tunnel: “Again and again he rose, took a big chestful of air, and went down” (Lessing 3). Lessing shows us that Jerry was determined to hold his breath to be able to get through the rock tunnel. He never gave up no matter what came his way. Jerry had practiced holding his breath long enough that he was able to get through the …show more content…
The salt water from the ocean hurt his eyes and kept him from seeing the opening for the tunnel, so he asked his mother to get him goggles: “As soon as she brought the goggles, he grabbed them from her hand as if she were going to claim them herself, and was off, running down the steep path to the bay.” (Lessing 3). This demonstrates Jerry has perseverance in himself to accomplish his goals he has set in mind. This could teach us all a very good lesson. He knew he might not be able to hold his breath long enough while in the tunnel and might drown, but, “He would do it if it killed him, he said defiantly to himself.” (Lessing 5). Jerry shows his personality and that he has determination to accomplish his goals, and that one should never quit, no matter the