In the story “Through the Tunnel,” Jerry, the protagonist, undergoes challenges to test his maturity. During the introduction of the story, he begins as a young, immature boy, who is desperate to fit in and impress the older boys he meets, so he risks his life to gain the acceptance he seeks. After Jerry overcomes his challenges to prove himself to the other boys, he realizes that he no longer wants the older boys’ acceptance. Instead, overcoming the challenges pushes him into his journey to maturity. Throughout the course of the story, Jerry develops from a dependent child to a more independent and mature person on his way to becoming a man. During his vacation, Jerry longs to go down to the “wild and rocky bay” instead of always playing
