Overcoming Obstacles In Doris Lessing's Through The Tunnel

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“All good writing is swimming underwater and holding your breath.” (F. Scott Fitzgerald). In Doris Lessings, “Through The Tunnel” a young boy named Jerry overcomes many obstacles in his early life. Jerry is a typical eleven years old who would like to make friend. He pushes himself to the limit trying to do so. Jerry meets a group of foreign boys. His attempts in making friends do not work out. Soon after the encounter Jerry finds out about a tunnel through a rock. He tries to swim through the rock but turns back, realizing he is too afraid to swim through it. After his mother buys him some swim goggles, Jerry heads back out to the rock. When he starts to swim through the tunnel in the rock, he sees his life flash before his eyes. Jerry passes …show more content…
Jerry first gains maturity by training to go under water for a long amount of time. Lessing states, “He gained the surface, clambered about the stones… he let himself down over the side of the rock. He dropped with the weight, straight to the sandy floor.” After climbing about the rocks, Jerry finds a big jagged rock that high enough to let him hit the bottom of the ocean. Hence, he jumps off the side of the rock and holding his breath to train his lungs. He gained raining by repeatedly going underwater and holding his breath. Jerry then has determination to get to the tunnel. Ms. Lessings describes, “He found himself sitting up on the rock and looking down into the water… when his nose had only just stopped bleeding,when his head was still sore and throbbing, this was the moment he would try.” While Jerry’s head continues to hurt from going underwater for a long amount of time, he is determined to continue diving, though his head continues to throb. He gained determination by continuing to dive even when his head continued to hurt. He then finally gains maturity by passing through the tunnel. After passing through the tunnel, “He could see the local boys diving and playing half a mile away. He did not want them.” Jerry gained maturity by training frequently, having determination to do certain actions, and passing through the tunnel. Even though the older boys ignored him Jerry learned after swimming through the tunnel he did not need to impress

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