Short Story: Through The Tunnel By Doris Lessing

“Through the Tunnel” In Doris Lessing’s short story, “Through the Tunnel”, the author teaches the reader about setting goals and achieving them. “Through the Tunnel” tells the story of a young English boy named Jerry who’s mother lets him go and allows him to explore the bay. While on the bay, he meets a group of boys who he ends up swimming with. While swimming with the boys, Jerry discovers that the boys are swimming through a tunnel underwater. Eventually, the boys go off somewhere else and leave Jerry alone. Upset and lonely, Jerry swims around by himself and decides to explore the tunnel. When exploring the tunnel entrance, Jerry becomes determined to swim through the tunnel, to make it to the other side. In “Through the Tunnel”, Doris …show more content…
In the story, Jerry had set the goal of getting through the tunnel for himself. He worked hard to strengthen himself and trained his breath. On page __ it reads, “First, he thought, he must learn to control his breathing. He let himself down into the water with another big stone in his arms, so that he could lie effortlessly on the bottom of the sea.” Jerry practices and is working very hard to reach his goal. Instead of just diving into the tunnel, he wants to make sure that he is strong enough. Like in life, before diving into a goal or dream, researching is probably a wise thing to do.By holding himself underwater, he is learning to hold his breath longer. Also stated in the text, “He knew every jut and corner of it, as far as it were possible to see. It was as if he already felt its sharpness on his shoulders.” Even after he has learned to hold his breath and strengthened himself, Jerry is making sure he knew what being in the tunnel was like. With his common sense, Jerry knew that if he were to just swim into the tunnel, there may be a surprise waiting ahead and he will not want to risk that chance. Jerry’s goal is a new one and a hard one for him, but he still set it, and will try his best to achieve …show more content…
Throughout the story, Jerry is determination is strong and he does not give up. He does not let anything hold him back, even the many nose bleeds he had for holding himself under for so long. As it says in the story, “That night, his nose bled badly. For hours he had been underwater, learning to hold his breath and now he felt weak and dizzy. His mother said, “ I shouldn't overdo things, darling, if I were you.” Jerry is so concentrated on swimming through the tunnel, he is overdoing his practices and may be hurting himself. Although Jerry is overdoing things, he is willing to do whatever it may take to reach his goal. He brushes of his mother’s warning and continues his practices. As the days go on and Jerry becomes stronger, he hears that they may be leaving soon. He contemplates on whether he should go through the tunnel soon, or come back next year and get through. Jerry thinks to himself in the story, “On the day before they left, he would do it. He would do it if it kills him, he said defiantly to himself.” Staying true to himself and his goal, he finally comes to the decision to go through the tunnel that year. Jerry doesn't let anything stop him from swimming through the tunnel and is able to swim his way through the tunnel. The day before they leave, he goes back down to the bay and makes his way swimming through the tunnel. While