Through The Tunnel

In life, one must overcome their fears in order to achieve or successfully attain a certain goal in their mind. The short story “Through the Tunnel”, by Doris Lessing tells us about how Jerry builds confidence and maturity throughout the story, by overcoming his fear of going through the dark and scary tunnel underneath the water. The author portrays the idea of overcoming one’s fear to achieve a goal through Jerry, who was once a childish and isolated character, had begun his risky adventure of going through the tunnel to prove his worth to a group of boys and along the way discovers what he truly wants. Over time he becomes more mature and in the end, gain self-acceptance.

Jerry, despite his relative decency, is victimized by the power structure of the school as well as his peers (Bagnall). “Choosing to disturb the universe means that Jerry himself is thrown into chaos” (Junko). His refusal to conform makes him the prime target of both the Vigils and the school officials, despite admiration from his peers. Cormier makes it clear that moral individuals can not survive unaided in a corrupt, oppressive system (Harris et al.). Jerry, while standing up for what he believes is right, is constantly torn down and abused by Archie’s goons. No one, not even his best friend Goober, came to his rescue to combat his oppressors. Arguably, “the reason Jerry was not saved was because he stood alone” (Harris et al.). Jerry stood alone in refusing to take the chocolates, his abuse by the Vigils, and his eventual physical and mental destruction by Janza. In fact, his destruction makes him into a martyr. His surrender in the end makes him an even more realistic hero and shows that it takes more people to fight powerful figures (Peck). Cormier challenges the perception of the modern “Superman” figure and replaces him with an “Average Joe”: a jack of all trades but master at none. Despite his defeat, Jerry’s legacy will live beyond him, whether publicly celebrated or privately discussed by Trinity students (Siegler). Jerry’s battle could have been won if his peers acted against the power structures as

Jerry’s new identity does not last long. He cannot challenge the authority of the Vigils without facing any consequences. Jerry is to be made an outcast rather than a hero.

He works on his goal none stop doing everything he can to improve his chances of going through the tunnel. He asks his mother to buy him goggles to see the tunnel. He holds his breath under the water for long periods of time strengthening his lungs to get ready for the real thing. Jerry also starts working out so he can be stronger and faster in the water increasing his odds of making it through because it will be shorter time and it will be less time on his lungs. Jerry is now ready not only mentally but physically to swim through the

The characterization of Jerry illustrates the stages of maturing and becoming independent. In the beginning of the story, Jerry is depicted as young and immature. The immaturity of Jerry is shown when he is trying to capture the older boys’ attention. In order to capture their attention, “he began splashing and kicking in the water like a foolish dog.” This action conveys that Jerry is still immature, and wants to join the older kids. After seeing the boys pass through the tunnel, Jerry also wants to pass through in order to be a part of their group. In order

If the relationship between Jerry and his father was more open where they could talk about anything, he might’ve not had to deal with his side of things alone. But instead, he goes it alone, without any help from his dad, his close friends, or even the teachers. In the beginning of chapter 37 on page 247, The Goober explains how he didn’t want to go to school and see Jerry being taunted and teased, so he stayed home for a couple days. When he came late to the raffle fight, he thought about how “the school reminded him of his own betrayals and defections.” Even the teachers don’t help him in the matter, they go along with the students. This is apparent in

He tries out to be the quarterback, but he is knocked down again and again. He questions whether or not he should even come back to practice the second day because he was hit so hard. While he hated being beaten up so bad, he was determined to make the football team. This attitude shows throughout the entire story. Jerry is not a quitter, and he is determined to achieve his goals.

Jerry loses nothing if he fails this task while if Temas and Medoto might be seen as people who are weak and cannot to harder tasks. Medoto and Temas have nobody to help them accomplish this task but themselves, while Jerry has himself and his mother. Jerry’s mother is the one who brought him to the beach and let him wander off and bought him goggles to see through the tunnel because he cannot see because there is too much salt in the ocean. “”I want some swimming goggles,” He panted, defiant and beseeching. She gave him a patient, inquisitive look as she casually said, “well of course darling.” but now now! He must have them at this minute and no other time. He nagged and pestered until she had bought the goggles (Lessing PG. 379)”. This quotation clearly shows that his mother bought the goggles for him to support him in his quest. Temas and medoto have a small knife,a spear, and a shield to help them with this quest. They had to pass this rite of passage in order to

Jerry had kept on trying for days till he could hold his breath underwater for minutes, then he was ready. He then stands at the face of the ordeal and dives into the water, into the tunnel. Jerry is swimming and swimming to get through this tunnel and is determined to do so. Proof of this is when Jerry said “He was trembling with fear that he would not go; and he was trembling with horror at that long, long tunnel under the rock, under the sea” (1) which proves that he was scared but still moved forward. Jerry is in the middle of the cave, almost out of breath and sees no light

“Yet, walking down the path with her, he blurted out, ‘I’d like to go and have a look at those rocks down there,’’ (Lessing 1). During the short story, “Through the Tunnel,” Lessing shows that Jerry has an interest in breaking away from his mother early on in the story. He shows a passion for wanting to go to the wild bay, instead of staying with his mother at the safe beach for their vacation. Jerry’s transformation from boy to a young man is revealed in the settings of the safe beach, wild bay, and the journey through the tunnel.

Soon she walked slowly up the path, swinging her striped bag, the flushed, naked arm dangling beside her. “I want some swimming goggles,” he panted, defiant and beseeching.” This shows that right after Jerry saw the boys go underwater and through the tunnel, he wanted their respect and wanted to show them what he was capable of (also maybe to show that he wasn’t that awkward and weird). I would not do this because I am not that respect hungry and I won’t risk my life to impress a couple of strangers (in this book he tries to impress the

They both hear The Call in their lives and risk death to answer it. Although the Call comes from incredibly different sources, they both seem to be unable to do anything but answer it. Big Boy had the choice between leaving home or dying, but in Jerry’s situation it seems as though he could have very easily decided to ignore the tunnel’s challenge and remain with his mother. However, Through the Tunnel makes it clear that besting the tunnel was such a compulsion and obsession for him that stopping my not have been a possibility.

All people must face change and growth in their life. If one does not then they do not mature and do not learn the abilities needed to cope with life. Doris Lessing shows this theme in the short story Through the Tunnel in which the main character Jerry faces his test in order to grow up. The story begins with him finally breaking away from his mother to swim in a rocky bay in contrast to their normal beach. Older foreign boys come to this bay and he watches as they find a pass through some rocks and swim through.

In the story Through the Tunnel by Doris Lessing, an 11 year old boy named Jerry went on a vacation with his widowed mother. They have a hard time giving each other range and separation causing Jerry to feel guilty at first when he goes to the bay. But Jerry decided to go to the bay and saw older boys undress and dive off a tall cliff into the water. They stayed under for a long time and Jerry got worried he later found out that there is a long tunnel under the water and they were swimming through it. It became Jerry’s goal to get through that tunnel, so everyday he would go to the bay and practice holding his breath.

Jerry tries to act older so that he can fit in with the boys. When