in "through the tunnel," how does jerry change throughout the course of the story?

When the boys ignore him, diving underwater and swimming through a tunnel in a rock, Jerry becomes determined to do the same and spends the remainder of the story preparing to perform this task. By the end of the story, Jerry has proved his abilities to himself, and no longer seeks the approval of the older boys.

Full Answer

What was Jerry Like in the beginning of the story through the tunnel?

In the beginning of the story, Jerry comes across as caring towards his mother and still looking for her protection. This is suggested through his attitude to her and through the fact that he looks for her from the water: “He was very familiar with that anxious, apologetic smile.

What lesson did Jerry learn in through the tunnel?

In Doris Lessing's “Through the Tunnel,” Jerry, an eleven year old boy, overcomes many conflicts and challenges that lead him to the results of growing up and establishing himself as an individual. Through the use of symbolism and characterization, Lessing suggests that it requires conflict to achieve maturity.

How is Jerry characterized in through the tunnel?

Jerry- Through indirect characterization, we do not find out much about Jerry's personality except that he is attention-seeking, determined, and wants to be liked by others. Therefore, he is a flat character. Jerry is dynamic because he goes from wanting to grow up to wanting to stay young.

What does Jerry do in order to get ready to swim through the tunnel?

he wanted to impress the other boys by swimming through the tunnel they all swam through. So he told his mother that he needed swimming goggles. So she took him to the store and he grabbed the goggles and ran back to the swimming spot to attempt the long swim through the tunnel.

Why does Jerry cry in Through the Tunnel?

Why does Jerry cry when he cannot dive through the tunnel? He is frustrated that he cannot do what the other boys can.

What is the message in Through the Tunnel?

The main theme of the story “Through the tunnel” is coming of age, which means becoming an adult, typically as a result of an event or a rite of passage.

What kind of character is Jerry?

Jerry MouseJerryFull nameGerald Jinx MouseSpeciesHouse MouseGenderMaleFamilyNibbles (nephew)9 more rows

Why do the older boys leave Jerry?

Jerry forgets his loneliness from being isolated from his mother by playing with whom? He finds a group of native boys to swim with. At first, they welcome him, but then they realize he is a foreigner and not a talented swimmer, and so, they leave him behind.

How would you describe Jerry's relationship with his mother?

Jerry's relationship with his mother is complicated. She does her best to raise him how she wants, but then finds herself worrying over what amusements he might secretly be longing for (Lines 10-12). His mother was the one to open up the door to Jerry's tunnel encounter.

Why does Jerry leave his mother at the beach?

He wants to be independent and explore the other beach.

What must Jerry prove to himself by swimming Through the Tunnel?

It is very important for Jerry to swim through the tunnel so that he can prove to himself as well as the older boys and his mother that he is not a child.

How does Jerry prepare for his big test?

How is Jerry's preparation unlike the real test? He sleeps the rest of the day. His mom tells him not to swim anymore that day and he agrees.

How does Jerry feel about his mother Through the Tunnel?

He acts like a sullen teenager who needs the parent to buy him things and ignores them the rest of the time. He does not pay heed to her advice even when his body is giving up on him. In fact, the journey through the tunnel was so dangerous that he could have died there.

What do Jerry's reaction to the boys in paragraphs 13 17 suggest about him?

Jerry felt accepted because the boys would make way for him when he dove and he felt like he was part of their group.

What is the story Through the Tunnel about?

The plot of the short story “Through the Tunnel” by Doris Lessing follows Jerry, an 11-year-old boy, through a single event of his life: training to swim through an underwater hole in a rock. The plot is focused on two main conflicts: overcoming one's limitations, and humans versus nature.

What does the tunnel symbolize in Through the Tunnel?

The tunnel represents Jerry's passageway from youth to maturity, a symbolic journey from boyhood to manhood. By proving himself worthy, Jerry is showing the world that he is no longer a child.

What does Jerry feel when he swims through the tunnel?

It is a frightening experience as he feels his lungs ache and his head throb from bouncing against the sharp rock of the tunnel; however, Jerry is successful and no longer wants anything "but to get back home and lie down." For, now he is a man, Jerry feels, as he has made the passage from boyhood to manhood. For, by facing danger and overcoming it, Jerry has acquired greater maturity and independence.

What does Jerry do after he swims?

After Jerry swims a little closer, they turn and watch him with narrowed, alert dark eyes, suspicious of his motives. When Jerry discovers that they have swum through an underwater tunnel, he perceives this ability to do so as the mark of a man. When Jerry returns to his mother on her beach, he insists that she buy him some swim goggles. Afterwards, he goes back to the area where the boys have plunged, and studies the area around this tunnel:

What is the setting of Doris Lessing's story?

Doris Lessing 's story has two settings; the "safe beach" on which Jerry's mother sits, and the "wild bay" where the native boys daringly swim through and underwater tunnel. It is in this wild bay in which Jerry undergoes the ordeal that changes him.

What is Jerry's journey through the tunnel?

Thus, his journey “through the tunnel” is symbolic of the journey all children must go through—from dependence on their parents to a degree of independence.

How old is Jerry in The Tunnel?

He is eleven years old and his father is dead. When Jerry’s mother decides to spend another day at their usual beach and he sets off on his own down to the separate rocky bay, he is seemingly happy to be alone. When he sees a group of older boys, though, Jerry is eager to impress them with his swimming abilities. When the boys ignore him, diving underwater and swimming through a tunnel in a rock, Jerry becomes determined to do the same and spends the remainder of the story preparing to perform this task. By the end of the story, Jerry has proved his abilities to himself, and no longer seeks the approval of the older boys. Thus, his journey “through the tunnel” is symbolic of the journey all children must go through—from dependence on their parents to a degree of independence. In this way, “Through the Tunnel” is a coming-of-age story in miniature, as it portrays Jerry’s courageous feat as a universal one: that of making the passage from childhood to young adulthood.

How long does it take Jerry to hold his breath?

He squeezes his... (full context) After reaching the crack and seeing the darkness still ahead of him in the tunnel, Jerry passes the two-minute mark of holding his breath.

What did Jerry do after waiting for the sleek brown head to appear?

Jerry, after waiting for the sleek brown head to appear, let out a yell of warning; they looked at him idly and turned their eyes back toward the water. After a long time, the boy came up on the other side of a big dark rock, letting the air out of his lungs in a sputtering gasp and a shout of triumph.

What happens when Jerry's mother decides to spend another day at the beach?

When Jerry’s mother decides to spend another day at their usual beach and he sets off on his own down to the separate rocky bay, he is seemingly happy to be alone. When he sees a group of older boys, though, Jerry is eager to impress them with his swimming abilities.

What did the English boy look down at in the first morning of his vacation?

Going to the shore on the first morning of the vacation, the young English boy stopped at a turning of the path and looked down at a wild and rocky bay and then over to the crowded beach he knew so well from other years.

Where does the story of Jerry and his mother begin?

Through the Tunnel. The story begins with Jerry and his mother on vacation from their native England to a coastal town in an... (full context) Jerry eyes move from his mother’s white arm, then to the rocky bay, then back to... (full context)

How does Jerry escape from the tunnel?

Choosing to ignore him altogether instead, they escape from his childish behavior by diving through the tunnel again , which they know he is unable to do. Paying closer attention this time, he counts the seconds they are underwater and is surprised at their advanced skill at holding breath. With this, Jerry has been definitively rejected from their small community, by dint of a gap in physical ability as well as their disdain for him as an outsider.

What does Jerry need to do to swim into the tunnel?

Holding his breath for long periods of time, he determines, is necessary for him to navigate this natural environment. Thus, growth and learning are integral pieces of the process of maturation.

How does Jerry wake up?

He immediately falls asleep. He wakes up when he hears his mother walking up to the front door and quickly washes the blood and tears from his face. Jerry’s mother remarks that he has a gash on his head and that his face has paled, but he doesn’t tell her about his adventure through the tunnel —only that he can hold his breath for up to three minutes. She tells him again not to overdo it, but it doesn’t matter because Jerry is no longer interested in going to the rocky bay.

What happens when Jerry and the boys suddenly reappear on the other side?

When they suddenly reappear on the other side, Jerry realizes that they must have passed through an underwater tunnel . The biggest boy, and the apparent leader of the group, is the first to attempt the daring feat of swimming through the underwater tunnel, which Jerry can’t see.

How long can Jerry hold his breath?

While he sets off on his routine, Jerry is surprised that he can hold his breath for ten whole seconds longer than his previous attempts. He thinks he could probably make his way through the tunnel at this point, but decides to wait. Instead, Jerry sits at the ocean floor and studies every aspect of the tunnel.

What happens when the biggest boy dives into the water?

The biggest boy dives into the water and doesn’t come up. Jerry is surprised and yells out to the others, who don’t seem concerned about the other boy’s disappearance. When he comes out of the water on the other side of a large rock, the rest of them follow the same routine and dive down. Jerry goes in after them but can only see the surface of the rock. When they suddenly reappear on the other side, Jerry realizes that they must have passed through an underwater tunnel .

What does Jerry feel when he drops his rock?

The space is pitch black. He feels a piece of seaweed drift against his face and imagines an octopus waiting for him in the dark of the tunnel.

Modernism and Realism

"Through the Tunnel" displays characteristics of both modernism and realism. Although modernism truly took hold after World War I (1914–18), the movement began in the late 19th century. It is typified by a departure from traditional forms and ideas in favor of experimental structures, such as nonlinear, nonnarrative, and fragmented narratives.

Bildungsroman

"Through the Tunnel" is a type of coming-of-age story known as a bildungsroman. A bildungsroman focuses on a character's growing from childhood toward adulthood. Typically, the character experiences an emotional awakening that causes them to see the world differently from how they saw it as a child.

Colonialism and Apartheid in South Africa

Although Lessing never makes clear the exact setting of "Through the Tunnel," the text hints at a colonial context.

What does Jerry know after seeing the tunnel entrance?

After seeing the tunnel entrance for the first time, Jerry knows "he must find his way through that cave ... and out the other side."

How does Jerry swim through the tunnel?

Even as he decides to wait, though, Jerry realizes it's now or never. He puts on his goggles securely, swims quickly to the tunnel entrance, and draws himself into the tunnel. The roof scrapes his back, and he knocks his head against an unseen rock. He counts as he pulls himself through the narrow tunnel, pushing down his panic. It's been over a minute, but he doesn't need to breathe. Kicking away from the roof of the tunnel, he finds that it has widened, and he can swim freely. As he reaches 100, the water brightens, and he senses "victory." However, there is still no exit in sight. He repeats the number 115 over and over in his mind, realizing he has said it before. Above him is a narrow crack in the rock. That's where the light is coming from. He swims on into the blackness in front of him, still repeating 115. Now he is pulling himself through rocks again, sometimes slipping into unconsciousness. "An immense, swelling pain fill [s] his head," and suddenly there is "an explosion of green light." He gropes forward, kicks, and is free of the tunnel. He lets himself drift to the surface, where he emerges, "gasping like a fish." He manages to swim back to the rock and clamber out of the water. He can't see. His goggles are "full of blood." When he pulls them off, he realizes his nose is bleeding again. Eventually, his heart slows, and he sits up. He sees the older boys in the distance, but they no longer interest him.

What is the theme of "Through the Tunnel"?

"Through the Tunnel" is an encapsulation of a classic bildungsroman story. In such stories the protagonist not only undergoes a physical change, but also experiences psychological change. When Jerry first encounters the older boys on the rocky beach, he is needy, immature, and desperate. When the boys lose interest in him, Jerry begins clowning to get their attention, "splashing and kicking in the water like a foolish dog." By the end of the story Jerry sees the older boys in the distance and does "not want them." There are smaller examples of Jerry's psychological maturation as well: the "safe beach of his childhood" feels like "a place for small children" once he begins training. Also, when he first ventures into the tunnel, he childishly imagines a large swaying leaf to be an octopus, which startles him enough to abandon his attempt. Later, he enters the tunnel and fears death, yet he continues swimming. His relationship with his mother also changes. At the beginning of the story, Jerry pleases his mother out of a sense of "contrition." Later, he stops asking permission to visit "his beach," and he keeps the details of his training secret. Through the course of his training and actually swimming through the tunnel, the reader also sees Jerry's physical transformation, which is best represented by his breathing. Jerry goes from being able to hold his breath underwater for about a minute to being able to "stay underwater for two minutes—three minutes, at least." At the end of his transition, after successfully swimming through the tunnel, Jerry emerges anew. He no longer craves the attention and acceptance of the local boys. He attempts to protect his mother by shielding her from knowing how close he came to death. Finally, he recognizes and accepts her efforts to protect him.

What does Jerry watch the boys swim through?

Jerry watches the older boys swim through an unseen underwater tunnel and longs to figure out how they do it.

How long does it take Jerry to leave the island?

The stakes are heightened. A deadline or ultimatum adds urgency to the hero's journey. Jerry's mother announces that they will leave the island in four days. Jerry vows to swim through the tunnel before then "if it kill [s] him."

What is the struggle in the movie "What he can do"?

Despite Jerry's arduous training, he struggles to hold his breath long enough to swim through the confusing tunnel. He reaches the end of "what he can do" and feels as if "he [is] dying."

What does Jerry see after he conquers death?

After conquering death, the hero receives a physical or emotional reward. After swimming through the tunnel, Jerry sees the older boys swimming in the distance but does "not want them." He has gained independence and confidence.