
What does the tunnel symbolize in the tunnel ride?
The act of training to swim through the tunnel is an intense emotional and physical struggle for Jerry, so when he finally does make it through by the end of the story, he has made a new step toward the independence of adulthood. In this way, the tunnel is symbolic of the passage from childhood into young adulthood,...
What is the significance of the tunnel on the beach?
The usual interpretation is that the "safe beach" represents the comfort and security of Jerry's childhood and his mother and the rocky, "wild beach" represents the unknown adolescent future without his mother. The "tunnel" is a challenge or rite of passage or test Jerry must pass to gain access to that future.
How does Lessing use symbolism in through the tunnel?
By using different symbolisms In Through the Tunnel, Lessing demonstrates the hardships that people can eventually face in their lives, and how they can overcome those hardships, transitioning them from childhood, to adulthood. The initial setting of the story takes place at the safe beach.
What is a tunnel?
We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. A tunnel is a passage that take you from one place to another, often acting as a short cut—sometimes a dangerous one.

What is the meaning of through the tunnel?
In her short story, “Through the Tunnel”, Doris Lessing conveys the concept of maturing through becoming self-sufficient. Lessing uses characterization and symbolism to show that being self-reliant is a part of growing up.
What is the main 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 is the climax of the story through the tunnel?
Climax. On the verge of blacking out and having been without breath for quite a while (far past the two minutes he had trained himself to go without), Jerry finally makes it out of the tunnel, exhausted and with blood filling up his goggles.
What is the irony in through the tunnel?
Irony. An example of irony in the story is when Jerry starts shouting random french words. He does this to get the group of boys' attention even though they still ignore him. Another example of irony is when Jerry's mother tells him not to overdo things, but he still goes out to the beach without her permission.
Why does Jerry swim 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.
What does Jerry learn in Through the Tunnel?
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.
What is the main conflict in Through the Tunnel?
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 is the conclusion of Through the Tunnel?
By the end of the piece, Jerry has swam through the underwater tunnel that he has been struggling to swim through the entire time that he and his mother have been on vacation. By the end of the story, he has successfully become mature and established himself as an individual person.
What is the best theme or central idea of Through the Tunnel?
The passage from childhood to adulthood is the theme of "Through the Tunnel." When Jerry first arrives on holiday with his mother, they spend their time together on "the safe beach," but Jerry's thoughts are about "the wild bay." What Jerry experiences about himself in that bay will help him to leave behind the ...
How is the beach described in through the tunnel?
The events take place on two beaches and at the villa where the characters are staying. The initial seaside landscape is described using words like: “wild and rocky bay”, “crowded beach”, “wild-looking place”, “red-brown rocks”, etc. The two beaches are described in antithesis.
What is through the tunnel by Doris Lessing about?
Doris Lessing's-“Through the Tunnel” examines the experience of “rite d'passage” for Jerry, a young English boy. This story tells of a young man's determination to prove to himself that he can do the impossible, which is to swim down where the older boys swim and emerge a man, so to speak.
What do you think is the main message or theme of this story consider what the swim Through the Tunnel means to Jerry Why Jerry no longer feels he has to go to the Bay?
Through The Tunnel, provides the reader with an opportunity to acknowledge the steps to manhood that every boy feels is necessary. As the boy, Jerry is without his father, the only taste of manliness that he has discovered yet is swimming within the bay and out of his mother's sight.
How does Jerry change in Through the Tunnel?
The eleven-year-old Jerry changes his personality during his adventure. The challenges of diving through the tunnel change Jerry's character. He turns from cowardly to brave, overprotected to independent, and childish to mature. In short, the adventure changes his personality.
Paragraphs 13-17 Question Write: What do Jerry's reactions to the boys in paragraphs 13-17 suggest about him?
Jerry swam through the tunnel to prove to himself that he could do it.
What is Jerry's anchor?
Jimmy's goggles serves as a kind of anchor... they allow him to see things clearly.
through the tunnel
A vacation trip to the beach in an unnamed foreign country and a chance encounter with some older boys ignites a desire to test the limits of his m...
Why does the tunnel come through Jerry?
Because of the position of the tunnel relative to the others and his mother and the effort it takes to get through the tunnel, the tunnel comes to represent Jerry's rite of passage into manhood.
What is the symbolism of the safe beach?
The safe beach, the wild beach and the tunnel all represent different aspects of the boy's path to becoming a man. The first symbolic location that readers encounter in the story is the safe beach, where Jerry's mother spends her time.
What does the beach represent in the movie?
Since Jerry's mother is with him when she is on the beach, she serves as his protector, and the beach comes to represent the sheltered life of a child. Jerry finds another wilder beach, and this is where he sees a group of local boys.
What is the underwater tunnel?
The Tunnel. A tunnel is a passage that take you from one place to another, often acting as a short cut—sometimes a dangerous one. The underwater tunnel serves as the symbol that takes Jerry from childhood to the beginning of adolescence, from dependence to independence, from boyhood to the beginning of manhood.
What happens when Jerry puts on the goggles?
The Goggles. When he puts the goggles on, Jerry is not suddenly able to see everything clear. The first time he tries using them, the goggles comes loose and are of no value. Jerry must first learn how to use goggles and then once that happens, everything looks different.
What is the meaning of "through the tunnel"?
In “Through the tunnel” by Doris Lessing, it talked about a person life, from childhood to adulthood along with the struggles you would meet. In Through the tunnel, Doris Lessing uses various symbolism to describe a person’s transition from their childhood to adulthood.
What does Doris Lessing symbolize in the movie Through the Tunnel?
In “through the tunnel” Doris Lessing had symbolized the society, first when you stepped in everything seems fine and at get harder and you come face to faces with challenges and problems. At some point in life, a person realizes that there are just so many problems that prevent them from advancing or having a good time in life. When those times come, they have to put in some effort, try a little harder, or become open minded to adverse ideas and work to advance forward. The results of hard work can leave a person proud, making them feel like they are becoming more independent, making them feel like they are stepping into adulthood. The Main character, Jerry for Through the Tunnel demonstrated this determination by nonstop practice and finally he was able to swim the tunnel to fit in with the others. By using different symbolisms In Through the Tunnel, Lessing demonstrates the hardships that people can eventually face in their lives, and how they can overcome those hardships, transitioning them from childhood, to adulthood.
