Ayla Webb August 24th, 2012 People try to make good breakthroughs in their life, but the outcome isn’t always what they want. In “Through the Tunnel” by Doris Lessing Jerry didn’t have this problem. As an eleven year old boy, Jerry makes incredible breakthroughs in his life by distancing himself from his mother, gaining more confidence in his self, and conquering the tunnel. Jerry distanced himself from his mother while they were on vacation in France. When they went down to the beach his mother said, “Are you tired of the usual beach, Jerry?” (Pg.278)He may not have said no, but he was. After he said no, he told her, “I’d like to go and have a look at those rocks down there.” (Pg.278)His mother approved and he went to go swim down at the rocks, while his mother went to the usual beach. He distanced himself by leaving the usual beach and the comfort of his mother. When Jerry was diving with the other boys he realized that they could stay underwater for a long time. While they were diving down and going through the tunnel Jerry tried it. He didn’t find the tunnel and didn’t stay under as long as the other boys. “After a long time, the boy came up…” (Pg.297) The second day he went to the beach and started teaching himself to control his breathing. When he came back up out of the water his nose was bleeding and he was fairly dizzy. However, he went back the next day and exercised his lungs once again. He built confidence in himself, and started to believe that he too could find the tunnel and swim through it.
Jerry is going to try and make it through the tunnel. Before he went into the water he was terrified, his nose had just stopped bleeding and his dizziness had just faded. “He filled his lungs once, twice, than sank fast to the bottom with the stone.” When he was clear inside he was scared, but happy the he was finally inside the tunnel. Once, he pushed himself out of the tunnel he was dizzy and panicking. After, he drifted to the surface he was gasping for air. But he did it, and he once he seen the other boys he didn’t want anything to do with them. He just wanted to go and lay down in the villa, which he did. As soon as he heard his mother coming in the villa he hurried to wash the blood and tear stains off his face. When she saw that he was pale and protested against him going swimming more today, he just gave in. He didn’t protest against her. “It was no longer of the least of the importance to go to the bay.” Everyone wants to make breakthroughs in their lives and make changes in their lives as well. In “Through the Tunnel’ By Doris Lessing Jerry was determined to make his goals accomplished. Jerry distanced himself from his mother, gained confidence in his self, and conquered the tunnel. As an eleven year old boy, Jerry made outstanding breakthroughs while he was on vacation in France.