Jamie Allred
Paper 3
English 203-A
Water to Diamonds Physical pain is often the result of a great triumph. Many athletes thrive under physical pain. However, there is also a fair amount of people who flee pain and thrive when encouraged and loved. In the following two stories, there are both types of people portrayed by the same type of imagery. Understanding the imagery in Ellen Gilchrist’s “Traveler” helps readers to better understand Doris Lessing’s piece “Through The Tunnel”, because once readers come to understand how the use of touch and feel of her own physical body in “Traveler” actually portrays how LeLe views and grows into accepting herself, they can understand the beating and bruises that Jerry takes in “Through The Tunnel” represents the same thing. As LeLe feels physically skinnier, lighter and prettier, her self-image grows more positive, however Jerry’s self-image grows more positive as he experiences increasing physical pain and challenges. Through the summer or week and shown by their physical body, both LeLe and Jerry go from insecure to confident. “Traveler” starts out with LeLe actually feeling very uncomfortable physically. She “was sweating heavily in a pink linen suit, and [her] straw hat was making [her] head itch… [her] linen dress was helplessly wrinkled… and teeth were worn out from being brushed.” (Gilchrist, 573). She was trying to put her best foot forward in pink suit and straw hat, but her sweat and overly brushed teeth reveals her nervousness. Right away the reader is able to see LeLe’s insecurity. The physical description on LeLe directly represents her mental state. She was nervous, shaky, and insecure in how she looked. However, this is a sharp contrast to the LeLe we see later on. She would occasionally be filled with “an elation so powerful and overwhelming that it felt as though [her] body were leaving the earth.” (Gilchrist, 579). The imagery here is also a very tactile sense of imagery, however instead of being very matter of fact as the first, this imagery creates a sense of almost a magical feeling. It does still represent her mental state though. She is mentally so happy and content, it is as if nothing can go wrong. Nothing can touch her. Just as the tactile imagery in “Traveler” represents LeLe’s mental growth, the physical imagery of Jerry and his mom represent a growth for them as well. One of the first uses of this imagery comes in the description of the mother. She is described as “very white in the sun.” (Lessing, 147). However, on just the second day of their vacation she is “slightly reddened from yesterday’s sun.” (Lessing, 147). Interestingly Lessing is using the darkening of his mom’s skin to display a growth in Jerry. The first day Jerry goes to the beach, he is like the white skin, innocent. However, the second day, Jerry takes a risk and does something uncomfortable in leaving his mom to go to the new beach. In doing this, he slightly burns his relationship with his mom in a good, independent way. So just as the physical description of LeLe represented how LeLe really felt, the physical description of a slight sunburn represents how the relationship between Jerry and his mother is slightly burned and how Jerry still feels almost reddened or embarrassed leaving her. LeLe and Baby Gwen are very caught up in their physical appearance the entire story, so it makes sense that her growth comes through how she feels about her body. At LeLe’s climax of the summer, she swims the lake. Her “body felt wonderful and light in the water. [She] rose up on [her] toes and [her] legs felt strong and tall… I was beautiful. I was perfect.” (Gilchrist, 581). Interestingly, LeLe’s actual body has not changed. Only her perception of her body has changed. The same body that she earlier refers to as “baby fat” is now thought of as “strong and tall.” Even though the imagery is based off of how LeLe feels, it still paints a picture in the reader’s mind of the same LeLe nervously sweating in the train earlier now standing proud in the lake. The imagery here was not designed to give the reader the very best physical picture but to give the reader a good idea of how LeLe pictures herself, and through that to see her growth. Jerry spends the entire story working toward going through this tunnel. Because Jerry’s mom was single, and he was an only child, Jerry had likely never worked toward something like this before. This was something he was doing of his own determination and doing alone. That in itself is a huge step for Jerry. Throughout the story Jerry appears to change physically, however the story only spans a week, so the reader can see that there was no true physical change in Jerry except for being able to hold his breath a little longer. The change comes for Jerry mentally maturing. Like LeLe, Jerry simply needed the confidence to bring out what was in him all along. After swimming the tunnel, Jerry’s “heart quieted, his eyes cleared, and he sat up. He could see the local boys diving and playing half a mile away. He did not want them.” (Lessing, 153). Like the imagery used by Gilchrist, the imagery here is not purposed to paint the best picture, but to give the reader an idea of how Jerry feels and views himself. Jerry’s heart quieting, his eyes clearing, and Jerry sitting up gives the reader a sense of a new quiet confidence in Jerry. He now can see clearly what he wants or doesn’t want. He sees that he doesn’t need the approval of the other boys. Like LeLe, Jerry did not actually undergo a drastic physical change. He only changed in the way that he views himself. Jerry is able to sit up and begin again with a new sense of accomplishment and confidence. Through reading both stories, the reader see’s beautiful changes in both LeLe and Jerry. Both are also portrayed through physical descriptions directly linked to mental conditions. LeLe and Jerry both greatly mature in thought and action through their own trials. Like the water turning to diamonds in “Traveler”, Jerry and LeLe’s perception of themselves goes from viewing themselves as plain water to seeing themselves a valuable diamond.

Works Cited
Gilchrist, Ellen. "Traveler." Online in McNeese State University Moodle. Spring 2014.
Lessing, Doris. “Through The Tunnel.” Online in McNeese State University Moodle. Spring 2014.