Analysis of Through the Tunnel by Doris Lessing

📌Category: Literature
📌Words: 489
📌Pages: 2
📌Published: 10 February 2022

The theme for Doris Lessing’s “Through the Tunnel” is that growing up can be a challenging time. Throughout the story, Jerry, the protagonist, grows from a small boy who demands things right away, to a young man who learns that he needs to exercise patience and practice to get what he wants. 

The difficulty of growing up was first shown when Jerry wants to go visit the rocks, but doesn’t want to leave his mother alone. “Are you tired of our usual beach, Jerry? Would you like to go somewhere else? “Oh, no!” he said quickly, smiling at her out of that unfailing impulse of contrition --- a sort of chivalry.” This event is a difficult part of growing up because you want to have independence, and explore on your own, but you also want to be with your parents/ guardians. That quote displays the heat of the moment in which Jerry is trying to decide what he wants to do. He finally makes his decision, “I’d like to go and have a look at those rocks down there.” Once Jerry gets out far into the water, he looks back into the little bay in search of his mother. “He swam back to shore, relieved at being sure she was there, but all at once lonely.” Jerry feels internal conflict at this point in the story. He is conflicted between going back and spending time with his widowed mother, and exploring the beach. This situation clearly demonstrates the difficulty of growing up. 

The difficulty of growing up is also brought forward when Jerry wants goggles to see underwater better. He asks his mother for swimming goggles, clearly displaying a sense of dependence on his mother. “I want some swimming goggles, he panted, defiant and beseeching. But now, now, now! He must have them this minute, and no other time. He nagged and pestered until she went with him to a shop. As soon as she had bought the goggles, he grabbed them from her hand as if she were going to claim them for herself, and was off, running down the steep path to the bay.” When Jerry wants goggles, he can’t stop pestering his mother for a chance to go get them. The reading states that he nagged and pestered her until she got them. This response is the response of a child. Younger children do not have much patience, and will often want things right away. This quote is given early on in the story, unveiling that Jerry is still a young boy who relies on his mother to get his things. 

Jerry’s independence grows later on in the story. He stops asking his mother questions and permission for things, instead he goes by himself. “He did not ask for permission, on the following day, to go to his beach. He went, before his mother could consider the complicated rights and wrongs of the matter. At the beginning of the story, Jerry asks his mother to go down there, and now, at the end of the story, he goes without consent from his mother. This displays the complete  independence that comes from growing up. 

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