Character Analysis: Through The Tunnel

Doris Lessing develops a theme ВЁGrowth Requires RiskВЁ in her short story, ВЁThrough the TunnelВЁ, Lessing uses the main characters, Jerry and his mom, along with the setting to develop the theme. Jerry, the protagonist, has spent his summer on the beach with his mother. He has noticed other kids swimming through an underwater tunnel in the bay, he becomes determined to do the same. Throughout his struggling process of going through the tunnel, Jerry realizes that it wasn't all as great as he thought it would be. Lessing developed her theme through Jerry's mental and physical struggles. Jerry is a young English boy who is used to a day to day routine. When he first arrived at the bay, he was skeptical about swimming there. At the bay there was...show more content...

Though Jerry's mom didn't have many physical struggles or risks, she did undergo the process of mental growth throughout the story. Jerry's mother is very overprotective and is in denial that her only son is growing up. With being a widow he shows a lot of authority towards Jerry. Throughout the story Jerry's mother is very anxious about Jerry and his desire to adventure out to do new things. "She was thinking. Of course, he's old enough to be safe without me. Have I been keeping him too close? He mustn't feel he ought to be with me. I must be careful" (Lessing 1). During the story, Jerry becomes less dependent and doesn't run things by his mother. His mother then realizes that he is maturing, yet she still keeps an eye on him through the process, but she doesn't overdo it though. When Jerry returns from finally swimming through the tunnel. His mother sees that his nose is bleeding vigorously, yet she doesn't panic, she doesn't yell. "She looked at him closely. His eyes were glazed–looking. She was worried. And she said to herself, "Oh, don't fuss! Nothing can happen. He can swim like a fish." (Lessing 4). Jerry's mother didn't change dramatically in the story, but she did learn not to when and when not to overdo her parenting towards

In the story Through the Tunnel, Jerry, the main character, has a very strong bond with his mother. He is at the point in his life where he wants to go be by himself instead of staying with his mother. Jerry's mother is worried that he will get hurt and does not want him to go. She also does not want to be overprotective of him.

Jerry's bond with his mother is actually complicated. His mother does not want to obsess over him. On the other hand, she also does not want him to feel unappreciated, so she lets him get–up–and–go to the bay by himself. She suddenly feels that he will grow up in a jiffy. And not have the hankering to spend time with her.

Jerry and his mother have a very close bond. They both love each other very much. On the other