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Deep Water

Question
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How did Douglas make sure that he had conquered the old terror?

Solution

The instructor trained Douglas piece by piece and built him a fearless swimmer. He told him that he could swim, dive off and crawl stroke. The instructor was convinced that Douglas was free from terror but the latter feared lest the old terror should return back to him when he would go alone in the water. In order to satisfy himself, the writer tried again. He dived into the pool and swam the length up and down. Small traces of the old terror of the pool would return. But this time he could frown terror as shown by swimming the length of the pool. This went on from April to July but the author was not still satisfied.

Then he went to lake Wentworth in New Hamphshire and dived at Triggs Island. He swam across two miles across the lake to Stamp Act Island. On another occasion, he went and camped by the side of Warm Lake. The next morning he dived into the lake. He bade goodbye to terror. He swam across to the other shore and back. He shouted with joy. Now he conqured his fear of water and he could enjoy his water sports very well.

Some More Questions From Deep Water Chapter

Why does Douglas as an adult recount a childhood experience of terror and his conquering of it? What larger meaning does he draw from this experience?

“All we have to fear is fear itself.” Have you ever had a fear that you have now overcome? Share your experience with your partner.

Find and narrate other stories about conquest fear and what people have said about courage. For example, you can recall Nelson Mandela’s courage and his struggle for freedom, his perseverance to achieve his mission, to liberate the oppressed and the oppressor as depicted in his autobiography. The story “We’re Not Afraid To Die,” which you have read in class XI, is an apt example of how courage and optimism that helped the family service under the direst stress.

If some one else had narrated Douglas’s experience how would it have differed from this account. Write out a sample paragraph or paragraphs from this text from the point of view of a third person or observer, to find out. Which style of narration would you consider to be more effective? Why?

Doing well in any activity, for example a sport, music, dance or painting, riding a motorcycle or a car, involves a great deal of struggle. Most of us are very nervous to begin with until gradually we overcome our fears and perform well.

Write an essay of about five paragraphs recounting such an experience. Try to recollect minute details of what caused the fear, your feelings, the encouragement you got from others or the criticism.

You could begin with the last sentence of the essay you have just read – “At last I felt relased – free to walk the trails and climb the peaks and to brush aside fear.”

Write a short letter to someone you know about your having learnt to do something new.

Are there any water sports in India? Find out about the areas or places which are known for water sports.

What does the mother of Douglas say abot the Y.M.CA. pool?

What created an aversion for water in William Douglas when he was three years old?

Or

Why did William Douglas develop an aversion to the water when he was three or four year old?

What came in the mind of Douglas when his feet hit the bottom?