Deep Water

Ans. William Douglas had just learnt swimming. One day, an eighteen-year-old big boy picked him up and threw him into the nine feet deep pool. He hit the water surface. He swallowed water and went at once to the bottom. He nearly died in this misadventure.

Ans. Douglas was frightened when he was thrown into the pool. Yet he did not lose hope. While sinking down he made a plan. He would make a big jump when his feet hit the bottom. He would come to the surface and swim to the edge of the pool.

Ans. This experience affected him badly. He started fearing water. Whenever he recalled that pool experience, he went numb and cried. He never went back to the pool. He feared water and avoided it whenever he could.

Ans. Douglas’s life had become hell because of his water fear. He saw his friends enjoying swimming, boating, waterparks, etc. He also wanted to lead a cheerful like his friends. So Douglas was determined to get over his fear of water and for this he hired a swimming instructor.

Ans. The instructor was a skilled trainer. He worked on Douglas from the very basic level. For 3 months he taught Douglas with the help of life rope. The instructor taught Douglas how to breathe under water and tackle fear. Gradually after 7 months the instructor built a swimmer out of Douglas.

Ans. Douglas still felt terror-stricken when he was alone in the pool. Though he had improved a lot but he was still not satisfied. So, he went to lake Wentworth and swam two miles across the lake. But still he had some doubts. So, he went to Warm lake and swam across to the other shore and back. Thus, he made sure that he had conquered the old terror.

Ans. In this chapter ‘Deep Water’ Douglas gives every minute detail of panic that gripped him as he almost drowned. He uses literary devices to make the description vivid.

For example, ‘Those nine feet were more like ninety’, My lungs were ready to burst.’ I came up slowly.

I opened my eyes and saw nothing but water…. I grew panicky, I was suffocating. I tried to yell, but no sound came out!’

Ans. Douglas as an adult recounts a childhood experience of terror and his conquering of it shows his determination, will power and development of his personality. He draws a larger meaning from this experience. “In death there is peace”. “There is terror only in the fear of death”.