25 pages • 50 minutes read
Doris LessingThrough the Tunnel
Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1955A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
The Tunnel
The tunnel is so symbolically central that the story is named after it. Lessing thereby calls readers’ attention to this element before they even enter the narrative. The tunnel’s chief symbolism involves Jerry’s journey into manhood: The journey and the tunnel are one and the same, and only once he makes it through the tunnel is his journey complete. On one side of the tunnel is his boyhood and immaturity, and on the other is manhood and independence. Jerry’s mother never encounters or even knows of this tunnel, as the rite of passage is for Jerry and Jerry alone. This symbol largely expresses the story’s rite-of-passage theme, though it also embodies the self-discipline theme as it becomes the task that he must overcome through self-discipline. The tunnel thus transcends its physical attributes and takes on new meaning as a symbol of manhood, self-discipline, and perseverance.
Swimming Goggles
The swimming goggles that Jerry insists his mother buys for him symbolize the insight or new perspective that is necessary for a transition into adulthood. Before Jerry gets the goggles, he is unable to even view the tunnel that the local boys swam through. After he gets the goggles, he sees the tunnel and then strategizes his way through it. This vision is critical for a successful rite of passage. He must let go of his clouded boyhood vision and put on the clearer vision of adulthood; on a literal level, this change comes when Jerry commits himself to swimming through the tunnel and trains himself to do so. The self-discipline and independence propel his maturation. The goggles also allow him to not simply see the tunnel but swim to the other side. Without his new outlook, he would have been stuck in his boyhood for the entire vacation.
The Rocky Bay
The rocky bay is an important symbol for independence and manhood. The safe, sandy beach is a foil to the rocky bay and symbolizes Jerry’s childhood, his childishness, and his dependence on his mother. Jerry’s bored discontent with the sandy beach signifies his longing for independence and maturation; the sandy beach is safe, but because it holds no danger, there is no possibility of growth or change. Nothing on this beach challenges Jerry. The rocky bay, however, is dangerous and jagged, and the locals find it strange that a vacationer would even venture to this beach. Its perils include jagged rocks, stronger currents, and a lack of supervision should Jerry swim too far or lose control. It is also on this beach that Jerry experiences nose bleeds and pain from the rocks, physical hardships that symbolize the psychological growing pains of gaining independence. Without such challenges, Jerry has no opportunity to grow and therefore no rite of passage. Adulthood entails risk.
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