Analytical Essay: Characters in Conflict: “Through the Tunnel”
Rubric Score: 3
This is the 2nd essay I wrote in freshman year. I had my doubts in doing well because we all make mistakes and I though I would have as well. My overall scare was a 3. I choose this essay to represent an “Effective Communicator” because I felt I was able to express my side of the essay in an efficient way. I was successful in using concrete detail for the first time but I had weaknesses in conclusions. A new strategy I attempted was that I tried to be more specific in my commentary sentences. My next goal in a proceeding essay will be that my concrete details that I will use will be effective and apply to the thesis.
A Fight through a Passage of Time
Conflicts can arise from countless ways. In the story “Through the Tunnel” by Dorris Lessing, a boy named Jerry goes through conflicts that consist of fear. A tunnel is what Jerry has to pass. When the time comes that he crossed it, Jerry will conquer his internal quarrel of acceptance and his external conflict of battling nature.
In the beginning of the story, Jerry wants to fit in with the big boys. He explains how much he wants to be with them, “To be with them, of them, was a craving that filled his whole body.” (Lessing, 95) Jerry is intrigued by the boys that are swimming. His feeling of wanting to match in creates his craving for acceptance. Jerry’s feeling of acceptance tricks him while he is swimming with the big boys. In the story, Jerry goes up the boys and begins to show his skills, he, “felt accepted and he dived again, carefully, and proud of himself.” (Lessing, 95) His hunger for acceptance worries him and in a way gives him strength to brag and show off. After Jerry finds out he is not really in with them, his need for acceptance in them grows less dynamic. Now he wants to prove himself worthy by going through the mysterious tunnel which will cause an external conflict and danger.
Jerry’s eagerness and impatience during his training gives him danger from nature. Jerry trained his lungs and pushes his limit and because of that, “his nose bled badly. For hours he had been underwater, learning to hold his breath, now he felt weak and dizzy.” (Lessing, 95) Jerry has to battle the force of the underwater anti-air, and at the same time pushing his lung capacity limits. He is engaging conflict of nature and physical barriers to attain his goal. While Jerry is swimming though the tunnel, “He felt like an inflated balloon, his lungs were so light and easy, but his head was pulsing.” (Lessing, 101) Jerry is swimming through a long dark passage; the environment around him is weakening him as he passes though what seems to be and endless abyss. If Jerry doesn’t pull through, he understands that he will drown and nature will take over his physical life. After what seems like ages, Jerry passes through the tunnel, coming in as a little boy and then coming out feeling like a man.
As soon as Jerry comes out of the passage, Jerry believes he is a man. Now, Jerry has won his battle against all mighty nature, and his unforgiving hunger for acceptance. He is stuck in chains with all of his conflicts. As soon as he swims out, Jerry broke free. Jerry is in control of himself. Jerry becomes a man.
