Through the Tunnel Essay Questions

What does the opening scene of the story imply about Jerry's fate?

As Jerry starts his vacation, the scene described before him resembles, in some way, a forked road, with two paths laid before him. On the one side is the "wild and rocky bay" while on the other side is "crowded beach he knew so well from other years" (1). The crowded beach is a familiar path for him, a place where he has spent time with his mother, swimming in the water as he has done for years. But the wild and rocky bay holds the start of a new adventure, somewhere where he would be exploring new things on his own. The paths then appear as two options that would shape his life going forward: the choice to cling to one's childhood or the choice to set out toward adulthood, though that particular future is unpredictable.

What struggle does Jerry's mother face throughout the story?

Though the story is primarily about Jerry, the narrator also presents occasional insight into his mother's thoughts and feelings. As a single parent, Jerry's mother wants to make sure she helps her son in any way while also not confining him too much. On one hand, she wants Jerry to have the freedom to explore the new world outside on his own terms and discover new things by himself. On the other hand, she also feels overwhelmed by the fear of letting Jerry go off on his own in a world that is often unforgiving and dangerous.

What is the significance of Jerry's lost of sight as he travels through the rock-tunnel?

One of the elements of the story that contributes to the tense action is the fact that, as Jerry progresses through the narrow underwater tunnel, he loses his ability to see anything in front of him. Readers discover later that the loss of sight was due to his goggles filling up with blood from his nose. But during his journey, Jerry's blindness is significant because it suggests that the path ahead is unknown, unpredictable, and fearsome. It is simply the fact that Jerry cannot go backwards that keeps him moving forward until he eventually pushes himself into the blackness of the open sea. This imagery underscores the notion that one's path to adulthood is both inevitable and uncertain.