Parental Expectations
The story provides a unique portrait of a parent-child relationship, in that readers are given insight both into Jerry's perspective and, briefly, his mother's. One would expect that Jerry and his mother would be at odds for most of the story as Jerry seeks to distance himself from her. However, both Jerry and his mother are respectful of one another, with Jerry's mother silently questioning whether she is making the right choices to cultivate her son's independence. Thus, the story presents a unique parental role through the character of Jerry's mother, as she facilitates and supports his transition from childhood to adulthood.
Where the Tunnel Leads
The majority of the story is dedicated to describing Jerry's preparation to swim through the tunnel, or the figurative passage from childhood to adulthood. However, once Jerry actually makes it through the tunnel and accomplishes this difficult feat, he no longer feels compelled to test himself or to join the other boys who inspired him. In this way, the irony of the passage from childhood to adulthood is that Jerry becomes more accepting of himself and of the influence his childhood had on this ability to seek his independence elsewhere.
