Home > Through the Tunnel Summary & Study Guide > Through the Tunnel Group > Question and Answer

Question:

Answers:

1. 
   ms-mcgregor Teacher
   High School - 12th Grade

   eNotes Editor

   The boys on the wild beach are somewhat older and are natives to this vacation spot. Jerry is an outsider who wants to be accepted by the boys represent maturity and friendship to him. These are things that Jerry, who is alone with his mother, lacks. When the boys rebuff him by swimming through the tunnel, Jerry takes this as a challenge. Instead of crying to his mother, Jerry bravely conditions his body until he, too, can go through the tunnel. This marks the beginning of maturity for the young boy. He realizes that he can do what the other boys can do and suddenly, their friendship isn't really all that important. He has faced and challenge and overcome a challenge without help from his mother or anyone else. This mark of maturity and independence is what Jerry needs in order to continue his journey into adulthood.

   Sources:

   http://www.enotes.com/through-tunnel/

   Rate answer:

   • Flag as inappropriate

   Posted by ms-mcgregor on Sunday January 11, 2009 at 5:24 PM
   
   

2. 
   lizbv Teacher
   High School - 9th Grade

   eNotes Editor

   An interesting bit of information is found in his mother's concerns. Early in the text, she expresses he worries that perhaps she has been too overprotective with Jerry and wonders if she should ease up a bit. This shows the reader another reason why being accepted by the boys may be important to Jerry; if he is overprotected and sheltered it is possible that he does lack the maturity to be with these older boys, not to mention the possibility that this overprotectiveness may even limit his ability to have many friends at home, considering that he does not mention any.

   Sources:

   http://www.enotes.com/through-tunnel

   Rate answer:

   • Flag as inappropriate

   Posted by lizbv on Sunday January 11, 2009 at 5:40 PM