The Significance Of Figurative Language In Through The Tunnel By Doris Lessing

In the short story, “Through the Tunnel” by Doris Lessing, the author uses vivid language to show the significance of a passage for the work as a whole. Lessing conveys themes, includes imagery, and uses figurative language to bring out the meaning of the themes of the story. First, Lessing conveys two important themes in the story. These themes involve determination and curiosity. “Then one, and then another of the boys came up on the far side of the barrier of rock, and he understood that they had swum through some gap or hole in it.” (2) This passage shows Jerry’s curiosity about the barrier of rock, and what the boys were doing. Jerry’s curiosity can also be seen in paragraph 14, “Jerry dived, shot past the school of underwater swimmers, saw a black wall of rock looming at him, touched it, and bobbed up at once to the

There was no one visible; under him, in the water, the dim shapes of the swimmer had disappeared.” (2) This passage shows that Jerry was curious about where the boys were swimming to, and truly wanted to understand. In paragraph 22, Jerry also shows his determination, “Again and again he groped over the surface of the rock, feeling it, almost hugging it in the desperate need to find the entrance. And then, once, while he was clinging to the black wall, his knees came up and shot his feet out forward and they met no obstacle. He had found the hole.” (3) This section shows Jerry’s determination in finding the gap in the barrier. His determination can also be seen in paragraph 14, “And now, in a panic of failure, he yelled up, in English, “Look at me! Look!” and he began splashing and kicking in the water like