Every child must transition from childhood to adulthood. Growing up has no specific age, it occurs when you’re mentally ready. There are many stages to growing up and few actually complete these steps. In “Through the Tunnel” by Doris Lessing we are experiencing Jerry’s Journey from childhood, we see him mature and become his own person. Growth and repair requires risk and struggle. Every single person has different personality traits. These traits can develop and change. At first, Jerry is very childlike. He has a desperate need to be accepted. “To be with them,of them, was a craving that filled his while body.”(P.2) His demand for material items such as the goggles depicts a very childish image. When he is playing with the local “men” he …show more content…
Jerry began his training as a child, when he finally made it out of the tunnel his metamorphosis into a “man” was complete. He had a hard time making it through the tunnel but growing up is difficult and requires a lot of struggles and of course, risks. By the end, Jerry no longer wants the local boys. “He did not want them.”(P.5) This is ultimately when readers see he has matured, at first the goal was set to impress the boys but gradually the goal became something for himself. When he finally does make it through the tunnel, he doesn’t tell anyone, doesn’t boast, but is still proud of himself. Jerry’s mother plays a big part in how we see Jerry’s development. At the beginning of the story, I have the impression that he’s very dependent on his mother and she’s very protective of him. “His mother walked in front of him, carrying a bright striped bag in one hand.”(P.1) This depicts a sense of protection coming from the mother. Gradually, he begins to drift away from his mom. He neglects to tell her important things such as the nosebleeds, and begins going to the bay alone almost every day. While he is at the bay he always looks over to the beach his mom is at. “ There she was, a speck of yellow under an umbrella that looked like a slice of an orange peel.”(P.1) A child starts at this beach, which represents safety. A maturing child goes to the bay for adventure and new experiences. While he is at the bay he knows safety is