Deep Water Class 12 Summary

Summary

William Douglas, at age 10 or 11, faced a deep fear of water after a traumatic experience at the YMCA pool. Despite early attempts to conquer his fear, his terror of water persisted into adulthood, affecting his enjoyment of activities like fishing and boating. Determined to overcome this, Douglas sought an instructor and practiced swimming five days a week. Through persistence and gradual learning, he overcame his fear, eventually becoming a confident swimmer. His journey was not just about mastering swimming, but confronting the profound fear of death and terror that had once gripped him.

Takeaways

• 😀 William Douglas learned to swim at the age of 10 or 11 at the YMCA pool in Yakima, River.
• 😀 At the age of four, Douglas experienced his first encounter with water, getting knocked down by waves at a California beach.
• 😀 A teen tossed him into the deep end of the YMCA pool, triggering his fear and anxiety about water.
• 😀 Although scared, Douglas formulated a plan: jump from the bottom, lie flat, and paddle to the edge of the pool.
• 😀 The deep end, at 9 feet, felt like 90 feet to him, and his first attempt resulted in a terrifying experience underwater.
• 😀 During the struggle, Douglas experienced physical pain, panic, and the overwhelming sensation of drowning.
• 😀 Despite the initial terror, Douglas held onto the plan but was eventually overwhelmed by exhaustion and fear.
• 😀 This traumatic experience left him with lasting fear of water, affecting activities like fishing, canoeing, and swimming for years.
• 😀 Years later, at an older age, Douglas decided to confront his fear of water by hiring an instructor to learn swimming.
• 😀 He practiced consistently for five days a week, gradually overcoming the terror that had once paralyzed him.
• 😀 Through dedication and practice, Douglas eventually became a skilled swimmer and even swam in Lake Wentworth, symbolizing his triumph over fear.

Q & A

What prompted William Douglas to learn to swim?

William Douglas decided to learn to swim at the age of 10 or 11 after a traumatic experience in the water, which he later described as a fear that lingered throughout his life.

What happened when Douglas was four years old and encountered the surf in California?

At the age of four, Douglas stood in the surf with his father, but the waves knocked him down, frightening him and contributing to his lifelong fear of water.

How did Douglas initially react when he was thrown into the deep end of the YMCA pool?

Douglas was frightened when he was tossed into the deep end of the YMCA pool, but he tried to stick to a plan: to jump, come to the surface, lie flat, and paddle to the edge.

What happened when Douglas tried to execute his plan to swim after being thrown into the deep end?

Despite his plan, Douglas struggled when his feet hit the bottom. He jumped but came up slowly, lost his breath, and began to sink again, experiencing intense fear and physical pain.

How did Douglas describe the sensation of terror when he was underwater?

Douglas described the terror as being all-consuming, where only his heart and throbbing head signified that he was alive. Eventually, he became too tired to attempt to jump and simply sank, resigned to his fate.

How did the experience in the pool impact Douglas in the following years?

Douglas' fear of water continued to affect him for many years, ruining fishing trips and depriving him of the joy of canoeing, boating, and swimming.

What steps did Douglas take later in life to overcome his fear of water?

In an effort to overcome his fear, Douglas hired an instructor and practiced swimming five days a week for an hour each day, gradually learning the techniques of swimming.

What specific techniques did Douglas' instructor teach him to help him swim?

Douglas' instructor taught him to put his head under the water and exhale, raise his nose to inhale, and finally to kick his legs effectively for swimming.

How did Douglas feel once he became a good swimmer?

Although Douglas became a proficient swimmer, he was still not fully satisfied and continued to challenge himself to further conquer his fear.

What significant achievement did Douglas accomplish after becoming a skilled swimmer?

Douglas swam across Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire, diving from Triggs Island to Stamp Act Island, and camping in Conrad Meadows, symbolizing his conquest of his deep fear of water.

What deeper meaning did Douglas attribute to his experience with water and swimming?

Douglas reflected that his experience with water, both in terms of fear and survival, held a deep meaning, as it allowed him to confront the sensation of dying and the terror that fear of death can produce.