3. Deep Water

Deep Water: Think as you read (Page 27)

1. What is the “misadventure” that William Douglas speaks about?

The "misadventure" happened at the Y.M.C.A. pool. Douglas was sitting alone, waiting for others. Suddenly, a big, muscular boy picked him up and tossed him into the nine-foot deep end. Douglas almost drowned and had a near-death experience.

2. What were the emotions and plans Douglas made while sinking?

Douglas was terrified, but he did not lose his cool. He made a plan:

• When his feet hit the bottom, he would make a big jump.

• He would come to the surface like a cork.

• He would lie flat and paddle to the edge of the pool.

  However, his plan failed the first two times, and he felt a "stark terror" and started losing consciousness.

3. How did this experience affect him?

This experience left a deep fear of water in his heart. For years, he stayed away from water. He couldn't enjoy fishing, canoeing, or swimming. It ruined his social life and hobbies, making him feel "handicapped" by fear.

Think as you read (Page 29)

1. Why was Douglas determined to get over the fear of water?

Douglas wanted to live a full life. His fear was preventing him from enjoying water sports like boating and fishing. He realized that this fear was controlling him, so he decided to hire an instructor and learn to swim properly.

2. How did the instructor “build a swimmer” out of Douglas?

The instructor worked on Douglas "piece by piece":

• Safety: He used a rope and pulley attached to a belt around Douglas's waist.

• Breathing: He taught him how to exhale under water and inhale above it.

• Kicking: Douglas practiced kicking his legs for weeks until they became relaxed.

  Finally, the instructor integrated all these pieces into a complete swimmer.

3. How did Douglas make sure he conquered the old terror?

Even after the instructor finished, Douglas had doubts. To test himself, he went to Lake Wentworth and swam two miles across it. When the old terror returned in the middle of the lake, he laughed at it and kept swimming. After swimming across Warm Lake, he was finally sure he had conquered his fear.

Understanding the Text (Long Answers)

1. Describe the sense of panic as Douglas almost drowned.

The description is very vivid. Douglas explains that his lungs were "ready to burst." He felt paralyzed and rigid with fear. He says "only his heart and the pounding in his head" told him he was still alive. He calls it a "sheer, stark terror" that no one can understand unless they have experienced it.

2. What larger meaning does Douglas draw from this experience?

The larger meaning is that "In death there is peace; there is terror only in the fear of death." He quotes President Roosevelt: "All we have to fear is fear itself." He learned that if you face your fear, you can overcome it and live a much more intense and happy life.

Talking about the Text: Simple Version

1. "All we have to fear is fear itself." Share a personal experience.

(Student Answer): This quote means that our fear is more dangerous than the thing we are afraid of. For example, I used to be afraid of public speaking. My heart would race, and I would forget my lines. To overcome this, I started participating in small group discussions. Eventually, I joined a debate. I realized that the "fear" of the stage was the only thing stopping me. Once I faced it, the fear vanished.

Exam Keywords for Full Marks:

• Y.M.C.A. Pool: The location of the incident.

• Instructional Strategy: Piece-by-piece learning.

• Linguistic Chauvinism (Wait, that's the first chapter!): For this chapter, use "Aversion to water" and "Linguistic focus on fear."

• Stark Terror: Extreme, pure fear.

• Exhale and Inhale: The breathing technique he learned.