Deep Water - Flamingo - Class 12 - CBSE English

Deep Water by William Douglas is an autobiographical account. It tells us how a near-drowning experience terrified him and how he overcame that fear. From exam's point of view let’s break down the chapter for easy understanding.

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• 1. His views about swimming
• 2. His experience when he was three or four years old.
• 3. Being thrown in the pool
• 4. Struggle to come out
• 5. Rescue & the feelings after that
• 6. Problems on account of the fear
• 7. Efforts to overcome fear
• 8. Self challenges
• 9. Theme of the chapter

His views about swimming

He decides to learn swimming when he was around 10 or 11 years old. He had an inherent fear of water as his mother kept telling him about the drowning incidences in river Yakima.
                                          

His experience when he was three or four years old

He had gone to the beach in California. He had been knocked over by waves. He felt suffocated and the fear of water took its grip on him.

Being thrown in the pool

Around 10 or 11 years of age he decided to learn swimming at the YMCA pool. He tried to learn by copying others. But one day when he reached before everyone else, he decided to wait. At this time a boy who was around 18 years old came and threw the author in the deep end just for fun.

Struggle to come out

First Attempt

1. It seemed a long way
2. Lungs ready to burst
3. Makes a strategy to hit the surface. & come up like a cork
4. Didn’t come out fast – grew panicky
5. Felt suffocated; legs paralysed & tight
6. Back to the bottom

Second Attempt

1. lost all breath
2. lungs pained, head throbbed & felt dizzy
3. Uses the same strategy
4. Felt Terrorized & paralysed
5. Only Pounding in head confirmed he was alive

Third Attempt

1. Gave up the effort
2. Blackness – wiped fear and terror
3. Felt quiet & peaceful
4. Passed into oblivion – felt peaceful

Rescue & the feeling after that

He was taken out & was lying near the pool & vomiting. The boy who had thrown him was being scolded. He felt scared for days. Even the slightest exertion upset him.

Problems on account of this fear

He could no longer enjoy any water sport. He wanted to enjoy the sport but every time the terror seized him. It ensured that he never enjoyed canoeing boating & swimming

Efforts to overcome the fear

He decided to get an instructor & learn to swim

• Practiced 5 days a week
• Instructor tied a belt around his waist which passed through a pulley & he held on to the end of the rope
• He went back & forth
• Terror gripped him for at least 3 months
• Taught him to exhale under water & to inhale after raising his knees
• Bit by bit he learnt to kick his legs & relax in water
• Learnt to swim after piecing all information together

Self Challenges

• Swam alone in the pool
• Went to Lake Wentsworth in New Hampshire, dived & went to many other places to challenge himself
• Conquered his fear of the water

Thank You!

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"Deep Water" is a gripping autobiographical account by William Douglas, an American jurist and Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. In this essay, Douglas shares his personal journey of overcoming a deep-rooted fear of water, which had haunted him since childhood.

 The author's fear stemmed from two traumatic experiences - being knocked down by waves at a beach in California at a young age and being thrown into the deep end of a swimming pool by a much older boy when he was ten or eleven. As he grew up, Douglas continued to struggle with his fear, which hampered his enjoyment of activities like fishing, canoeing, and boating.

 Determined to conquer his fear, Douglas sought the help of a swimming instructor who, through a slow and methodical process, helped him rebuild his confidence in the water. This journey involved re-learning how to breathe and move in water, which eventually led to him swimming the length of a pool.

 Douglas continued to test himself and his newfound abilities, swimming across lakes and diving into open waters. Each time he confronted his fear, he found it easier to dismiss and gained a greater sense of control over it.

 In "Deep Water," William Douglas not only shares his personal triumph over fear but also provides a valuable lesson about the power of perseverance, courage, and determination. Through his experiences, he shows that overcoming one's fears can lead to a newfound sense of freedom, confidence, and appreciation for life.

Fear and its Impact:

In "Deep Water," the author explores the overwhelming and paralyzing effect fear can have on a person's life. Douglas's fear of water, triggered by traumatic childhood experiences, hinders his ability to enjoy activities and robs him of many opportunities. The story highlights how fear can control a person's life and limit their experiences.

 Overcoming Fear:

The central theme of the story revolves around .........................................

"Deep Water" is a personal narrative, rather than a fictional story, and therefore doesn't follow a traditional plot structure. However, the events in the chapter can be organized into a sequence that resembles a plot:

Exposition:

The author, William Douglas, introduces his fear of water, which originates from two traumatic childhood experiences: being knocked down by waves at a beach in California and being thrown into the deep end of a swimming pool by an older boy.

Rising Action:

Douglas's fear continues to............................................

Several lines from the chapter "Deep Water" hold significance due to their ability to convey key themes, emotions, and turning points in the story. Some important lines include:

 "I was frightened, but not yet frightened out of my wits."

This line demonstrates the initial fear Douglas experiences when he is thrown into the deep end of the pool. It foreshadows the panic and terror that would soon overwhelm him and leave a lasting impact on his life.

 "And then sheer, stark terror seized me, terror that knows no understanding, terror that knows no control, terror that no one can understand who has not experienced it."

This line vividly conveys the intensity of...................................................