Main Textbook
- Deep Water
William Douglas
About the Author:
William Douglas (1898–1980) was born in Maine, Minnesota. After graduating with a B.A. in English and Economics, he taught high school for two years in Yakima. Bored with this work, he went to Yale University to study law and became a legal adviser. He later became a judge of the Supreme Court of the United States. His autobiography Of Men and Mountains records vividly his childhood experiences. In this essay, he tells us how as a young boy he nearly drowned in a swimming pool. In doing so, he talks about his fear of water and how he finally overcame it.
It had happened when I was ten or eleven years old. I had decided to learn to swim. There was a pool at the Y.M.C.A. in Yakima that offered exactly the opportunity. The Yakima River was treacherous. Mother continually warned against it, and kept fresh in my mind the details of each drowning in the river. But the Y.M.C.A. pool was safe. It was only two or three feet deep at the shallow end; and while it was nine feet deep at the other, the drop was gradual. I got a pair of water wings and went to the pool. I hated to walk naked into it and show my skinny legs. But I subdued my pride and did it.
From the beginning, however, I had an aversion to the water when I was in it. This started when I was three or four years old and father took me to the beach in California. He and I stood together in the surf. I hung on to him, yet the waves knocked me down and swept over me. I was buried in water. My breath was gone. I was frightened. Father laughed, but there was terror in my heart at the overpowering force of the waves.
My introduction to the Y.M.C.A. swimming pool revived unpleasant memories and stirred childish fears. But in a little while I gathered confidence. I paddled with my new water wings, watching the other boys and trying to learn by aping them. I did this two or three times on different days and was just beginning to feel at ease in the water when the misadventure happened.
I went to the pool when no one else was there. The place was quiet. The water was still, and the tiled bottom was as white and clean as a bathtub. I was timid about going in alone, so I sat on the side of the pool to wait for others.
I had not been there long when in came a big bruiser of a boy, probably eighteen years old. He had thick hair on his chest. He was a beautiful physical specimen, with legs and arms that showed rippling muscles. He yelled, “Hi, Skinny! How’d you like to be ducked?”
With that he picked me up and tossed me into the deep end. I landed in a sitting position, swallowed water, and went at once to the bottom. I was frightened, but not yet frightened out of my wits. On the way down I planned: When my feet hit the bottom, I would make a big jump, come to the surface, lie flat on it, and paddle to the edge of the pool.
It seemed a long way down. Those nine feet were more like ninety, and before I touched bottom my lungs were ready to burst. But when my feet hit bottom I summoned all my strength and made what I thought was a great spring upwards. I imagined I would bob to the surface like a cork. Instead, I came up slowly. I opened my eyes and saw nothing but water — water that had a dirty yellow tinge to it. I grew panicky. I reached up as if to grab a rope and my hands clutched only at water. I was suffocating. I tried to yell but no sound came out. Then my eyes and nose came out of the water — but not my mouth.
I flailed at the surface of the water, swallowed and choked. I tried to bring my legs up, but they hung as dead weights, paralysed and rigid. A great force was pulling me under. I screamed, but only the water heard me. I had started on the long journey back to the bottom of the pool.
I struck at the water as I went down, expending my strength as one in a nightmare fights an irresistible force. I had lost all my breath. My lungs ached, my head throbbed. I was getting dizzy. But I remembered the strategy — I would spring from the bottom of the pool and come like a cork to the surface. I would lie flat on the water, strike out with my arms, and thrash with my legs. Then I would get to the edge of the pool and be safe.
I went down, down, endlessly. I opened my eyes. Nothing but water with a yellow glow — dark water that one could not see through.
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. I was shrieking under water. I was paralysed under water — stiff, rigid with fear. Even the screams in my throat were frozen. Only my heart, and the pounding in my head, said that I was still alive.
And then in the midst of the terror came a touch of reason. I must remember to jump when I hit the bottom. At last I felt the tiles under me. My toes reached out as if to grab them. I jumped with everything I had.
But the jump made no difference. The water was still around me. I looked for ropes, ladders, water wings. Nothing but water. A mass of yellow water held me. Stark terror took an even deeper hold on me, like a great charge of electricity. I shook and trembled with fright. My arms wouldn’t move. My legs wouldn’t move. I tried to call for help, to call for mother. Nothing happened. And then, strangely, there was light. I was coming out of the awful yellow water. At least my eyes were. My nose was almost out too.
Then I started down a third time. I sucked for air and got water. The yellowish light was going out.
Then all effort ceased. I relaxed. Even my legs felt limp; and a blackness swept over my brain. It wiped out fear; it wiped out terror. There was no more panic. It was quiet and peaceful. Nothing to be afraid of. This is nice… to be drowsy… to go to sleep… no need to jump… too tired to jump… it’s nice to be carried gently… to float along in space… tender arms around me… tender arms like Mother’s… now I must go to sleep…
I crossed to oblivion, and the curtain of life fell.
The next I remember I was lying on my stomach beside the pool, vomiting. The chap that threw me in was saying, “But I was only fooling.” Someone said, “The kid nearly died. Be all right now. Let’s carry him to the locker room.”
Several hours later, I walked home. I was weak and trembling. I shook and cried when I lay on my bed. I couldn’t eat that night. For days a haunting fear was in my heart. The slightest exertion upset me, making me wobbly in the knees and sick to my stomach.
I never went back to the pool. I feared water. I avoided it whenever I could.
A few years later when I came to know the waters of the Cascades, I wanted to get into them. And whenever I did — whether I was wading the Tieton or Bumping River or bathing in Warm Lake of the Goat Rocks — the terror that had seized me in the pool would come back. It would take possession of me completely. My legs would become paralysed, icy horror would grab my heart.
This handicap stayed with me as the years rolled by. In canoes on Maine lakes fishing for landlocked salmon, bass fishing in New Hampshire, trout fishing on the Deschutes and Metolius in Oregon, fishing for salmon on the Columbia, at Bumping Lake in the Cascades — wherever I went, the haunting fear of the water followed me. It ruined my fishing trips; deprived me of the joy of canoeing, boating, and swimming.
I used every way I knew to overcome this fear, but it held me firmly in its grip. Finally, one October, I decided to get an instructor and learn to swim. I went to a pool and practiced five days a week, an hour each day. The instructor put a belt around me. A rope attached to the belt went through a pulley that ran on an overhead cable. He held on to the end of the rope, and we went back and forth, back and forth across the pool, hour after hour, day after day, week after week. On each trip across the pool a bit of the panic seized me. Each time the instructor relaxed his hold on the rope and I went under, some of the old terror returned and my legs froze. It was three months before the tension began to slack. Then he taught me to put my face under water and exhale, and to raise my nose and inhale. I repeated the exercise hundreds of times. Bit by bit I shed part of the panic that seized me when my head went under water.
Next he held me at the side of the pool and had me kick with my legs. For weeks I did just that. At first my legs refused to work. But they gradually relaxed; and finally I could command them.
Thus, piece by piece, he built a swimmer. And when he had perfected each piece, he put them together into an integrated whole. In April he said, “Now you can swim. Dive off and swim the length of the pool, crawl stroke.”
I did. The instructor was finished.
But I was not finished. I still wondered if I would be terror-stricken when I was alone in the pool. I tried it. I swam the length up and down. Tiny vestiges of the old terror would return. But now I could frown and say to that terror, “Trying to scare me, eh? Well, here’s to you! Look!” And off I’d go for another length of the pool.
This went on until July. But I was still not satisfied. I was not sure that all the terror had left. So I went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire, dived off a dock at Triggs Island, and swam two miles across the lake to Stamp Act Island. I swam the crawl, breast stroke, side stroke, and back stroke. Only once did the terror return. When I was in the middle of the lake, I put my face under and saw nothing but bottomless water. The old sensation returned in miniature. I laughed and said, “Well, Mr. Terror, what do you think you can do to me?” It fled and I swam on.
Yet I had residual doubts. At my first opportunity I hurried west, went up the Tieton to Conrad Meadows, up the Conrad Creek Trail to Meade Glacier, and camped in the high meadow by the side of Warm Lake. The next morning I stripped, dived into the lake, and swam across to the other shore and back just as Doug Corpron used to do. I shouted with joy, and Gilbert Peak returned the echo.
I had conquered my fear of water.
The experience had a deep meaning for me, as only those who have known stark terror and conquered it can appreciate. In death there is peace. There is terror only in the fear of death, as Roosevelt knew when he said, “All we have to fear is fear itself.”
Because I had experienced both the sensation of dying and the terror that fear of it can produce, the will to live somehow grew in intensity.
At last I felt released — free to walk the trails and climb the peaks and to brush aside fear.
Narrative Summary of “Deep Water” by William Douglas
William Douglas, the author, tells us a real story from his childhood. When he was about ten or eleven years old, he decided to learn swimming. His mother had always warned him not to go near the Yakima River because it was dangerous. So, he chose the Y.M.C.A. pool which was safer.
But Douglas had already developed a fear of water when he was very young. He remembered how, as a little child, he had been knocked over by waves at a beach in California. That memory had made him afraid of water.
One day at the Y.M.C.A. pool, while he was waiting alone, a big boy suddenly picked him up and threw him into the deep end of the pool. Douglas didn’t know how to swim. He sank to the bottom and was full of fear. He planned to jump back to the surface and swim to the side, but his body didn’t respond. He was terrified, his limbs were stiff, and he felt as if he was going to die. After struggling two or three times, he finally became unconscious. Luckily, someone saved him.
After that incident, Douglas was deeply affected. He started avoiding water completely. Even after many years, the fear stayed in his heart. But later, he made a strong decision to fight this fear. He hired a swimming instructor who trained him slowly and patiently. The instructor taught him each part of swimming step by step—how to breathe, how to kick, how to float. Slowly, Douglas became a good swimmer.
To be completely sure that the fear was gone, Douglas tested himself by swimming alone in pools and lakes. He even swam two miles across Lake Wentworth. When the fear came again in small amounts, he faced it bravely and laughed at it.
At the end, Douglas was proud that he had conquered his fear. He said that fear of death is worse than death itself. This experience taught him that with courage and willpower, any fear can be defeated.
- What is the “misadventure” that William Douglas speaks about?
The “misadventure” was when a big boy picked up Douglas and tossed him into the deep end of the Y.M.C.A. pool. He landed in a sitting position, swallowed water, and went at once to the bottom. - What were the series of emotions and fears that Douglas experienced when he was thrown into the pool? What plans did he make to come to the surface?
Douglas was frightened but not out of his wits. On the way down, he planned to jump from the bottom and come up like a cork, lie flat, and paddle to the edge. But as he went down, he felt suffocated, panicky, and his legs were paralysed. A great force pulled him under. He screamed, struggled, felt dizzy, and stark terror seized him. He tried to jump again but it made no difference. He felt light, peaceful, and then lost consciousness. - How did this experience affect him?
The experience left Douglas with a haunting fear of water. He avoided it whenever he could. Even years later, when he came near water bodies, the terror would seize him completely. His legs would become paralysed and icy horror would grab his heart. It ruined his fishing trips and deprived him of the joy of boating, canoeing, and swimming.
- Why was Douglas determined to get over his fear of water?
Douglas was determined to get over his fear of water because it had become a handicap that ruined his fishing trips and deprived him of the joy of canoeing, boating, and swimming. He wanted to enjoy these activities without fear. - How did the instructor “build a swimmer” out of Douglas?
The instructor put a belt around Douglas and used a rope through a pulley to guide him across the pool. They practiced five days a week. Slowly, the panic began to lessen. The instructor taught him to put his face under water, exhale, and inhale properly. He then made him kick with his legs while holding the side of the pool. Piece by piece, he built Douglas into a swimmer and finally taught him to swim the length of the pool. - How did Douglas make sure that he conquered the old terror?
Douglas swam alone in the pool to test himself. Then he swam two miles in Lake Wentworth using various strokes. When the terror returned slightly in the middle of the lake, he laughed at it and it fled. Finally, he swam in Warm Lake, shouting with joy. Through these tests, he made sure he had conquered the old terror.
- How does Douglas make clear to the reader the sense of panic that gripped him as he almost drowned? Describe the details that have made the description vivid.
Douglas makes the panic vivid by describing each physical and emotional reaction in detail. He tells how he was thrown into the pool, swallowed water, and went to the bottom. He explains his failed attempts to rise, the suffocation, the paralysis of his legs, the choking, and the feeling of a great force pulling him under. He uses expressions like “stark terror,” “frozen screams,” “icy horror,” and “curtain of life fell” to show his fear. His description of darkness, silence, and peacefulness before fainting makes the experience realistic and intense. - How did Douglas overcome his fear of water?
Douglas overcame his fear by hiring an instructor who trained him step by step. He practiced five days a week, an hour each day. The instructor used a belt and pulley to help him get used to the water. Douglas learned breathing techniques, kicking, and stroke movements gradually. Each piece was taught separately and then combined. After this training, Douglas swam alone, tested himself in lakes, and faced the fear until it finally disappeared. - Why does Douglas as an adult recount a childhood experience of terror and his conquering of it? What larger meaning does he draw from this experience?
Douglas recounts the experience to show how fear can control one’s life and how it can be defeated. The larger meaning he draws is that “in death there is peace; there is terror only in the fear of death.” He agrees with Roosevelt’s idea that “all we have to fear is fear itself.” By overcoming fear, the will to live grows stronger, and one feels free and victorious.
- “All we have to fear is fear itself.” Have you ever had a fear that you have now overcome? Share your experience with your partner.
Yes, I once had a deep fear of public speaking. Just the thought of standing in front of a crowd made my hands shake and my voice tremble. But over time, I forced myself to take part in school debates and small stage programs. The first few times were terrible, but slowly, I began to feel more confident. I practiced speaking in front of a mirror, and later in front of friends. Today, I can speak comfortably in front of a class or audience. The fear didn’t vanish in a day, but step by step, I conquered it. - Find and narrate other stories about conquest of fear and what people have said about courage.
One powerful story of courage is Nelson Mandela’s lifelong struggle for freedom. He spent 27 years in prison, but he never gave up his dream of ending apartheid in South Africa. In his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, Mandela wrote that courage is not the absence of fear but the triumph over it. His perseverance helped free both the oppressed and the oppressors from the chains of hatred and injustice.
Another inspiring story is We’re Not Afraid to Die… if We Can All Be Together, where a family sails through a massive storm at sea. Despite fear and physical exhaustion, they stay hopeful and united. The father keeps the family calm, and the children’s bravery motivates the parents. Their courage and optimism helped them survive even in the face of death.
- Essay: Conquering My Fear of Learning to Ride a Motorcycle
At last I felt released — free to walk the trails and climb the peaks and to brush aside fear. This was exactly how I felt the day I finally rode a motorcycle on a busy road without stalling, wobbling, or panicking. But the road to that moment was not easy. My fear was not of the machine itself, but of losing control — the thought of falling, hurting myself, or causing an accident haunted me.
It all began when I bought my first second-hand motorcycle. I was excited, but when I sat on it and started the engine, my hands shook. My first few attempts ended in jerks and stalls. One day, while trying to turn a corner, I nearly collided with a tree. People around laughed. That made it worse — my confidence shattered. I began to doubt if I’d ever ride properly.
But my elder cousin encouraged me. He said, “No one is born knowing how to ride. It’s just practice.” He spent many evenings guiding me through empty roads. He corrected my posture, taught me to use the clutch and throttle smoothly, and explained how to stay calm in traffic. His patience and faith in me slowly rubbed off.
Each day, I improved a little. I fell a couple more times, got bruised, but stood up again. With every successful ride, my fear weakened. One morning, I decided to take the bike alone to the market. That ride — small and short — felt like a victory. I had done it. I had beaten the fear that once paralyzed me.
Now, riding a motorcycle feels as natural as walking. But more than the skill, I’ve gained belief in myself. I’ve learned that fear is natural, but it can be overcome — one brave step at a time.
- Letter: Learning to Play the Guitar
Dear Rafiq,
I hope this letter finds you well. I wanted to share something exciting with you — I’ve finally learned how to play the guitar!
It all started last year when I found an old guitar in our attic. At first, I didn’t even know how to hold it properly. My fingers hurt, the strings made no sense, and the chords were a mystery. But I kept at it. I watched online tutorials and practiced daily, even when it felt frustrating.
Now, I can play a few songs smoothly. Last week, I even played in front of my classmates during a farewell party. It felt amazing! You’ve always told me to try something new — I’m glad I listened. Learning the guitar has taught me patience and given me a new way to express myself.
Let’s meet soon — I’ll play a song for you!
Warm regards,
Muzahidul
- What is the name of the lesson’s author?
a) William Blake b) William Douglas c) William Wordsworth d) William Shakespeare
Answer: b) William Douglas - Where did the incident of drowning occur?
a) Yakima River b) California Beach c) Y.M.C.A. Pool d) Lake Wentworth
Answer: c) Y.M.C.A. Pool - How deep was the deep end of the Y.M.C.A. pool?
a) 6 feet b) 7 feet c) 9 feet d) 10 feet
Answer: c) 9 feet - What had Douglas’s mother warned him about?
a) Sea swimming b) Playing outside c) Yakima River d) Climbing trees
Answer: c) Yakima River - What physical feature made Douglas self-conscious?
a) His height b) His weight c) His skinny legs d) His nose
Answer: c) His skinny legs - What did Douglas wear to learn swimming?
a) Life jacket b) Water wings c) Swimming fins d) Float tube
Answer: b) Water wings - Who threw Douglas into the pool?
a) His friend b) His coach c) A big boy d) His brother
Answer: c) A big boy - How old was the boy who threw Douglas?
a) About 14 b) About 16 c) About 18 d) About 20
Answer: c) About 18 - In which position did Douglas land in the pool?
a) Standing b) Kneeling c) Lying d) Sitting
Answer: d) Sitting - What was the color of the water according to Douglas?
a) Blue b) Green c) Yellowish d) Clear
Answer: c) Yellowish - What happened when Douglas tried to shout?
a) Loud scream came out b) He choked c) No sound came out d) He coughed water
Answer: c) No sound came out - What happened the third time he went down?
a) He was rescued b) He came up c) He relaxed d) He panicked again
Answer: c) He relaxed - What does Douglas say about his legs during drowning?
a) They were strong b) They kicked hard c) They were paralysed d) They floated
Answer: c) They were paralysed - What happened after he fainted in the pool?
a) He swam out b) He sank again c) He was rescued and vomiting d) He woke up
Answer: c) He was rescued and vomiting - What feeling remained with him after the incident?
a) Anger b) Happiness c) Fear d) Sadness
Answer: c) Fear - What physical reaction did Douglas have after the incident?
a) Headache b) Fever c) Weakness and trembling d) Cough
Answer: c) Weakness and trembling - Where did the childhood fear begin?
a) Swimming pool b) River c) Ocean d) Beach in California
Answer: d) Beach in California - What did the waves do at the beach?
a) Soaked his clothes b) Knocked him down c) Taught him to swim d) Swept away his father
Answer: b) Knocked him down - Who laughed when Douglas was knocked by the waves?
a) His friend b) His mother c) His father d) His brother
Answer: c) His father - What was Douglas’s father’s reaction to the waves?
a) Angry b) Worried c) Calm and laughing d) Ran away
Answer: c) Calm and laughing - What effect did the drowning incident have on Douglas’s life?
a) No effect b) He became braver c) Haunted him for years d) Forgot it quickly
Answer: c) Haunted him for years - What did Douglas do to fight the fear later?
a) Avoided water b) Took therapy c) Got a swimming instructor d) Watched others swim
Answer: c) Got a swimming instructor - What method did the instructor use to train him?
a) Swimming alone b) Group training c) Pulley and belt d) Holding a float
Answer: c) Pulley and belt - How many days a week did Douglas practice?
a) 2 b) 3 c) 5 d) 6
Answer: c) 5 - For how long did each training session last?
a) 30 minutes b) 45 minutes c) 1 hour d) 2 hours
Answer: c) 1 hour - What swimming style did the instructor ask him to use finally?
a) Breast stroke b) Crawl stroke c) Back stroke d) Dog paddle
Answer: b) Crawl stroke - What was Douglas’s concern after learning to swim?
a) Speed b) Stamina c) Whether fear was gone d) Technique
Answer: c) Whether fear was gone - Where did Douglas go to test himself first?
a) Yakima River b) Lake Wentworth c) Y.M.C.A. Pool d) Tieton River
Answer: c) Y.M.C.A. Pool - How far did Douglas swim in Lake Wentworth?
a) Half mile b) One mile c) Two miles d) Three miles
Answer: c) Two miles - Which island did he swim to in Lake Wentworth?
a) Triggs Island b) Stamp Act Island c) Goat Rocks d) Glacier Island
Answer: b) Stamp Act Island - What did Douglas say to fear in the middle of the lake?
a) “Come back!” b) “Stay away!” c) “Trying to scare me, eh?” d) “Go to hell!”
Answer: c) “Trying to scare me, eh?” - Where did Douglas go finally to test fear completely?
a) Warm Lake b) Tieton River c) Columbia River d) Goat Rocks
Answer: a) Warm Lake - What was his final feeling after conquering fear?
a) Sadness b) Exhaustion c) Freedom and joy d) Relief
Answer: c) Freedom and joy - What did Douglas learn about death?
a) It is painful b) It is terrifying c) There is peace in death d) It is a punishment
Answer: c) There is peace in death - Who said, “All we have to fear is fear itself”?
a) Abraham Lincoln b) Nelson Mandela c) FDR d) Winston Churchill
Answer: c) FDR - What style is used in the story?
a) Fiction b) Poem c) Autobiographical narrative d) Drama
Answer: c) Autobiographical narrative - What did Douglas compare fear to in the water?
a) Rope b) Nightmare c) Great charge of electricity d) Monster
Answer: c) Great charge of electricity - How did Douglas feel after first swimming the length of the pool?
a) Proud b) Fearful c) Nervous d) Uncertain
Answer: d) Uncertain - What did he feel under his feet at the bottom of the pool?
a) Pebbles b) Sand c) Tiles d) Mud
Answer: c) Tiles - Why did Douglas use the term “oblivion”?
a) To show joy b) To show sleep c) To show he lost senses d) To show darkness
Answer: c) To show he lost senses - What did he imagine while going unconscious?
a) Sleeping peacefully b) Running c) Screaming d) Dying violently
Answer: a) Sleeping peacefully - What feeling replaced fear when he lost consciousness?
a) Panic b) Pain c) Peace d) Anger
Answer: c) Peace - How did Douglas react after returning home?
a) Calmly b) Emotionless c) Shaking and crying d) Excited
Answer: c) Shaking and crying - How did the boy who threw him react?
a) Laughed b) Regretted deeply c) Said he was only fooling d) Ran away
Answer: c) Said he was only fooling - Which stroke is not mentioned in the story?
a) Breast stroke b) Side stroke c) Crawl stroke d) Butterfly stroke
Answer: d) Butterfly stroke - What did the experience teach Douglas?
a) To avoid risks b) To never trust others c) That fear can be overcome d) That swimming is dangerous
Answer: c) That fear can be overcome - Where did Douglas go with a friend during his final test?
a) Stamp Act Island b) Meade Glacier c) Bumping Lake d) Conrad Meadows
Answer: b) Meade Glacier - What echoed back when he shouted in the mountains?
a) His own voice b) His friend’s reply c) The wind d) Gilbert Peak
Answer: d) Gilbert Peak - What does “the curtain of life fell” mean?
a) He gave up b) He lost hope c) He fainted d) He died
Answer: c) He fainted - What message does the story give?
a) Avoid water if afraid b) Childhood trauma lasts forever c) Fear is natural, but can be conquered d) Learn swimming early
Answer: c) Fear is natural, but can be conquered
- What early childhood incident created Douglas’s fear of water?
When Douglas was around three or four years old, his father took him to a beach in California. While playing in the surf, a big wave knocked him down and swept over him. Though his father laughed, the little boy felt a deep terror inside. That moment planted the first seed of fear in his heart. - Why did Douglas choose the Y.M.C.A. pool to learn swimming?
Douglas’s mother always warned him against the dangerous Yakima River. So, he chose the Y.M.C.A. pool, thinking it was safe. It had a shallow end of only two to three feet, and the deep end was nine feet, but the slope was gradual. He thought it was the perfect place to learn swimming. - What happened when the big boy threw Douglas into the pool?
A strong boy, around eighteen, suddenly picked Douglas up and tossed him into the deep end of the pool. Douglas landed in a sitting position, swallowed water, and sank straight to the bottom. That was the start of his nightmare. - What plan did Douglas make while sinking?
While going down, Douglas thought he would jump from the bottom with all his strength, come up like a cork, float on the surface, and then paddle to the edge. He believed that simple plan would save him — but things didn’t go as planned. - How did Douglas feel as he struggled in the water?
Douglas felt suffocated and paralysed. His arms and legs wouldn’t move. He tried to shout, but no sound came out. He described his condition as one trapped in a nightmare, with stark terror gripping his whole body. - What happened to Douglas the third time he went down?
The third time Douglas went down, he stopped struggling. His body felt limp. He felt peaceful, like he was going to sleep. He imagined he was floating in space, wrapped in soft arms. That’s when he fainted completely. - How did the fear of water affect Douglas’s life later?
After that incident, Douglas avoided water completely. Even years later, when he went near rivers or lakes, the same fear came back. His legs would freeze, and his heart would fill with horror. It stopped him from enjoying many outdoor activities. - What made Douglas finally decide to fight his fear?
Douglas was tired of running from water. He wanted to enjoy swimming, fishing, and boating like others. He knew he could not live with this fear forever. So, he made up his mind to fight it and hired a swimming instructor. - How did the instructor begin teaching Douglas to swim?
The instructor tied a belt around Douglas and attached it to a rope that ran through a pulley. Then, holding the other end of the rope, he made Douglas go back and forth across the pool. This helped him slowly adjust to the water without panicking. - What exercises helped Douglas overcome his panic?
The instructor taught Douglas to put his face underwater and breathe out, then lift his nose and inhale. He also made him kick his legs while holding the side of the pool. These repeated exercises helped Douglas slowly gain control over his body. - When did Douglas first test himself alone in the pool?
After his training, Douglas went to the pool alone to test if he still felt fear. He swam the full length and back. Though he felt slight panic, he was able to face it bravely and keep swimming. That gave him confidence. - Why did Douglas swim across Lake Wentworth?
Douglas wanted to make sure that the fear had really left him. So, he went to Lake Wentworth, jumped from a dock, and swam two miles using different strokes. Only once did the fear return, but he laughed at it and kept going. - How did Douglas feel after swimming in Warm Lake?
After swimming across Warm Lake and back, Douglas felt a great sense of victory. He shouted with joy, and the echo came back from Gilbert Peak. That moment proved to him that he had truly conquered his fear. - What message does Douglas give through his experience?
Douglas wants readers to understand that fear itself is the enemy. Once we face it directly, we can overcome it. He proves that courage and strong willpower can defeat even the deepest fear. - How does Douglas’s story connect with Roosevelt’s quote?
Douglas ends the story by referring to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s quote: “All we have to fear is fear itself.” He had faced fear, experienced it fully, and conquered it. His story gives real meaning to that famous line.
- Describe the incident at the Y.M.C.A. pool that nearly drowned Douglas. How did he react to it?
One day, when Douglas was about ten or eleven, he went to the Y.M.C.A. pool to practice swimming. He was waiting on the side, a bit nervous since no one else was around. Suddenly, a big, muscular boy came, picked him up without warning, and tossed him into the deep end of the pool. Douglas sank quickly, landing in a sitting position at the bottom. At first, he didn’t panic. He planned to push himself up, float, and paddle to safety. But when he tried, his body didn’t respond. His arms flailed, legs stayed stiff, and water entered his mouth. A wave of stark terror took over. He went down a second time, still trying to escape, but nothing worked. The third time, he gave up and felt a strange peace before losing consciousness. This shocking experience left him physically and mentally shaken. - What impact did the drowning incident have on Douglas’s life? How did he deal with it in later years?
The drowning incident created a lasting fear in Douglas’s heart. Even after many years, whenever he went near water—whether it was a river, lake, or swimming pool—he would feel the same horror. His legs would freeze, his heart would pound, and the fear would completely overpower him. He could not enjoy outdoor activities like fishing, swimming, or boating because of this. The memory haunted him and disturbed his peace. However, as he grew older, he decided that he would not let fear control his life. He bravely chose to face it. By hiring a swimming instructor and training every day with patience and determination, he slowly overcame it. It took months of hard work and self-belief, but he finally broke free from the grip of fear.
- How did the swimming instructor help Douglas overcome his fear? Describe the training process.
The instructor used a patient and step-by-step method to help Douglas. First, he tied a belt around Douglas’s waist and connected it to a rope running through a pulley on the ceiling. Holding the other end, the instructor made Douglas go back and forth across the pool daily. At first, Douglas felt panic every time the instructor relaxed the rope. Slowly, he got used to staying in water. Then the instructor taught him breathing techniques—putting his face underwater, exhaling, and lifting his nose to inhale. After that, Douglas learned how to kick his legs by holding the side of the pool. Each lesson focused on just one part of swimming. After weeks of practice, all the parts were combined. In April, the instructor told him he could swim, and Douglas proved it by swimming the full length of the pool. But he still needed to test himself to be sure the fear was completely gone.
- Explain how Douglas tested himself to be sure the fear was gone. What did he learn from this journey?
Even after learning to swim, Douglas was not fully confident. He wanted to check if the old terror would return. So, he swam alone in the Y.M.C.A. pool. Then he went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire and swam two miles across it, using different strokes. At one point, when he looked down at the deep water, he felt a bit scared, but he laughed and kept swimming. Finally, he went to Warm Lake, dived in, and swam to the other side and back. When he finished, he shouted with joy. These tests proved to him that he had completely conquered his fear. He felt free and strong. He learned that fear is only powerful when we allow it to control us. With courage and effort, fear can be defeated.
- What is the main theme of the lesson “Deep Water”? How does Douglas use personal experience to support this theme?
The main theme of “Deep Water” is the power of fear and the courage required to overcome it. Douglas shows that fear can control our life if we don’t face it. He uses his personal experience of nearly drowning as a child to explain how fear can take deep root in the mind. The story is emotional and honest. Through his hard journey—from terror to triumph—he proves that fear is not real power. It is our response to fear that matters. By facing it with willpower and practice, anyone can overcome it. He supports his message with real experiences, vivid descriptions, and honest feelings. His journey becomes an inspiration for readers to conquer their own fears in life.
- Narrate the incident at the Y.M.C.A. pool that led to Douglas’s near-drowning experience. How did he respond physically and emotionally during this traumatic moment?
Douglas had gone to the Y.M.C.A. pool to learn swimming when he was about ten or eleven years old. He chose this pool because it was considered safe compared to the dangerous Yakima River, which his mother had strictly warned him against. The pool was shallow on one side and gradually deepened to nine feet.
One day, while Douglas was alone at the pool, a big eighteen-year-old boy arrived. Without warning, he picked up Douglas and threw him into the deep end. Douglas landed in a sitting position and sank quickly to the bottom. Though he felt scared, he still thought he could save himself. He planned to push up from the bottom, float, and swim to the side.
However, things went wrong. His plan failed. As he rose slowly, his legs felt lifeless, and panic gripped him. He choked on water and couldn’t shout. He went down again, more frightened this time. On the second attempt, he was filled with stark terror. He struggled, thrashed, and screamed silently under the water. The third time he went down, he gave up. Everything felt peaceful, and he fainted.
This near-death experience was not just physical. It was deeply emotional and mental. Douglas had felt helpless, like death was real and close. That one event left him scarred for years, unable to go near water without fear.
- “I had conquered my fear of water.” How did Douglas finally overcome the deep-rooted fear that haunted him for years? What does this tell you about human courage and determination?
Douglas’s fear of water had started in childhood when a big boy threw him into the deep end of the Y.M.C.A. pool. The experience nearly killed him. For years after that, he avoided water. Even as an adult, he couldn’t enjoy fishing, swimming, or boating. The terror had become a part of him. But Douglas didn’t want to be controlled by fear. So, he made a conscious decision to fight it.
He hired a swimming instructor. The instructor used a step-by-step method: tying a belt around Douglas, guiding him with a rope, and making him go across the pool again and again. Slowly, Douglas learned to breathe underwater, float, kick, and control his body. It took months of daily practice. Each time he went underwater, the old fear returned, but he kept fighting it.
When the training was complete, Douglas didn’t stop there. He tested himself. He swam alone in the pool. He swam across Lake Wentworth, and then Warm Lake. Whenever the fear returned, he challenged it directly. He even laughed at it. Slowly, it disappeared.
This shows that fear is not permanent. With willpower, patience, and daily effort, even deep fears can be removed. Douglas’s victory was not just over water — it was over his own mind. His story teaches us that true courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to face it and rise above it.
- “In death there is peace. There is terror only in the fear of death.” Explain this thought in the context of Douglas’s experience in ‘Deep Water’. What message does the author give about life and fear?
Douglas, through his personal story in Deep Water, shares one of the most intense experiences of his life — a near-death moment when he was drowning. While struggling underwater, he felt breathless, paralysed, and powerless. He went down three times. The first two times, he tried to fight. But the third time, he stopped struggling. He surrendered. At that moment, he felt peace. No fear, no pain — only a quiet, floating sensation. He felt like he was going to sleep.
Later, when he recalled that experience, he realised something profound. Death itself didn’t scare him. What had truly terrified him was the fear of death, not death itself. When he stopped fearing and accepted the moment, he felt calm. This made him understand the words of Roosevelt: “All we have to fear is fear itself.”
Douglas shares this insight to teach us an important life lesson: that fear grows in the mind and becomes bigger than reality. Once we confront fear, we see that it is weaker than we imagined. He tells us that life becomes fuller when we are free from fear. True peace comes not by running from fear but by facing it bravely.
- Describe the psychological journey of Douglas from fear to freedom. How does the story ‘Deep Water’ explore the theme of self-mastery through experience?
The story Deep Water is not just about swimming. It is about self-mastery, facing one’s deepest fears, and transforming weakness into strength. Douglas begins his journey as a frightened boy. After being thrown into a pool, he develops a fear so strong that it controls his life for years. The fear follows him like a shadow. Even the sight of water brings back the old terror.
But Douglas does not give up. He takes charge of his own mind. He understands that unless he defeats this fear, he will never be free. So, he begins the tough path of self-discipline. He trains with an instructor, fights panic day after day, and retrains both his body and mind. Each lesson becomes a mental battle — a step towards personal strength.
Even after becoming a swimmer, he doesn’t stop. He tests himself again and again until the fear disappears completely. He becomes master of his own fear — not just of water, but of death, of helplessness, and of failure.
This journey reflects a deeper theme: that to live fully, one must first overcome inner barriers. The story teaches that we grow not by avoiding challenges, but by walking straight into them, no matter how terrifying they are.
- Explain the significance of the title “Deep Water”. How does it reflect both the literal and symbolic meaning of the story?
The title “Deep Water” may sound simple, but it carries deep meaning — both literal and symbolic. On the surface, it refers to the deep end of the Y.M.C.A. pool where Douglas nearly drowned. It also refers to the other lakes and rivers he later swam in to fight his fear.
But on a deeper level, “deep water” is a symbol of life’s fears and struggles. Just as deep water is dangerous and unknown, life too is full of situations that are frightening, confusing, and hard to escape from. When Douglas fell into the deep end, he didn’t just face drowning — he faced his fear, his helplessness, and even the idea of death.
The water became a test. It challenged his willpower, his courage, and his desire to live freely. By overcoming “deep water,” Douglas was also overcoming the mental and emotional barriers that limited him.
Thus, the title is perfect. It is about water, but more importantly, it is about how one learns to swim through fear — both in the pool and in life. It reminds us that the deepest challenges bring out the strongest versions of ourselves.
