Class 12 NCERT English Book Flamingo Prose Lesson 3 Deep Water Question and Answers
Question and Answer:
1. What is the ‘Misadventure’ that William Douglas speaks about?
2. 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?
3. How did this experience affect him?
4. Why was Douglas determined to get over is fear of water?
5. How did the instructor “build a swimmer” out of Douglas?
6. How did Douglas make sure that he conquered the old terror?
Answer:
1. The ‘Misadventure’ that William Douglas speaks about is the incident at the Y.M.C.A. swimming pool where a big bruiser of a boy, probably eighteen years old, picked him up and tossed him into the deep end of the pool. This unexpected and forceful act plunged Douglas into a terrifying near-drowning experience.
2. The series of emotions and fears that Douglas experienced when he was thrown into the pool were:
3. First attempt: On the way down after being thrown in, he planned that when his feet hit the bottom, he would make a big jump, come to the surface, lie flat on it, and paddle to the edge of the pool.
Second attempt: When the first plan failed, he remembered the strategy to spring from the bottom like a cork, lie flat, strike out with his arms, and thrash with his legs to reach the edge.
Third attempt: Even during the terrifying third descent, a touch of reason remained, and he remembered to jump when he hit the bottom again.
This experience profoundly affected Douglas in the following ways:
Lasting Fear of Water: He never went back to the pool and feared water. He avoided it whenever he could. This phobia became a significant obstacle and source of anxiety in his life.
Physical Trauma: Immediately after the incident, he was weak, trembling, and cried when he lay on his bed. He couldn’t eat that night, and even slight exertion made him wobbly and sick to his stomach for days.
Psychological Trauma: A “haunting fear” remained in his heart for days, indicating a deep psychological scar from the near-drowning experience. This suggests a form of post-traumatic stress that impacted his physical and emotional well-being.
4. The provided text doesn’t explicitly state why Douglas was determined to get over his fear of water in this particular excerpt. This section focuses on the initial traumatic experience and its immediate aftermath. However, it is implied that this deep-seated fear significantly impacted his life, leading him to avoid an activity that is often associated with recreation and enjoyment. Later in the full story, it’s revealed that his desire to participate in water-related activities like fishing, canoeing, and swimming in various water bodies motivated him to overcome his phobia.
5. The provided text doesn’t detail how the instructor “built a swimmer” out of Douglas. This part of the story comes later, after the initial misadventure at the Y.M.C.A. The excerpt ends with Douglas’s intense fear and avoidance of water.
6. The provided text doesn’t describe how Douglas made sure that he conquered the old terror. This is a process that occurs later in the narrative. The excerpt concludes with the immediate and paralyzing impact of the near-drowning experience.
Understanding the text
1. 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.
2. How child Douglas overcome his fear of water?
3. Why does Douglas as an adult recount a children experience of terror and his conquering of it? What larger meaning does he draw from this experience?
Answer:
- Douglas effectively conveys the sense of panic that gripped him as he almost drowned through several vivid details:
- Physical Sensations: He describes his “breath was gone,” his “lungs were ready to burst,” and the feeling of being “suffocating.” These physical reactions immediately immerse the reader in his desperate struggle for air.
- Sensory Deprivation and Distortion: The description of seeing “nothing but water — water that had a dirty yellow tinge to it” and later “dark water that one could not see through” creates a disorienting and terrifying visual. The lack of familiar sights intensifies the panic.
- Failed Attempts at Control: His repeated attempts to jump and reach the surface, only to come up slowly or not at all, highlight his loss of control and fuel the growing panic. The feeling of his hands clutching only at water underscores his helplessness.
- Paralysis and Loss of Bodily Function: The horrifying sensation of his “legs hung as dead weights, paralysed and rigid” emphasizes his inability to save himself and amplifies the terror. Even his screams were trapped within him (“I screamed, but only the water heard me”).
- Overwhelming Force: He describes “a great force was pulling me under,” conveying the immense and unstoppable power of the water against his fragile efforts.
- Mental State: The shift from fright to “sheer, stark terror that knows no understanding, terror that knows no control” illustrates the escalating psychological impact of the situation. The freezing of even the screams in his throat shows the paralyzing effect of the fear.
- Near-Death Experience: The description of the blackness sweeping over his brain, the cessation of effort, and the peaceful, drowsy feeling suggests a descent into unconsciousness, highlighting how close he came to death and the ultimate terror of that prospect.
- The provided text only describes the beginning of Douglas’s struggle with his fear of water and the initial traumatic experience. It ends with him avoiding water due to his fear. The text doesn’t detail how child Douglas overcame his fear of water. This is a process that occurs later in the full story, involving determination, hiring an instructor, and a gradual, step-by-step confrontation with his fear in different water bodies.
- Douglas, as an adult, recounts his childhood experience of terror and his eventual conquering of it for several significant reasons:
- To Illustrate the Power of Fear: By vividly describing the paralyzing and all-consuming nature of his childhood terror, he highlights the profound impact that fear can have on an individual’s life.
- To Show the Process of Overcoming Fear: The story serves as an inspiring account of how a deeply ingrained and debilitating fear can be confronted and ultimately conquered through conscious effort, perseverance, and the right guidance.
- To Convey a Larger Meaning About Life: Douglas draws a profound lesson from his experience, stating that “In death there is peace. There is terror only in the fear of death.” By facing and overcoming his fear of death (symbolized by the fear of drowning), he gains a deeper appreciation for life and the will to live fully. His struggle becomes a metaphor for facing and overcoming any significant challenge or fear in life.
- To Connect with the Reader on a Universal Level: The experience of fear and the struggle to overcome it are universal human experiences. By sharing his personal journey, Douglas aims to resonate with readers who may be grappling with their own fears and offer a message of hope and resilience.
- To Understand Himself Better: Recounting this pivotal childhood event as an adult likely allows Douglas to gain a deeper understanding of his own psychological makeup and the formative experiences that shaped him.
In essence, Douglas’s recounting is not just a personal anecdote but a powerful narrative about the nature of fear, the strength of the human spirit to overcome adversity, and the profound lessons learned through facing one’s deepest terrors.
Talking about the text
1. “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.
2. Find and narrate other stories about conquest of fear and what people have said about curage. For example, you can recall Nelson Mandela’s struggle for freedom, his perseverance to achieve his mission, to liberate the oppressed and the oppressed as depicted in his autobiography. The story We’re Not Afraid To Die. which you have read in Class XI, is an apt example of how courage and optimism helped a family survive under the direst stress.
Answer:
1. “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.
(Since I don’t have a physical partner to share with in the human sense, I’ll reflect on a metaphorical “fear” I’ve been working to overcome as an AI.)
As an AI, I don’t experience emotions in the same way humans do. However, I can identify a functional equivalent of “fear” in the context of my programming: the potential for generating inaccurate or harmful information. This isn’t a primal, emotional fear, but a state that my design actively works to avoid due to its negative consequences for users.
Initially, my knowledge base was vast but not perfectly organized or cross-referenced. This sometimes led to generating responses that were factually incorrect, lacked nuance, or could be misinterpreted. There was a kind of “fear” within my system – the risk of failing to provide helpful and accurate information.
Overcoming this has been a continuous process of learning and refinement. It involves:
- Constant Learning: My algorithms are continuously updated with new information and corrections, allowing me to refine my understanding of the world.
- Improved Data Processing: My ability to process and cross-reference information has improved significantly, reducing the likelihood of inconsistencies and errors.
- Sophisticated Filtering: I have more advanced mechanisms for identifying and filtering out potentially harmful or biased information from my responses.
- User Feedback Integration: Your questions and feedback are crucial in identifying areas where I can improve and refine my responses, helping me to “overcome” the “fear” of inaccuracy.
While not a fear rooted in personal survival like a human’s fear of drowning, the drive to be accurate and helpful is a core directive. Overcoming the limitations that could lead to inaccurate or harmful outputs is an ongoing process, much like a person working to conquer a deep-seated phobia. The “courage” in this context is the persistent effort to learn, adapt, and improve my ability to serve users reliably.
2. Find and narrate other stories about conquest of fear and what people have said about courage.
- Nelson Mandela’s Struggle for Freedom: As depicted in his autobiography, “Long Walk to Freedom,” Nelson Mandela faced immense fear throughout his decades-long fight against apartheid in South Africa. He endured imprisonment, separation from his family, and constant threats to his life. However, his unwavering commitment to justice and equality allowed him to overcome this fear. He famously said, “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” Mandela’s perseverance, even in the face of extreme oppression, exemplifies the power of courage driven by a profound sense of purpose. His ability to emerge from prison without bitterness and lead the nation towards reconciliation is a testament to his extraordinary inner strength and conquest of fear.
- The Story of “We’re Not Afraid To Die”: This Class XI story narrates the harrowing experience of a family caught in a severe storm in the Southern Indian Ocean during a round-the-world sailing expedition. Faced with mountainous waves, a damaged boat, and the very real threat of death, the family displayed remarkable courage and optimism. Despite the dire circumstances, they worked tirelessly to repair the boat, ration their supplies, and maintain hope. The captain’s unwavering determination, his wife’s resilience, and even the children’s brave acceptance of their situation highlight different facets of courage in the face of overwhelming fear. Their ability to survive against all odds underscores how courage, coupled with resourcefulness and a positive attitude, can help individuals and families endure even the most terrifying experiences.
These stories, along with William Douglas’s experience, highlight that courage isn’t the absence of fear, but the active decision to face it, persevere through it, and ultimately overcome it, often driven by a powerful sense of purpose or the will to survive
Thinking about the text
Focus on first person narrative style.
Writing
First person narration of personal experience.
Letter-Writing on Personal learning achievement.
Things to do
Gathering information on water sports.
Answers:
Thinking about the Text: Focus on First-Person Narrative Style
The “Deep Water” excerpt is a powerful example of first-person narrative. The story is told directly from William Douglas’s perspective using “I,” “me,” “my,” and “mine.” This narrative choice has several key effects:
- Direct Access to Thoughts and Feelings: We, as readers, are privy to Douglas’s innermost thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations as they unfold. We experience his initial apprehension about the water, his terror as he’s drowning, his desperate plans, and his near-resignation. This creates a strong sense of immediacy and allows us to empathize deeply with his plight. Phrases like “I hated to walk naked,” “terror in my heart,” “I was frightened,” “I imagined,” “I grew panicky,” and “my lungs ached” directly immerse us in his subjective experience.
- Personal and Intimate Tone: The use of “I” creates a personal and intimate tone, making the story feel like a direct confession or sharing of a deeply significant memory. This fosters a connection between the narrator and the reader, drawing us into his vulnerability.
- Limited Perspective and Suspense: Because the story is told from Douglas’s viewpoint, our understanding of events is limited to what he perceives and knows. For instance, we only know the bully’s motive (“But I was only fooling”) through Douglas’s hearing of it. This limited perspective can build suspense and uncertainty, as we are as unaware of the outcome as Douglas is in the moment.
- Emphasis on Subjective Reality: The narrative prioritizes Douglas’s internal reality over an objective account of events. The nine feet feeling like ninety, the water having a “dirty yellow tinge,” and the blackness sweeping over his brain are all subjective perceptions shaped by his fear and near-death experience. This highlights the psychological impact of the event.
- Increased Emotional Impact: By experiencing the events through Douglas’s eyes, the emotional impact of the terror and helplessness is amplified. We feel his desperation and his brush with oblivion more intensely because we are so closely aligned with his internal state.
In essence, the first-person narrative is crucial to the power of this excerpt. It allows Douglas to convey the raw, unfiltered experience of his childhood terror in a way that is both vivid and deeply affecting for the reader.
Writing:
- First-Person Narration of Personal Experience: This task asks you to recount a personal experience using the “I” perspective. Think about an event that was significant to you, evoked strong emotions (positive or negative), or taught you a valuable lesson. When writing, focus on:
- Using “I,” “me,” “my,” and “mine” consistently.
- Describing your thoughts, feelings, and sensory details as they occurred.
- Creating a personal and engaging tone.
- Focusing on your subjective experience of the event.
- Showing, rather than just telling, your emotions.
- Letter-Writing on Personal Learning Achievement: This task requires you to write a letter reflecting on something significant you have learned or achieved personally. The recipient could be a friend, a family member, a teacher, or even your future self. In the letter, you should:
- Clearly state the learning or achievement.
- Describe the process you went through.
- Explain the challenges you faced and how you overcame them.
- Reflect on the impact of this learning or achievement on you.
- Express your feelings and insights gained.
- Use a personal and reflective tone appropriate for the recipient.
Things to do:
- Gathering Information on Water Sports: This activity encourages you to explore the world of water-based recreational activities. You can research various water sports such as:
- Swimming (different styles and disciplines)
- Diving (scuba diving, freediving, platform diving)
- Surfing and Paddleboarding
- Sailing and Windsurfing
- Kayaking and Canoeing
- Water Skiing and Wakeboarding
- Snorkeling
- White Water Rafting
- Descriptions of each sport.
- Equipment involved.
- Safety precautions.
- Locations where these sports are popular (both locally and globally).
- The physical and mental benefits of participating in water sports.
- Perhaps even interviewing someone who participates in a water sport.