CBSE Class 12 English Deep Water Worksheet Set D

Question. Notice these words and expressions in the text. Infer their meaning from the context.
Answer. 
- treacherous - unpredictable danger; not dependable or trustworthy
- subdued my pride - to lower or restrain the intensity of self-respect and confidence
- flailed at the surface - to strike or lash out vigorously at the surface of the water in trying to come out
- fishing for landlocked salmon - to go fishing for a specific variety of salmon available in certain lakes
- misadventure - an incident that turns out to be a disaster
- bob to the surface like a cork - to float or show the characteristics of buoyancy as a cork in water
- curtain of life fell - to indicate that life has ended or a near-death experience
- back and forth across the pool - to swim across the swimming pool from one side to the other

Question. What is the "misadventure" that William Douglas speaks about?
Answer.  Douglas refers to the incident at the Y.M.C.A. swimming pool where he almost drowned as a "misadventure." The author was about ten or eleven years old at the time and had barely begun to learn swimming, primarily by aping others. As he was thrown suddenly into the water by someone and he couldn't swim, he started drowning. The struggle to come to surface and to avoid getting drowned left him with a deep fear of water which deprived him from enjoying water-related activities for many years.

Question. 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?
Answer.  The sudden realization of being thrown into the pool did not make him lose his wits immediately. Although frightened, he thought of a trick to come up to the surface but couldn't execute it successfully. He panicked and felt suffocated by the water. His sense-perceptions gave way, his heart pounded loudly, his limbs became paralyzed with fear, his mind became dizzy and his lungs ached as he gulped water while making desperate attempts to come out of the water. Finally, he lost all his strength and willingness to keep struggling and blacked out. Douglas planned to allow himself to go down till his feet hit the bottom so that could make a big jump to come back to the surface like a cork. Then, he would lie flat on the surface of water and paddle to the edge of the pool.

Question. How did this experience affect him?
Answer.  The near death experience of drowning had a very strong impact on his psychology. He was deeply perturbed emotional balance for many years. As he couldn't bear being surrounded by water, he was deprived of enjoying any water-related activity.

Question. 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.
Answer.  Douglas takes us through his near death experience at the Y.M.C.A. pool by detailing every little aspect associated to it. He details minutes of his emotional, mental and physical struggle with the paralyzing fear of being drowned in the water. The first person narration of the incident also helps us to associate with his experience more deeply. Though he did not lose his wits initially, he panicked when his strategy didn't work. His feeling of suffocation, fear and losing hold on sense perceptions make the readers experience what he does. His eyes couldn't see beyond the dirty yellow water. His voice did not assist him. His nose and mouth could only manage to take water to the lungs. His limbs became paralyzed with fear and his mind dizzy. His desperation to save himself kept him struggling until he went down the third time and blacked out. All these details make the description vivid.

Question. Why was Douglas determined to get over his fear of water?
Answer.  Douglas regretted being deprived of enjoying water activities like canoeing, boating, swimming, fishing, etc. The wish to enjoy them and the craving to regain his lost confidence, while being in water, made him try every possible way to get rid of his fear. He was finally able to overcome this mental handicap by getting himself a swimming instructor and further ensuring that no residual fear was left.

Question. How did Douglas overcome his fear of water?
Answer.  At first, he tried to overcome his fear of water on his own. But when this failed, he got an instructor for himself who worked on Douglas' fear very methodically. With his help, Douglas began by learning to be at ease in water. After this, he practiced exhaling- inhaling in water to eliminate the fear of putting his head inside the water. Then, he moved on to master individual steps of swimming which were, finally, integrated into a complete experience of swimming, by his instructor. After about six months, Douglas could not only swim well but was, also, free of his fear to a great extent. At this stage, Douglas' journey of truly overcoming his fear to its tiniest vestiges began. He swam alone in the pool. He went to Lake Wentworth to dive. He tried every possible stroke he learnt. Finally, in his diving expedition, in the Warm Lake, he conquered his fear completely.

Question. How did the instructor "build a swimmer" out of Douglas?
Answer.  The instructor worked gradually on Douglas' psychology, moved on to his physical movements and then integrated each part to build a swimmer out of him. Initially, he made Douglas swim back and forth across the swimming pool so that he could get used to it. He used an elaborate mechanism with a rope, belt, pulley and an overhead cable to help them stay connected while Douglas was in the pool. Then, one- by-one, he made Douglas master the individual techniques of swimming, like putting his head in the water, exhaling and inhaling while in water, movements of his hands, body, legs, etc. Finally, he integrated these perfected steps into a whole experience of swimming for Douglas.

Question. Why does Douglas as an adult recount a childhood experience of terror and his conquering of it? What larger meaning does he draw from his experience?
Answer.  Douglas recounts his childhood experience at the Y.M.C.A. pool to enable the readers to understand the exact nature and intensity of the terror. The fear of being surrounded by the water, the fear of putting his head in the water, the fear of choking and the fear of his limbs going numb couldn't have been explained to a reader unacquainted with Douglas' childhood experience. In that case, the elaborate strategy adopted by the author (and his instructor) and the time-taken by him to learn or master even simple things, though put in the perspective of his fear of water, couldn't have been understood properly. By quoting Roosevelt, "All we have to fear is fear itself," Douglas indicates the larger meaning that he draws from his experience. For him, the importance of life became evident when he encountered death or rather its proximity threatening his life.

Question. How did Douglas make sure that he conquered the old terror?
Answer.  Even after the swimming training was over, Douglas wasn't confident about his swimming or that he had overcome the fear. He was determined to completely get rid of it forever. He swam alone in the pool. He went to Lake Wentworth to dive. There, he tried every possible stroke he had learnt. He fought back the tiny vestiges of terror that gripped him in middle of the lake. Finally, in his diving expedition in the Warm Lake, he realised that he had truly conquered his old terror.

Question. If someone else had narrated Douglas' experience, how would it have differed from this account? Write out a sample paragraph or paragraphs from this text from the point of view of a third person or observer to find out which style of narration would you consider to be more effective? Why?
Answer.  If a third person had narrated Douglas' experience, the impact of the story would have lost the reader's deep connection with the main protagonist and his fear of water. The narrator then would be passively telling the story from the perspective of an observer. The incident of drowning in water could never have successfully communicated the feeling of the "stark terror" that Douglas underwent. In third person narrative, the 8th and 9th paragraph of the story would be as follows: "He flailed at the surface of the water, swallowed and choked. He tried to bring his legs up but they hung as dead weights, paralyzed and rigid. A great force was pulling him under. He screamed, but only the water heard him. He had started on the long journey back to the bottom of the pool." "He struck at the water as he went down; expending his strength as one in a nightmare, fights an irresistible force. He had lost all his breath. His lungs ached. His head throbbed. He was getting dizzy. But he remembered the strategy - he would spring from the bottom of the pool and come like a cork to the surface. He would lie flat on the water, strike out with his arms, and thrash with his legs. Then he would get to the edge of the pool and be safe." So, it is only the first person narrative that keeps the reader gripped to the story. It makes the experience more relevant and tangible for the reader. It engages him by making him go through the experience along with the protagonist. The desperation and helplessness of being in water, which has almost become fatal, the mental and physical agony of trying to survive the crisis, the long struggle of overcoming the fear bit-by-bit and the jubilation of conquering it at the end; all make the reader feel part of the experience. The first person narrative makes the story a fast-paced and urgent reading for the readers. All this would have been lost had it been a third person narrative or from the point of view of an observer.

Question. "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.
Answer.  Directions: Everyone has some or other fear that has been overcome. Think about one such experience from your life. It may be anything associated to activities that you now engage in with ease but were scared earlier. Driving, skating, public-speaking, participating in a competition or overcoming stage fear are some examples. After you have found one such example from your life, recollect the reason it bothered or frightened you. Recollect the efforts you and/or other people put in to help you get rid of it. Discuss the detailed experience with your partner in the class. Also, discuss your feelings when you realised that you have overcome the fear entirely. (Guidelines/directions have been provided for students' reference. It is strongly recommended that students prepare the answer on their own.)

Question. Are there any water sports in India? Find out about the areas or places which are known for water sports.
Answer. 

(The list is only indicative. It is strongly recommended that students prepare the answer on their own.)

Question. Doing well in any activity, for example a sport, music, dance or painting, riding a motorcycle or a car, involves a great deal of struggle. Most of us are very nervous to begin with until gradually we overcome our fears and perform well. Write an essay of about five paragraphs recounting such an experience. Try to recollect minute details of what caused the fear, your feelings, the encouragement you got from others or the criticism. You could begin with the last sentence of the essay you have just read - "At last I felt released - free to walk the trails and climb the peaks and to brush aside fear."
Answer.  Directions: You may follow the given steps for the essay: Paragraph 1: Begin with "At last I felt released - free to walk the trails and climb the peaks and to brush aside fear. Fear, when conquered, becomes victory. And a victory, emerging from the bitterness of failures and hardships of enduring them for a long period of time, has its own meaning and charm. When I look back, it appears to be a long and arduous journey that has now successfully culminated in its destination." Paragraph 2: Talk about the beginning of the incident that was the root cause for your fear. Try to pen down what you saw, what you felt and what you thought. Recollect and write the details of the surrounding environment, people and things. Paragraph 3: Here, you can continue talking about how the incident progressed in terms of the subsequent events or happenings. Detail the exact proceedings in the logical order of their happening. You may talk about

Question. When Douglas realised that he was sinking, how did he plan to save himself? 
Answer.  Douglas did not lose hope. He planned that as soon as he would hit the bottom of the pool, he would push himself up. He sprang up as he planned and came slowly to the surface.

Question. What sort of terror seized Douglas as he went down the water with a yellow glow? How could he feel that he was still alive? 
Answer.  Douglas was seized with extreme terror and panic. He tried to shriek under water and felt absolutely paralysed with fear. He felt stiff and rigid and the screams seemed to freeze in his throat. The beating of his heart and the pounding in his head were the only reminders that he was still alive.

Question. Why did Douglas go to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire? 
Answer.  Douglas went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire to get rid of his fear of water. He took training from a coach in a swimming pool. Though his fear for water decreased, it had not completely left him. Then he went to the lake to test his fear to swim all alone. He swam two miles in the lake. Thus he conquered his phobia of water.

Question. Which factors led Douglas to decide in favour of Y.M.C.A. pool? 
Answer.  Douglas decided in favour of Y.M.C.A. pool, as it was an ideal place to learn swimming. It was safe as it was only two-three feet deep at the shallow end. Though it was nine feet deep at the other end, the drop was gradual.

Question. Why did Douglas go to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire? How did he make his terror flee? 
Answer.  Douglas was not sure whether all the terror had left even after the training from October to April and practice till July. So he went to Lake Wentworth and swam two miles. Terror returned only once when he was in the middle of the lake. He had put himself under water and saw nothing but bottomless water. The old sensation returned, but only at a smaller magnitude. He laughed and rebuked terror.

Question. What efforts did Douglas make to get over his fear of water? 
Answer.  Douglas hired an instructor who taught him to face water and exhale. He taught Douglas various techniques to handle water and learn swimming. Eventually to ensure that his fear was completely off his mind, Douglas Swam 2 miles across the lake went worth, and for any residual fear to be cleared he hurried west to the Conrad Meadows and dived into the Warm lake from on top of the Gilbert peak. He had finally conquered his fear of water.

Question. How did the instructor turn Douglas into a swimmer? 
Answer.  Douglas wanted to overcome his fear of water. For this, he took the help of an instructor who taught him all the strokes of swimming. He taught him to practice every part of his body separately – his limbs, his hands, how to exhale and inhale when out of water and inside water. After perfecting each part, he integrated the whole and built a complete swimmer out of Douglas.

Question.  What was the author’s early childhood fear of the water? How did it affect him the rest of his life?
Answer.  The author and his father once went to the beach of California when the former was three or four. While playing in the surf of the sea, the author was knocked down by the water and was buried under it. He lost his breath and a deep fear developed in his mind.

Question. Why did Douglas’ mother recommend that he should learn swimming at the YMCA swimming pool? 
Answer.  Douglas’ mother recommended that he should learn swimming at the YMCA swimming pool because it was much safer than the river where a lot of drownings had taken place. It was only 2-3 feet deep at the shallow end and 9 feet deep at the other end.

Question. Mention any two long term consequences of the drowning incident on Douglas. 
Answer.  After the drowning incident, Douglas always felt terrified near water. He was deprived of enjoying water activities like canoeing, boating, swimming, fishing, etc. Fear gripped him and all this spoiled his holidays.

Question. What deep meaning did his experience at the YMCA swimming pool have for Douglas? 
Answer.  After his near death experience at the YMCA pool, Douglas started fearing water. He could not enjoy any water sports or go fishing. He decided to overcome his fear and learnt swimming again. He became confident and understood that ‘all that we have to fear is fear itself ’.

Question.  ‘All’ we have to fear is fear itself’. When did Douglas learn this lesson? 
Answer.  These words mean that we fear, fear the most. Those who have undergone this experience of fear can only appreciate its worth. Douglas faced it twice in life. He had a terrible fear of water. He could not go for swimming, canoeing, boating, rafting, etc. he realized that it would ruin his life since it was following and haunting him wherever he went. Fear is our hard core enemy.

Short Answer Questions

Question. 1. What shocking experience did Douglas have at YMCA pool?
Answer: At the age of ten or eleven, William O. Douglas decided to learn to swim at the YMCA pool because it was only two or three feet deep at the shallow end. He had an aversion to the water but he felt comfortable when he paddled with his new water wings in the water. One day he went to the pool when no one else was there. He was waiting for others to come. Then there came a big bruiser of a boy who picked Douglas and ducked him into the deep end. He landed in a sitting position, swallowed water and went at once to the bottom. Though he was saved, his fear of water intensified after this misadventure.

Question. 2. Why did Douglas fail to come to the surface of the pool as he hoped to?
Answer: When Douglas was thrown into the pool by a muscular boy, he landed in a sitting position, swallowed water and touched the bottom. He was frightened but he had not lost his wit. He thought of a strategy to come up to the surface by making a big jump when his feet touched the bottom. But his lungs were about to burst. He thought to spring back to the surface like a cork but he moved slowly. He grew panicky and saw water everywhere. He reached up as if to catch a rope with his hands but he could not clutch water and was paralysed.

Question. 3. How did Douglas’ introduction to YMCA pool revive his childhood fear of water?
Answer: At the age of ten or eleven William O. Douglas decided to learn and swim at the Y.M.C.A pool because it was only two or three feet deep at the shallow end. He had an aversion to the water but he felt comfortable when he paddled with his new water wings in the water. One day he went to the pool when no one else was there. He was waiting for others to come. Then there came a big bruiser who picked Douglas and ducked him into the deep land. He landed in a sitting position, swallowed water and went at once to the bottom. This misadventure revived his childhood fear of water.

Question. 4. When did Douglas decide to learn swimming? What options were available to him to swim in? Which one did he choose and why?
Answer: Douglas was ten or eleven years old when he decided to learn swimming. He could swim in the Yakima River or the Y.M.C.A. pool at Yakima. The Yakima River was dangerous. Many persons had drowned in it. So, he chose the Y.M.C.A. pool. It was considered safe.

Question. 5. Which factors led Douglas to decide in favour of the Y.M.C.A. pool?
Answer: The Y.M.C.A. pool was safe. It was only two to three feet deep at the shallow end. It was nine feet deep at the other. Moreover, the drop was gradual. The Yakima River was treacherous and had drowned many. So, he decided in favour of the Y.M.C.A. pool.

Question. 6. “I had an aversion to the water when I was in it?” says Douglas. When did he start having this aversion and how?
Answer: The aversion started when Douglas was three or four years old. His father had taken him to the beach in California. They were standing together in the surf. He had held his father tightly, even then the waves knocked him down and swept over him. He was buried in water. His breath was gone. He was frightened. There was terror in his heart about the overpowering force of the waves.

Question. 7. How did Douglas initially feel when he went to the Y.M.C.A. pool? What made him feel comfortable?
Answer: Unpleasant memories of the past were revived and childish fears were stirred. In a little while he gathered confidence. He paddled with his new water wings. He watched the other boys and tried to imitate them. He did so two or three times on different days. He began to feel comfortable.

Question. 8. What two things did Douglas dislike to do? Which one did he have to do and why?
Answer: Douglas hated to walk naked into the pool and show his very thin legs. Secondly, he was fearful about going in alone. So, he sat on the side of the pool to wait for others. But he had to go into water as one cannot learn swimming without going into water.

Question. 9. In what connection does Douglas mention “a big bruiser of a boy?”
Answer: Douglas mentions him for his misadventure in the Y.M.C.A. swimming pool in which he had nearly died. It was this boxer boy who had picked up Douglas and tossed him into the deep end. Later on, when Douglas was rescued, the boy said, “I was only fooling.”

Question. 10. Mention any two long term consequences of the drowning incident on Douglas.
Answer: The drowning incident constantly haunted Douglas. He felt terrified by water and avoided it. He never gathered courage to go near the water. Whenever he went near the water his legs got paralysed and his heart was grabbed by fear. Moreover, he never went for swimming, fishing or canoeing. So, the fear of water had entered his heart.

Question. 11. How did the “misadventure” happen with Douglas?
Answer: Douglas was sitting alone on the side of the pool, waiting for others. A big, boxer boy of eighteen came there. Mocking him as ‘skinny’ he enquired how he would like to be plunged in water. Saying so, he picked up Douglas and tossed him into the nine feet deep end. Douglas struck the surface of water, swallowed water and at once went to the bottom.

Question. 12. “I was frightened, but not yet frightened out of my wits,” says Douglas. Which qualities of the speaker are highlighted here and how?
Answer: Douglas was frightened when he went down into the pool and was about to be drowned. He had an aversion to water and now he was filled with terror. He had remarkable self control. He used his mind even in the crisis and thought of a strategy to save himself from being drowned.

Question. 13. “On the way down I planned,” remarks Douglas. What plan had he devised and how far did it succeed?
Answer: While going down to the bottom, he made a plan to save himself from being drowned. He decided to make a big jump as his feet hit the bottom. He hoped to move up to the surface of water like a cork. Then he would lie flat on it, and paddle to the edge of the pool. The plan was only partly successful. He rose to surface twice. But each time he swallowed water and went down.

Question. 14. What did Douglas experience as he went down to the bottom of the pool for the first time?
Answer: Going down to the depth of nine feet was not quick. It seemed a long way down. For him those nine feet were more like ninety. Before he touched the bottom his lungs were ready to burst. He did not lose his presence of mind. Using all his strength, he made a great jump upwards.

Question. 15. How was the result of the ‘great spring upwards’ that Douglas made on hitting the bottom of the pool for the first time?
Answer: Douglas rose to the surface very slowly. When he opened his eyes he saw nothing but water with a dirty yellow colour. He grew panicky. He tried to grab a rope but his hands clutched only at water. He was suffocating. He tried to shout, but no sound came out. Then his eyes and nose came out of the water but not his mouth.

Question. 16. How did Douglas struggle before hitting the bottom of the pool for the second time? What was the outcome of his struggle?
Answer: Douglas moved his arms and legs around without control. He swallowed water and choked. His legs hung as dead weights, paralysed and rigid. A great force was pulling him down. He struck at the water with full force as he went down. He had lost all his breath. His lungs ached and head throbbed. He was getting dizzy. He went down through dark water and was filled with fear.

Question. 17. What sort of terror seized Douglas as he went down the ‘water with a yellow glow?’ How could he feel he was still alive?
Answer: An absolute, rigid terror seized Douglas. It was a terror that knew no understanding or control and was beyond comprehension of anyone who had not experienced it. He was paralysed under water–stiff and rigid with fear. His screams were frozen. The beating of his heart and throbbing of mind made him feel that he was still alive.

Question. 18. ‘In the midst of the terror came a touch of reason.’ How did the two forces work in opposite direction and how did Douglas fare?
Answer: Reason told him to jump when he hit the bottom as he felt the tiles under him, he jumped with everything he had. But the jump made no difference. A mass of yellow water held him. Stark terror took an even deeper hold on him. He shook and trembled with fright. His arms and legs wouldn’t move. He tried to call for help, but nothing happened.

Question. 19. ‘I crossed to oblivion, and the curtain of life fell.’ How did Douglas experience the sensation of dying before he actually crossed to oblivion?
Answer: As Douglas went down the pool the third time, he swallowed more water. All his efforts to jump up ceased. His legs felt limp. A blackness swept over his brain and it wiped out fear and terror. There was no more panic. It was quiet and peaceful. He felt drowsy and wanted to go to sleep.

Question. 20. In what state did Douglas find himself on regaining consciousness?
Answer: He found himself lying on his stomach near the pool. He was vomiting. The fellow who had thrown him in the pool was saying that he was only joking. Then someone remarked that the small boy had nearly died. He hoped that he would be all right then. Then he was carried to the locker room for change of clothes.

Question. 21. How did Douglas react to the frightening experience (i) that day and (ii) later when he came to know the waters of the Cascades?
Answer: (i) He walked home after several hours. He was weak and trembling. He shook and cried when he lay on his bed. He couldn’t eat that night. A haunting fear was there in his heart. The slightest exertion upset him. His knees became wobbly. He felt sick to his stomach.
(ii) Whenever he waded the Tieton or Bumping River or bathed in Warm Lake of Goat Rocks, the terror that had seized him in the pool would come back. This terror would take possession of him completely. His legs would become paralysed. Icy horror would grab his heart.

Question. 22. “This handicap stayed with me as the years rolled by.” How did it affect his pursuits for pleasure?
Answer: The haunting fear of water followed Douglas everywhere. He rowed in canoes on Maine lakes fishing for landlocked salmon. He went for 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. Fear ruined his fishing trips. It deprived him of the joy of canoeing, boating, and swimming.

Question. 23. What efforts did Douglas make to get over his fear of water and why?
Answer: Fear of water was a handicap Douglas developed during his childhood. It stayed with him as he grew older. It ruined his pursuits of pleasure such as canoeing, boating, swimming and fishing. He used every method he knew to overcome this fear. Finally, he was determined to get an instructor and learn swimming.

Question. 24. What was the first piece of exercise the instructor gave Douglas? How long did it take to yield the desired result?
Answer: The instructor made him go across the pool an hour a day for five days with the help of a rope attached to his belt. The rope went through a pulley that ran on an overhead cable. The instructor held on to the end of the rope. They went back and forth across the pool. A bit of panic seized him every time. Moreover, the old terror returned and his legs froze when the instructor loosened his grip on the rope and Douglas went under water. It was after three months that the tension began to decrease.

Question. 25. Which other exercise did the Instructor prescribe for Douglas to make him shed the panic caused by water?
Answer: He taught Douglas to put his face under water and exhale. Then he was to raise his nose and inhale. He repeated this exercise hundreds of time. Bit by bit he shed part of the panic that seized him when his head went under water.

Question. 26. Which exercise helped Douglas to loosen his stiff legs and make them work as he desired?
Answer: The instructor held Douglas at the side of the swimming pool. Then he made Douglas kick with his legs. He did just that for weeks. At first his legs refused to work. But gradually they relaxed. Finally, he was able to command them.

Question. 27. Why does Douglas say: ‘The Instructor was finished. But I was not finished?’ How did he overpower tiny vestiges of the old terror?
Answer: The instructor’s work was over when he built a swimmer out of Douglas piece by piece and then put them together into an integrated whole. However, Douglas was not satisfied as the remnants of the old terror would return when he swam alone in the pool. He would frown on terror go for another length of the pool.

Question. 28. Why did Douglas go to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire? How did he make his terror flee?
Answer: Douglas was not sure whether all the terror had left even after the training from October to April and practice till July. So, he went to Lake Wentworth and swam two miles. Terror returned only once when he was in the middle of the lake. He had put his face under and saw nothing but bottomless water. The old sensation returned in a smaller size. He laughed and rebuked terror. His terror fled away and he swam on.

Question. 29. Seemingly small everyday wins are actually the greatest learnings of life. Comment on the statement with reference of the chapter “Deep Water”. 
Answer: Referring to the chapter–‘Deep Water’ we can see that Douglas managed to overcome his fear of water by actually learning how to swim over a period of six month, five days a week, an hour every day. This patience and perseverance over a long period of time slowly backed up his confidence and gradually helped him to overcome the panic that he had felt every time he had seen water in the past. Therefore, the small everyday wins at the poet helped him to overcome his pride at sight of any water body.

Question. 30. If you could give the chapter a new title, what would it be? Support your answer with reference to the chapter “Deep Water”.
Answer: I would call it ‘Facing Fear’ because the lesson highlights Douglas’ struggle to overcome his fear of water after two misadventures with it. The story highlights the importance of facing one’s fears and coming out triumphant. If one allows fear to overwhelm them, they can never lead a healthy, fruitful life.

Question. 31. Getting rid of fear is an extremely difficult task. Elucidate with reference to the chapter “Deep Water”. 
Answer: To overcome his fear of water, Douglas had to work persistently for six months with an instructor both physically and psychologically. At first, he had to learn to be comfortable in water and then to learn to float and finally to move his hands and legs in sync with each other. Even after learning from the instructor he continued to test his skill and psyche by swimming in lakes and rivers till all residue of his fear vanished. This took him almost a year to accomplish.

Question. 32. Discuss the significances of the reference to the natural world in the chapter “Deep Water”. 
Answer: The references to the natural world has been alone to show the desperation of the writer to enjoy the benefits of nature like fishing, boating, swimming, canoeing which he was denied of because of his fear of water. It shows the reason why he finally decided to make an effort to overcome his fear of water and be a part of nature and enjoy its benefits like other people around him.

Question. 33. Describe both physical and emotional impacts that the misadventure at the YMCA pool had on the narrator. 
Answer: Physically Douglas could neither eat or sleep for a weak after the misadventure and mentally he could not go near a water body due to the fear and panic it caused him. This continued for years when he could not enjoy activities like swimming fishing, boating or canoeing.

Long Answer Questions

Question. 1. “There was terror in my heart at the overpowering force of the waves.” When did Douglas start fearing water? Which experience had further strengthened its hold on his mind and personality?
Answer: The water waves which knocked down young Douglas and swept over him at the beach in California filled him with fear. He was then three or four years old. All this happened when he had clung to his father. He was buried under water. His breath was gone and he was frightened. His father laughed, but there was terror in his heart at the overpowering force of the waves.
His introduction to the Y.M.C.A. swimming pool revived unpleasant memories and stirred childish fears. He had gathered some confidence when a misadventure happened as a big boy threw him at the nine feet deep end of the pool. His efforts to rise to the surface and paddle to the side failed twice. He would have drowned if he had not been rescued in time. This terror of water overpowered his limbs and made them stiff. His mind was haunted by fear of water. It was, in fact, a handicap to his personality.

Question. 2. Give an account of the fears and emotions of Douglas as he made efforts to save himself from being drowned in the Y.M.C.A. swimming pool.
Answer: Douglas was frightened as he was going down. His active mind suggested a strategy to save himself from being drowned in water. He knew that water has buoyancy. He must make a big jump as his feet hit the bottom. He hoped to rise up like a cork to the surface, lie flat on it and paddle to the edge of the pool.
Before he touched bottom, his lungs were ready to burst. Using all his strength, he made a great jump. He rose up very slowly. He saw nothing but yellow coloured dirty water. He grew panicky and he was suffocated. He swallowed more water as he tried to shout. He choked and went down again. His stiff legs refused to obey him. He had lost all his breath. His lungs ached and head throbbed. He was getting dizzy. He went down through darkwater again. An absolute terror seized Douglas. He was paralysed under water. His reasoning power told him to jump again. He did so, but his arms and legs wouldn’t move. His eyes and nose came out of water, but not his mouth. He swallowed more water and went down third time. Now a blackness swept over his brain. He had experienced the terror that fear of death can produce as well as the sensation of dying.

Question. 3. How did the misadventure in Y.M.C.A. swimming pool affect Douglas? What efforts did he make to conquer his old terror? Did he succeed?
Answer: Douglas had nearly died in the swimming pool. For days there was a haunting fear in his heart. The slightest exertion upset him. He avoided going near water as he feared it. The waters of the cascades, fishing for salmon in canoes, bass or trout fishing–all appeared attractive activities. However, the haunting fear of water followed Douglas everywhere and ruined his fishing trips. It deprived him of the joy of canoeing, boating and swimming.
The fear of water became a handicap. He used every method he knew to overcome this fear. Finally, he decided to engage a trainer and learn swimming. In seven months, the instructor built a swimmer out of Douglas. However, the vestiges of the old terror would return when he was alone in the pool. He could now frown on terror and go for another length of the pool. This went on till July. Douglas was not satisfied.
He went to Lake Wentworth and swam two miles. The terror returned only once when he had put his face under water and saw nothing but bottomless water. In order to remove his residual doubts he hurried west to Warm Lake. He dived into the lake and swam across to the other shore and back. He shouted with joy as he had conquered his fear of water. He finally succeeded in his effort.

Question. 4. Comment on the appropriateness of the title ‘Deep Water’ Or Do you think the title ‘Deep Water’ is apt? Give reasons in support of your answer.
Answer: The title ‘Deep Water’ is quite appropriate to this extract from ‘Of Men and Mountains’ by William O. Douglas. The title is highly suggestive and at once focuses our attention on the main theme—experiencing fear of death under water and the efforts of the author to overcome it. All the details in the essay are based on his personal experience and analysis of fear. The psychological analysis of fear is presented from a child’s point of view and centres round deep water and drowning. The overpowering force of the waves at the California beach stir aversion for water in Douglas. His mother warns him against swimming in the deep waters of the treacherous Yakima River. The nine feet deep water of the swimming pool appears more than ninety to Douglas. However, when he conquers fear he can dive and swim in the deep waters of Lake Wentworth and Warm Lake. Thus the title is apt and suggestive.

Question. 5. What impression do you form of William O. Douglas on the basis of reading ‘Deep Water’?
Answer: William Douglas leaves a very favourable impression on us. He appears quite truthful and courageous. He gives a detailed account of his fears and emotions as he struggles against deep water to save himself from being drowned. Confessing one’s faults and shortcomings is not easy. It needs courage, honesty and will power. Douglas has all these qualities.
His efforts to overpower the fear of water show his firm determination, resolution and strong will power. He has an analytic mind which diagnoses the malady and prompts him to search the cure. He is frightened of deep water, but not yet frightened out of his wits. In his heroic struggle against fear, terror and panic, he rises to heroic stature. He becomes an idol, a living image of bravery and persistent efforts. He typifies the will not to surrender or yield. His indefatigable zeal is a source of inspiration for all and specially for the youth. In short, William Douglas impresses us as a frank, truthful, honest and determined person.

Question. 6. It is often said that ‘No Pains, No Gains’. One cannot get anything if one does not work hard. Write an article on the topic, mentioned above, in not more than 120 words. You can take ideas from the following lines: “I went to a pool and practiced five days a week, an hour each day. 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.”
Answer: No Pains, no Gains. The dictum implies that one can’t attain phenomenal success without making sincere efforts. There is no substitute to hard work. There is no short cut to success. All successful persons have emphasised the importance of hard work in life. Nobody achieved greatness overnight. The secret of their success was hard and systematic work. Destiny never obliges the shirkers. God helps those who help themselves. Rome was not built in a day. Man must comprehend the significance of doing hard labour. One must burn the midnight oil to succeed in this world of intense competition. Never forget that rest is rust and work is everything. Experience matters a lot. It teaches us the way things are to be done. It is rightly said that ‘the best way really to train people is with an experienced mentor… and on the job’. The experienced advice of the trainer enlightens the trainees. They are made exceptionally skilled in the basic techniques. The overwhelming importance of training can be neglected at our own peril. This perception of beings would bring them perilously close to disaster.

Question. 10. FD Roosevelt says in his Inaugural Address in 1933 that ‘The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.’ Write an article on this topic. You may take ideas from the given lines: “I used every way I knew to overcome this fear, but it held me firmly in its grip!”
Answer: Fear. Fear stifles innovation, erodes creativity and limits the exponential growth. It is said that ‘Those who love to be feared, fear to be loved.’ Some fear them, but they fear everyone. Montaigne wrote that ‘The thing I fear most is fear.’ Fear is the principal source of superstition, and one of the primary sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom. Seneca says that ‘If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living. A person who is afraid of something cannot enjoy life in totality. Fear makes us weak, and cowardly. But it does not mean that one should become arrogant. A person of peevish nature cannot be called a brave fellow. Arjuna said that a warrior’s fear always helps him in understanding and analysing the potential of the opponent. Cervantes wrote in Don Quixote that ‘Fear has many eyes and can see things underground.’ Man should not have unnecessary fear. It discourages him to achieve the lofty aspirations. Fear impedes action and it is a well known fact that those who do not act lose the battle of life. One has to face the challenges of life. They can never be ignored and neglected. They help us in honing our skills and tapping our untapped potential. Hence, one must shed fear.

Question. 11. Imagine that the bully who threw Douglas into the pool, reads this chapter and realizes his mistake. As the bully, write a dairy entry penning down your response to Douglas’ perseverance and your own feelings of guilt and regret.
Answer: 14 June, 19xx
I feel so ashamed of myself. Today I saw Douglas at the pool after many years. He was with an instructor learning how to swim. He looked petrified yet determind to overcome his fear of water. It must have taken a lot of courage for him to learn swim after the near drowning incidents he suffered due to me. I was so foolish. Yes, I was 18 but he was only 12 or 13. How could I have decided to push him into the deep water of the pool? I knew he could not swim and yet? I suppose I thought it was all in fun. But what would I have done if Douglas had drowned that day? I wonder how I would have lived with that guilt? I am so happy to see him alive!

Question. 12. Douglas’ mother writes to the YMCA authorities holding them accountable for the mishap as well as demanding that the authorities employ a team of guards near the pool for supervision of the children. As the mother, write a letter to the authorities with reference to the case of your son. You may begin like this: Sir Subject: Negligence on Premises This is with reference to the incident of near fatal drowning of my son, William on your premises. We were...
Answer: 14 June, 19XX
Subject: Negligences on Premises
This is with reference to the incident of the near fatal drowning of my son, William on your premises. We were told that he was pushed into the deep end of the pool by an 18 years old ‘bruiser’ of a boy, just for the sake of having some fun!
My son nearly died in this incident. I want the boy and the authorities to apologize to my son for the trauma that he had to suffer for no fault of his. Also I am upset that the life guards were not at the pod when the children arrived for their swimming classes. How can you allow children near the pool without adult supervisions?
Please ensure that this incident is not repeated and stricter rules are made against my such incident happening in the future. I don’t want any other child to suffer the trauma that my son, William is having to suffer due to the thoughtless action of a bully. Awaiting your response.
Yours sincerely
Mrs. Douglas